{{Short description|Monotypic genus of spiders}} {{For|the plant genus|Hewittia (plant)}} {{Speciesbox | name = | image = Hewittia gracilis female 02.png | image_caption = ''Hewittia gracilis'' female in lateral view, South Africa | image2 = | image2_caption = | taxon = Hewittia gracilis | authority = Lessert, 1928 | parent_authority = Lessert, 1928<ref name=wsc /> }}
'''''Hewittia''''' is a monotypic genus of African crab spiders containing the single species, '''''Hewittia gracilis'''''. It was first described by Roger de Lessert in 1928.<ref name=Less1928 />
==Description== thumb|left|''Hewittia gracilis'' male in lateral view, South Africa
Female ''H. gracilis'' have a total length of {{convert|3|-|4|mm|in}}, with both the prosoma (cephalothorax) opisthosoma (abdomen) being longer than wide. Colouration of the opisthosoma varies from greyish-white with two dark spots to almost entirely brown, though always with a thin white band circling the dorsal carapace. The prosoma is high and rounded in front and slopes forwards, while the rear edge is bluntly truncated.<ref name="SSB22" />
The eyes are arranged in two rows, the anterior (front row) slightly wider than the posterior (back row), with the lateral eyes of both being three times larger than the median eyes. Like other crab spiders the front two pairs of legs are much longer than the hind pair.<ref name="SSB22" />
<gallery mode=packed heights=140px> Hewittia gracilis 304225936 548415070.jpg|male Hewittia gracilis 304225936 548415898.jpg|male Hewittia gracilis 304225936 548415773.jpg|male </gallery>
==Habitat== ''H. gracilis'' live in low vegetation, including shrubs and grasses, and are typically active during day.<ref name="SSB22" />
==Distribution== ''H. gracilis'' was originally described from the Democratic Republic of Congo, and has since been found in the Ivory Coast, Namibia and South Africa.<ref name=wsc /><ref name="SSB22" />
==See also== * List of Thomisidae species
==References== {{Reflist|refs= <ref name="wsc">{{cite journal| title=Gen. Hewittia Lessert, 1928| website=World Spider Catalog| accessdate=2025-10-05 |publisher=Natural History Museum Bern| url=http://www.wsc.nmbe.ch/genus/3638| doi=10.24436/2}}</ref> <ref name="Less1928">{{cite journal| last=Lessert| first=R. de| year=1928| title=Araignées du Congo recueillies au cours de l'expedition par l'American Museum (1909-1915). Deuxieme partie| journal=Revue suisse de Zoologie| pages=303–352| volume=35| doi=10.5962/bhl.part.117621}}</ref> <ref name="SSB22">{{cite journal|last1=Dippenaar-Schoeman |first1=A. S. |last2=Steenkamp |first2=R. |last3=Booysen |first3=R. |year=2022 |title=New records of the crab spider ''Hewittia gracilis'' Lessert, 1928 from South Africa (Araneae: Thomisidae) |journal=SANSA Newsletter |volume=42 |pages=17–19 |doi=10.5281/zenodo.6801258 |doi-access=free}}</ref> }}
==External links== * {{inaturalist taxon}}
{{Taxonbar| from1=Q19315815| from2=Q136677}}
Category:Monotypic Araneomorphae genera Category:Spiders of Africa Category:Thomisidae