About Phrynarachne rugosa (Walckenaer, 1805)
Phrynarachne rugosa is a spider species that belongs to the Thomisidae family. It is commonly called the bird-dung crab spider, and is distributed across Africa and surrounding nearby islands. Confirmed localities of Phrynarachne rugosa include Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Malawi, Zambia, South Africa, Madagascar, Mauritius, and Réunion. Within South Africa, this species has been recorded in KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape, with specific localities being Richards Bay, Ndumo Game Reserve, De Hoop Nature Reserve, and Knysna Diepwalle Reserve. Phrynarachne rugosa lives in the Fynbos, Forest, and Savanna biomes, at altitudes between 15 and 47 meters above sea level. These spiders are free-living on vegetation, and are specifically found on the surface of leaves.
