Appearance
"Steatoda capensis" is a small spider, usually an all-over shiny black. It may have a small bright red, orange, or yellow patch near the tip of the abdomen along with a crescent shaped band near the front of the abdomen.Naming
The species name of "capensis" refers to Cape Town, which is where the spider originates.Distribution
"Steatoda capensis" is native to South Africa but is also found in Australia and New Zealand.Status
"Steatoda capensis" is listed as Least Concern due to its wide geographical range. The species is well protected in reserves and parks.Habitat
The spiders are synanthropic and frequently live on or in buildings. They also occur in a variety of other habitats such as sand dunes.In New Zealand, "Steatoda capensis" occurs in sand dunes where the endemic katipō spider also occurs. The two spiders occupy similar niches to one another, but "S. capensis" can reproduce more quickly. Because of this, it is possible that "S. capensis" is slowly displacing katipō spiders from their native habitat, which may be a contributing factor in their declining population.
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