Natta horizontalis Karsch, 1879

Wesolowska, Wanda & Haddad, Charles R., 2009, Jumping spiders (Araneae: Salticidae) of the Ndumo Game Reserve, Maputaland, South Africa, African Invertebrates 50 (1), pp. 13-103 : 65-66

Natta horizontalis Karsch, 1879

Natta horizontalis: Karsch 1879: 362 ; Próchniewicz 1989: 218, figs 33–38; Wesolowska 1993 a: 25, figs 17–41; Wesolowska & Cumming 2008: 201, figs 107–109.

Cyllobelus rufopictus: Simon 1909: 420 ; Berland & Millot 1941: 320, fig. 22; Lessert 1936: 289, fig. 84; Lawrence 1942: 187, fig. 32.

See Wesolowska (1993 a) for description of both sexes.

Material examined:2^Airfield, 26 ° 54.865'S: 32 ° 17.896'E, broadleaf woodland, leaf litter, 5.vii.2002 ( NMSA

21870); 1ơ 1^Crocodile Farm, Pongola R. floodplain, 26 ° 54.426'S: 32 ° 19.185'E, A. xanthophloea bark ,

6.ii.2005 ( NCA 2008 /621); 1ơ 1^2 imm. Eastern shore of Shokwe Pan, 26 ° 52.516'S : 32 ° 12.407'E , A.

xanthophloea bark, 24.i.2006 ( NCA 2008/1863); 1^same locality, beats, various trees, 24.i.2006, R . Lyle

( NMSA 21871); 1^Near NRC picnic site, 26 ° 52.742'S: 32 ° 11.088'E, A. tortilis savannah, leaf litter ,

29.xi.2000 ( NMSA 21872 ); 2^Near Nyamiti Bird Hide, Pongola R. floodplain, Ezikebheni, 26 ° 53.362'S :

32 ° 18.892'E, leaf litter, 9.ii.2005 ( NMSA 21873 ); 1^Southern shore of Hotwe Pan , 26 ° 52.730'S: 32 ° 18.452'E,

A. xanthophloea bark, 7.ii.2005 ( NCA 2008 /644); 1^same data but 27.i.2006 ( NCA 2008 /653); 1ơ 1^

Western shore of Nyamiti Pan, 26 ° 53.767'S: 32 ° 16.557'E, A. xanthophloea bark, 3.vii.2003 ( NMSA 21874 ) ;

1^same data but 23.i.2006 ( NCA 2008 /610) .

Distribution: Widespread in the Afrotropical Region.

Habitat and biology: This species was observed in leaf litter of most habitats in the reserve, but was only sampled in AS, AX, BW and RF. Specimens were occasionally collected from tree bark or by beating foliage of short plants and trees. The body scales are iridescent and give this species a metallic appearance. N. horizontalis is a generalised ant mimic, moving in short darting runs and moving the forelegs up and down to resemble antennal movements. It was frequently collected near foraging ants, but was never seen preying on them. Individuals were observed to rapidly dart away from foraging ants when confronted, suggesting that this species is not myrmecophagous. However, the laboratory experiments of Jackson and van Olphen (1992) indicated that N. horizontalis (as Cyllobelus rufopictus ) prefers feeding on ants rather than flies, while Wesolowska & Cumming (2008) recorded a specimen feeding on an Odontotermes termite. Further studies are thus needed to establish the dietary range of this widespread and common species.

Genus Nigorella Wesolowska & Tomasiewicz, 2008