Position
Associate Professor
Department
Zoology and Entomology
PhD (Entomology) - University of the Free State, 2012
Publications (Short List)
Publications (2023-2025)
2023
DIPPENAAR-SCHOEMAN, A.S., HADDAD C.R., LOTZ, L.N., BOOYSEN, R., STEENKAMP, R.C. & FOORD, S.H. 2023. Checklist of the spiders (Araneae) of South Africa. African Invertebrates 64: 221–281.
HADDAD, C.R., CODRON, D., VENTER, C. & BOOYSEN, R. 2023. The unique buckspoor webs of Seothyra optimize silk use and capture efficiency. Journal of Arid Environments 218: 105057.
HADDAD, C.R., PRENDINI, L., NEETHLING, J.A. & DIPPENAAR-SCHOEMAN, A.S. 2023. The non-acarine Arachnida of the Amathole Mountains, South Africa. Bothalia 53: a13.
SEBATA, S., HADDAD, C.R., FOORD, S.H. & FITZPATRICK, M.J. 2023. A checklist of the spiders (Arachnida: Araneae) within a mixed wildlife and cattle savanna ranch in South-Western Zimbabwe. Koedoe 65: a1756.
2024
BADENHORST, H., HADDAD, C.R. & JANION-SCHEEPERS, C. 2024. Small-scale changes in spider and springtail assemblages between termite mounds and the surrounding grassland matrix. African Invertebrates 65: 339–367.
BARONE, M.L., WILSON, J.D., ZAPATA, L., SOTO, E.M., HADDAD, C.R., GRISMADO, C., IZQUIERDO, M., ARIAS, E., ARAYA, J.P., BRIONES, R., BARRIGA, J.E., PERALTA, L. & RAMÍREZ, M.J. 2024. Genetic barcodes for species identification and phylogenetic estimation in ghost spiders (Araneae, Anyphaenidae, Amaurobioidinae). Invertebrate Systematics 38: IS24053.
DIPPENAAR-SCHOEMAN, A.S., HADDAD C.R., FOORD, S.H. & LOTZ, L.N. 2024. The faunistic diversity of spiders (Arachnida: Araneae) of the South African Cape Floristic Kingdom. Transactions of the Royal Society of South Africa 79: 1–22.
HADDAD C.R. & DIPPENAAR-SCHOEMAN, A.S. 2024. A checklist of the spiders (Arachnida, Araneae) of the Table Mountain National Park in the Western Cape Province, South Africa. Koedoe 66: #a1797.
HADDAD, C.R. & LYLE, R. 2024. Three new genera of arboreal dark sac spiders from southern Africa (Araneae: Trachelidae). Zootaxa 5399: 451–504.
HADDAD, C.R. & VICKERS, M. 2024. The genus Baryphas Simon, 1902 (Araneae: Salticidae) in South Africa, with the description of a new species. Arachnology 19: 1152–1164.
HADDAD, C.R. & WESOLOWSKA, W. 2024. On some new and poorly known Chrysillini from arid western South Africa (Araneae, Salticidae). African Invertebrates 65: 127–159.
HADDAD, C.R., WISNIEWSKI, K. & WESOLOWSKA, W. 2024. The jumping spiders of Mozambique (Araneae: Salticidae). Zootaxa 5560: 1–92.
MARUSIK, Y.M. & HADDAD, C.R. 2024. A new species and new records of Chumma (Araneae: Macrobunidae) from South Africa. African Invertebrates 65: 329–338.
VAN DER MESCHT, A., HADDAD, C.R. & DIPPENAAR-SCHOEMAN, A.S. 2024. Completing the web: identifying sampling bias and knowledge gaps within South African spider surveys (Arachnida: Araneae). African Invertebrates 65: 223–246.
2025
HADDAD, C.R. 2025. And they just keep coming: four new genera of dark sac spiders from southern Africa (Araneae: Trachelidae). African Invertebrates 66: 19–64.
HADDAD, C.R. 2025. Non-acarine arachnids in the Ndumo Game Reserve: celebrating 100 years of research. African Journal of Wildlife Research 55: 81–92.
HADDAD, C.R., CODRON, D. & BOOYSEN, R. 2025. Identifying the substrate and vegetation characteristics driving population densities in the buckspoor spider, Seothyra schreineri. African Journal of Ecology 63: e70074.
HADDAD, C.R. & GRISMADO, C.J. 2025. Further additions to the rare dark sac spider genus Messapus Simon, 1897 (Araneae: Corinnidae). Zootaxa 5637: 351–362.
HADDAD, C.R. & LYLE, R. 2025. A revision of the genus Trachelas L. Koch, 1872 (Araneae: Trachelidae) in the continental Afrotropical Region. Zootaxa 5673: 451–493.
MARUSIK, Y.M. & HADDAD, C.R. 2025. On the placement and affiliations of the Drassodes species described from sub-Saharan Africa (Aranei: Gnaphosidae). Arthropoda Selecta 34: 77–85.
SANKARAN, P.M, HADDAD, C.R. & TRIPATHI, R. 2025. A review of the ground spider genus Trichothyse Tucker, 1923 (Araneae, Gnaphosidae). Zootaxa 5583: 39–70.
YU, K.-P., CHENG, R.-C., HADDAD, C.R., TANIKAWA, A., PETT, B.L., PIACENTINI, L.N., JÄGER, P., YIP, H.Y., SUZUKI, Y., HENRARD, A., PAINTING, C.J., VINK, C.J., HEBETS, E.A., HARVEY, M.S. & KUNTNER, M. 2025. Systematics and evolutionary history of raft- and nursery web- spiders (Araneae: Dolomedidae and Pisauridae). Zoologica Scripta 54: 421–436.
Scientific papers accepted for publication
HADDAD, C.R., BOOYSEN, R., VICKERS, M.E., CHRISTIAAN, R., STANDER, A., DIPPENAAR-SCHOEMAN, A.S. & VAN DER MESCHT, A. (in press). A little goes a long way: a rapid sampling protocol repeated seasonally generates considerable spider biodiversity data in an arid national park. Biodiversity and Conservation. doi: 10.1007/s10531-025-03107-9
KELLY, M.B.J., DERKARABETIAN, S., MCLEAN, D.J., SHOFNER, R., GRISMADO, C.J., HADDAD, C.R., CASSIS, G., GIRIBET, G., HERBERSTEIN, M.E. & WOLFF, J.O. (in press). Dense sampling phylogenomics reveals highly dynamic evolution of Batesian mimicry accuracy in two clades of myrmecomorphic spiders. Systematic Biology. doi: 10.1093/sysbio/syaf037
ORTIZ, D., PEKÁR, S., HENRARD, A., JOCQUÉ, R., HARVEY, M., HADDAD, C.R. & VAN BOCXLAER, B. (in press). Phylogenomics unveils Afrotropical origin, trans-oceanic global diversification and climatic niche conservatism in the sedentary Zodariidae ant spiders. Systematic Entomology. doi: 10.1111/syen.12694
PEKÁR, S., GAJSKI, D., ŠEDO, O., OPATOVÁ, V., KORBA, J. & HADDAD, C.R. (in press). Offensive and defensive exploitation of ants by termitophagous spiders (Araneae: Zodariidae). Integrative Zoology. doi: 10.1111/1749-4877.13021
TAYLOR, P.J., BREDENHAND, E., MONADJEM, A., ARMSTRONG, A., RAKOTOARIVELO, A., MDLULI, V.M., HOWARD, A., MODISE, S., MOTITSOE, S.N., NTLOKO, P., KIRKALDY, A.P., KLEYNHANS, D., JANKIELSOHN, A., MOSIKIDI, T., OOSTHUIZEN, M.K., PAYNE, S., MUNYAI, T.C., CARBUTT, C., RAMOEJANE, M., BERENG, M., STILLER, M., HADDAD, C.R., STEENHUISEN, S.L., MLAMBO, M.C., MOYO, S., NYEMBE, N., MOFOKENG, L., VAN AS, J., MALEKANA, L., DANIEL, G.M., GWATE, O., VAN AS, M., HARRISON, J., THABETHE, N.F., KHESWA, N., MOLOI, K., SISHANGE, N. & CLARK, V.R. (in press). Citizen science and expert bioblitzes reveal congruent elevational patterns of biodiversity in an imperiled alpine hotspot in southern Africa. Bothalia.
Publications (Short List)
Publications (Short List)
Publications (2023-2025)
2023
DIPPENAAR-SCHOEMAN, A.S., HADDAD C.R., LOTZ, L.N., BOOYSEN, R., STEENKAMP, R.C. & FOORD, S.H. 2023. Checklist of the spiders (Araneae) of South Africa. African Invertebrates 64: 221–281.
HADDAD, C.R., CODRON, D., VENTER, C. & BOOYSEN, R. 2023. The unique buckspoor webs of Seothyra optimize silk use and capture efficiency. Journal of Arid Environments 218: 105057.
HADDAD, C.R., PRENDINI, L., NEETHLING, J.A. & DIPPENAAR-SCHOEMAN, A.S. 2023. The non-acarine Arachnida of the Amathole Mountains, South Africa. Bothalia 53: a13.
SEBATA, S., HADDAD, C.R., FOORD, S.H. & FITZPATRICK, M.J. 2023. A checklist of the spiders (Arachnida: Araneae) within a mixed wildlife and cattle savanna ranch in South-Western Zimbabwe. Koedoe 65: a1756.
2024
BADENHORST, H., HADDAD, C.R. & JANION-SCHEEPERS, C. 2024. Small-scale changes in spider and springtail assemblages between termite mounds and the surrounding grassland matrix. African Invertebrates 65: 339–367.
BARONE, M.L., WILSON, J.D., ZAPATA, L., SOTO, E.M., HADDAD, C.R., GRISMADO, C., IZQUIERDO, M., ARIAS, E., ARAYA, J.P., BRIONES, R., BARRIGA, J.E., PERALTA, L. & RAMÍREZ, M.J. 2024. Genetic barcodes for species identification and phylogenetic estimation in ghost spiders (Araneae, Anyphaenidae, Amaurobioidinae). Invertebrate Systematics 38: IS24053.
DIPPENAAR-SCHOEMAN, A.S., HADDAD C.R., FOORD, S.H. & LOTZ, L.N. 2024. The faunistic diversity of spiders (Arachnida: Araneae) of the South African Cape Floristic Kingdom. Transactions of the Royal Society of South Africa 79: 1–22.
HADDAD C.R. & DIPPENAAR-SCHOEMAN, A.S. 2024. A checklist of the spiders (Arachnida, Araneae) of the Table Mountain National Park in the Western Cape Province, South Africa. Koedoe 66: #a1797.
HADDAD, C.R. & LYLE, R. 2024. Three new genera of arboreal dark sac spiders from southern Africa (Araneae: Trachelidae). Zootaxa 5399: 451–504.
HADDAD, C.R. & VICKERS, M. 2024. The genus Baryphas Simon, 1902 (Araneae: Salticidae) in South Africa, with the description of a new species. Arachnology 19: 1152–1164.
HADDAD, C.R. & WESOLOWSKA, W. 2024. On some new and poorly known Chrysillini from arid western South Africa (Araneae, Salticidae). African Invertebrates 65: 127–159.
HADDAD, C.R., WISNIEWSKI, K. & WESOLOWSKA, W. 2024. The jumping spiders of Mozambique (Araneae: Salticidae). Zootaxa 5560: 1–92.
MARUSIK, Y.M. & HADDAD, C.R. 2024. A new species and new records of Chumma (Araneae: Macrobunidae) from South Africa. African Invertebrates 65: 329–338.
VAN DER MESCHT, A., HADDAD, C.R. & DIPPENAAR-SCHOEMAN, A.S. 2024. Completing the web: identifying sampling bias and knowledge gaps within South African spider surveys (Arachnida: Araneae). African Invertebrates 65: 223–246.
2025
HADDAD, C.R. 2025. And they just keep coming: four new genera of dark sac spiders from southern Africa (Araneae: Trachelidae). African Invertebrates 66: 19–64.
HADDAD, C.R. 2025. Non-acarine arachnids in the Ndumo Game Reserve: celebrating 100 years of research. African Journal of Wildlife Research 55: 81–92.
HADDAD, C.R., CODRON, D. & BOOYSEN, R. 2025. Identifying the substrate and vegetation characteristics driving population densities in the buckspoor spider, Seothyra schreineri. African Journal of Ecology 63: e70074.
HADDAD, C.R. & GRISMADO, C.J. 2025. Further additions to the rare dark sac spider genus Messapus Simon, 1897 (Araneae: Corinnidae). Zootaxa 5637: 351–362.
HADDAD, C.R. & LYLE, R. 2025. A revision of the genus Trachelas L. Koch, 1872 (Araneae: Trachelidae) in the continental Afrotropical Region. Zootaxa 5673: 451–493.
MARUSIK, Y.M. & HADDAD, C.R. 2025. On the placement and affiliations of the Drassodes species described from sub-Saharan Africa (Aranei: Gnaphosidae). Arthropoda Selecta 34: 77–85.
SANKARAN, P.M, HADDAD, C.R. & TRIPATHI, R. 2025. A review of the ground spider genus Trichothyse Tucker, 1923 (Araneae, Gnaphosidae). Zootaxa 5583: 39–70.
YU, K.-P., CHENG, R.-C., HADDAD, C.R., TANIKAWA, A., PETT, B.L., PIACENTINI, L.N., JÄGER, P., YIP, H.Y., SUZUKI, Y., HENRARD, A., PAINTING, C.J., VINK, C.J., HEBETS, E.A., HARVEY, M.S. & KUNTNER, M. 2025. Systematics and evolutionary history of raft- and nursery web- spiders (Araneae: Dolomedidae and Pisauridae). Zoologica Scripta 54: 421–436.
Scientific papers accepted for publication
HADDAD, C.R., BOOYSEN, R., VICKERS, M.E., CHRISTIAAN, R., STANDER, A., DIPPENAAR-SCHOEMAN, A.S. & VAN DER MESCHT, A. (in press). A little goes a long way: a rapid sampling protocol repeated seasonally generates considerable spider biodiversity data in an arid national park. Biodiversity and Conservation. doi: 10.1007/s10531-025-03107-9
KELLY, M.B.J., DERKARABETIAN, S., MCLEAN, D.J., SHOFNER, R., GRISMADO, C.J., HADDAD, C.R., CASSIS, G., GIRIBET, G., HERBERSTEIN, M.E. & WOLFF, J.O. (in press). Dense sampling phylogenomics reveals highly dynamic evolution of Batesian mimicry accuracy in two clades of myrmecomorphic spiders. Systematic Biology. doi: 10.1093/sysbio/syaf037
ORTIZ, D., PEKÁR, S., HENRARD, A., JOCQUÉ, R., HARVEY, M., HADDAD, C.R. & VAN BOCXLAER, B. (in press). Phylogenomics unveils Afrotropical origin, trans-oceanic global diversification and climatic niche conservatism in the sedentary Zodariidae ant spiders. Systematic Entomology. doi: 10.1111/syen.12694
PEKÁR, S., GAJSKI, D., ŠEDO, O., OPATOVÁ, V., KORBA, J. & HADDAD, C.R. (in press). Offensive and defensive exploitation of ants by termitophagous spiders (Araneae: Zodariidae). Integrative Zoology. doi: 10.1111/1749-4877.13021
TAYLOR, P.J., BREDENHAND, E., MONADJEM, A., ARMSTRONG, A., RAKOTOARIVELO, A., MDLULI, V.M., HOWARD, A., MODISE, S., MOTITSOE, S.N., NTLOKO, P., KIRKALDY, A.P., KLEYNHANS, D., JANKIELSOHN, A., MOSIKIDI, T., OOSTHUIZEN, M.K., PAYNE, S., MUNYAI, T.C., CARBUTT, C., RAMOEJANE, M., BERENG, M., STILLER, M., HADDAD, C.R., STEENHUISEN, S.L., MLAMBO, M.C., MOYO, S., NYEMBE, N., MOFOKENG, L., VAN AS, J., MALEKANA, L., DANIEL, G.M., GWATE, O., VAN AS, M., HARRISON, J., THABETHE, N.F., KHESWA, N., MOLOI, K., SISHANGE, N. & CLARK, V.R. (in press). Citizen science and expert bioblitzes reveal congruent elevational patterns of biodiversity in an imperiled alpine hotspot in southern Africa. Bothalia.
Systematics, ecology, biology and biodiversity of African spiders.
African Arachnology. Various aspects of arachnid systematics and ecology are studied. The main focus is on the systematics and ecology of Afrotropical corinnid sac spiders, particularly ant-mimics in the subfamily Castianeirinae. This is one of the most poorly studied spider families in the region, and generic revisions presently underway indicate that the total diversity of this group is likely to increase at least five-fold.
Other research areas include studies of spider biodiversity in habitats in the Free State Province, agroecosystems, and various conservancies. Biodiversity and ecological work focuses on the spider diversity of the Ndumo Game Reserve in Maputaland, KwaZulu-Natal, where more than 580 species of spiders have been recorded so far. Collaborative research includes studies on spider systematics and biology, particularly of termitophagous and myrmecophagous spiders, and karyology of South African arachnids.
ENTO3714 - Advanced Insect Ecology (Sole lecturer).
ZLGY/ENTO6814 - Scientific techniques (Part).
ZLGY/ENTO6862 – Biodiversity (Shared).
ENTO6844 – Arachnology capita selecta (Sole lecturer).
Subject editor for journal Zootaxa.
Member of the World Spider Catalog specialist group.
Assistant Project Manager: South African National Survey of Arachnida (SANSA)