Systenoplacis vandami

Roodeplaat Systenoplacis zodariid spider
	Female
	Female
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Subphylum:	Chelicerata
Class:	Arachnida
Order:	Araneae
Infraorder:	Araneomorphae
Family:	Zodariidae
Genus:	Systenoplacis
Species:	S. vandami
Binomial name
	Systenoplacis vandami; (Hewitt, 1916)
Synonyms
	Cydrela vandami Hewitt, 1916;

Systenoplacis vandami is a species of spider from the Zodariidae family. It is endemic to South Africa and is commonly known as the Roodeplaat Systenoplacis zodariid spider.

Distribution

Systenoplacis vandami has a wide distribution across the South African provinces Eastern Cape, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, North West, and Northern Cape.

Habitat

The species inhabits multiple biomes including Fynbos, Forest, Indian Ocean Coastal Belt, and Savanna at altitudes ranging from 54 to 1,758 m above sea level.

Description

Systenoplacis vandami shows sexual dimorphism in size. Females reach 9.32 mm in total length with a uniform dark brown carapace and reddish brown chelicerae. The abdomen is dark grey with a white spot in front. Males are considerably smaller at 5.9 mm total length with a medium reddish brown carapace and a clear, well-defined white spot on the abdomen along with three spots in a longitudinal row.

Ecology

Systenoplacis vandami are free-running ground spiders. It is presumed that their large pedipalps are used for digging, which has been observed in grassland habitats.

Conservation

The species is listed as Least Concern by the South African National Biodiversity Institute due to its wide geographical range. It is protected in six protected areas.

References

↑ Hewitt, J. (1916). "Descriptions of new South African spiders". Annals of the Transvaal Museum. 5: 212.
↑ "Systenoplacis vandami (Hewitt, 1916)". World Spider Catalog. Retrieved 20 September 2025.
1 2 3 4 5 Dippenaar-Schoeman, A.S.; Jocqué, R.; Haddad, C.R.; Foord, S.H.; Lotz, L.N. (2024). The Zodariidae of South Africa. Part 2 (H-T) version 1. South African National Survey of Arachnida Photo Identification Guide. p. 40. doi:10.5281/zenodo.14568995. Retrieved 20 September 2025. This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.
↑ Jocqué, R. (2009). "Some keep it short: on the radiation in the Afrotropical spider genera Capheris and Systenoplacis (Araneae, Zodariidae) without male pedipalp complexity increase". Journal of Afrotropical Zoology. 5: 110.

[hewitt1916-1] Hewitt, J. (1916). "Descriptions of new South African spiders". Annals of the Transvaal Museum. 5: 212.

[wsc11-2] "Systenoplacis vandami (Hewitt, 1916)". World Spider Catalog. Retrieved 20 September 2025.

[dippenaar2024k-3] 1 2 3 4 5 Dippenaar-Schoeman, A.S.; Jocqué, R.; Haddad, C.R.; Foord, S.H.; Lotz, L.N. (2024). The Zodariidae of South Africa. Part 2 (H-T) version 1. South African National Survey of Arachnida Photo Identification Guide. p. 40. doi:10.5281/zenodo.14568995. Retrieved 20 September 2025. This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.

[jocque2009b-4] Jocqué, R. (2009). "Some keep it short: on the radiation in the Afrotropical spider genera Capheris and Systenoplacis (Araneae, Zodariidae) without male pedipalp complexity increase". Journal of Afrotropical Zoology. 5: 110.