Nigorella hirsuta
Nigorella hirsuta is a medium-sized jumping spider found in southern Africa. It lives in Mozambique, South Africa, and Zimbabwe, typically in woodlands and in plant litter near rivers or at the bottom of grass tussocks.
Size and appearance:
- Males: carapace about 3.5–3.7 mm long and 2.7–2.9 mm wide; abdomen about 3.2–3.5 mm long. The carapace is dark brown and hairy; the abdomen is dark brown.
- Females: larger, with a carapace about 4.4–4.7 mm long and 3.1–3.7 mm wide; abdomen about 6.4–6.6 mm long and 4.2–4.7 mm wide. The female’s abdomen is grey on top with four rows of white dots underneath.
Identification:
- The female has strongly sclerotized cups in the epigyne (the visible part of the reproductive system).
- The male has a longer embolus, a part of its reproductive organ.
Taxonomy and discovery:
- It is a jumping spider in the family Salticidae, genus Nigorella.
- Described in 2009 by Wanda Wesołowska.
Habitat and behavior:
- Ground-dwelling, often found in grass tussocks, plant litter, or under Acacia trees near rivers.
Conservation:
- Least Concern.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 02:10 (CET).