Abstract:
The aim of the South African National Survey of Arachnida (SANSA) is to document the
Arachnida fauna of South Africa. One of the focus areas of SANSA is to survey protected
areas to obtain species-specific information, and species distribution patterns for Red Data
assessments. Here, we provide the first checklist of the spider species of Lekgalameetse Nature
Reserve (LNR) in the Limpopo province of South Africa collected during five surveys between
2009 and 2016 using methods targeting both the ground and field layers. Forty-five families,
represented by 168 genera and 268 species, have been collected so far. The most species-rich
families were the Salticidae (41 spp.) and Araneidae (38 spp.), followed by the Thomisidae
(33 spp.), while 11 families were represented by one species. Information on spider guilds,
endemicity value and conservation status are provided. The LNR protects approximately
12.2% of the total South African spider fauna. Two species, Hasarinella distincta Haddad &
Wesołowska, 2013 (Salticidae) and Ballomma legala Jocqué & Henrard, 2015 (Zodariidae), are
presently known to be endemic to the reserve.
CONSERVATION IMPLICATIONS : The LNR falls within the Savanna Biome in the Limpopo province.
Only five spider species were previously known from the reserve and 263 spp. are reported
from the reserve for the first time. Thirteen species are possibly new to science and 2 species
represent new distribution records for South Africa.