Monaeses fuscus

Brown Monaeses Crab Spider
	male
	male
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Subphylum:	Chelicerata
Class:	Arachnida
Order:	Araneae
Infraorder:	Araneomorphae
Family:	Thomisidae
Genus:	Monaeses
Species:	M. fuscus
Binomial name
	Monaeses fuscus; Dippenaar-Schoeman, 1984

Monaeses fuscus is a species of spider in the family Thomisidae. It is endemic to South Africa and is commonly known as the brown Monaeses crab spider.

Distribution

Monaeses fuscus is found only in South Africa, where it has been sampled from five provinces. Notable locations include Polokwane Nature Reserve, Giant's Castle Game Reserve, Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park, and iSimangaliso Wetland Park.

Habitat and ecology

Monaeses fuscus is mainly sampled from grass in Forest, Indian Ocean Coastal Belt, Savanna and Grassland biomes at altitudes ranging from 45 to 1,842 m.

The species has also been sampled from crops such as cotton and potato plants.

Description

Conservation

Monaeses fuscus is listed as Least Concern by the South African National Biodiversity Institute due to its wide geographical range. It is protected in six reserves including Polokwane Nature Reserve and Lekgalameetse Nature Reserve.

References

↑ Dippenaar-Schoeman, A.S. (1984). "The crab-spiders of southern Africa (Araneae: Thomisidae). 4. The genus Monaeses Thorell, 1869". Phytophylactica. 16: 101–116.
1 2 "Monaeses fuscus Dippenaar-Schoeman, 1984". World Spider Catalog. Retrieved 2025-10-01.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Dippenaar-Schoeman, A.S.; Haddad, C.R.; Foord, S.H.; Lotz, L.N. (2020). The Thomisidae of South Africa. Part 1 A-Mo. Version 1. South African National Survey of Arachnida Photo Identification Guide. p. 56. doi:10.5281/zenodo.7513274. This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.

External links

Citizen science observations for Monaeses fuscus at iNaturalist

[dippenaar1984-1] Dippenaar-Schoeman, A.S. (1984). "The crab-spiders of southern Africa (Araneae: Thomisidae). 4. The genus Monaeses Thorell, 1869". Phytophylactica. 16: 101–116.

[wsc-2] 1 2 "Monaeses fuscus Dippenaar-Schoeman, 1984". World Spider Catalog. Retrieved 2025-10-01.

[dippenaar2020-3] 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Dippenaar-Schoeman, A.S.; Haddad, C.R.; Foord, S.H.; Lotz, L.N. (2020). The Thomisidae of South Africa. Part 1 A-Mo. Version 1. South African National Survey of Arachnida Photo Identification Guide. p. 56. doi:10.5281/zenodo.7513274. This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.