ID please

[amateur]

I found this guy outside after a rainy afternoon in South-Africa. What is it? and if I were to keep it, how should I keep it?

 

[chanda]

Cool! That appears to be one of the Scorpion Spiders (a.k.a. Flat Rock Spiders) - probably a Platyoides sp.

Comparison pictures: https://www.whatsthatbug.com/2014/10/27/scorpion-spider-south-africa-2/ and https://www.whatsthatbug.com/category/spiders/scorpion-spiders/

 

[amateur]

Thanks! If I were to keep it, how should I keep it?

 

[Smokehound714]

what an aptly-named family- 'Trochanteriidae' look at those long trochanters o_o very unusual spiders!

 

[chanda]

Thanks! If I were to keep it, how should I keep it?

I'm afraid I don't know anything about keeping them. The best I can come up with is try to imitate the conditions where you found it as far as temperature and humidity are concerned and give it small crevices to hide in, between rocks or slabs of bark. I've never seen these over here in the US.

 

[The Snark]

what an aptly-named family- 'Trochanteriidae' look at those long trochanters

So I stare and stare, thinking human anatomy. Head, neck, piriformis... THAT'S A TROCHANTER?? Either that or an extra femur. Bizarre.

 

[amateur]

Thanks for all the replies. I think she might be starting to spin a web, because a saw a couple of silk strands but I don't know if they even can spin a web or something

 

[RTTB]

That is a great looking yet bizarre spider.