Palystes superciliosus
species of arachnid
The common rain spider (Palystes superciliosus), formerly P. natalius, is a species of huntsman spider native to Southern Africa. It is the most common and widespread species in the genus Palystes.
In South Africa its distribution ranges from KwaZulu-Natal province in the east, then westwards to the provinces of Mpumalanga, Limpopo, Gauteng and North West in the north, and Eastern Cape and Western Cape in the south. It has a body length of 15–36 mm and a leg span of up to 110mm. The species was first described by Ludwig Carl Christian Koch in 1875.
Distribution
Palystes superciliosus is recorded from Namibia, Mozambique, Eswatini, and South Africa.
In South Africa, the species has a very wide distribution throughout all provinces and occurs in more than 10 protected areas. Notable locations include Kruger National Park, Ndumo Game Reserve, Polokwane Nature Reserve, De Hoop Nature Reserve, and Swartberg Nature Reserve. The species occurs at altitudes ranging from 1 to 2,785 m.
Habitat and ecology
Palystes superciliosus is a very common species and is commonly found in houses.
“Palystes superciliosus” enters the record as species of arachnid. Crown Archives preserves that source wording while asking what Palystes, superciliosus and species can confirm, complicate or overturn.
Why this record matters
“Palystes superciliosus” is worth following because a concise public description often conceals a longer documentary argument. Here, Palystes, superciliosus and species provides the most credible route into that argument.
Stable identifiers, scientific names and standards terminology offer the best bridge between this overview and specialist evidence. The source revision retrieved here is dated Nov 4, 2025. The linked authority identifier is Q2438009. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference. The first chronological checks are 1875.
Scientific names, classifications and consensus can change while older terminology persists in catalogues and historical literature. The source lead contains qualifying language; that uncertainty should survive quotation, summary and reuse. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Check terminology, classification and the date of the cited evidence. Scientific names and technical consensus can change while older records retain historical value.
- Current terminology
- Classification context
- Finding cited technical literature
Primary datasets, specimen catalogues, standards bodies and the most recent peer-reviewed literature.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Palystes superciliosus”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Palystes superciliosus primary sources, Palystes superciliosus archive and Palystes research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Palystes superciliosus”?
- Is the terminology current, historical or disputed?
- Has classification or technical consensus changed since the cited source?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Palystes superciliosus” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.