Tricassa deserticola is a species of spider in the family Lycosidae. It is found in southern Africa and is commonly known as the desert Tricassa wolf spider.
Distribution Tricassa deserticola is found in Namibia and South Africa.
In South Africa, it is recorded from the Western Cape and Northern Cape at altitudes ranging from 7 to 14 m. Localities include Port Nolloth, Buffels Bay, and Wiedou.
Habitat and ecology Tricassa deserticola is a free-running ground dweller. Some specimens have been sampled from coastal areas on sandy beaches.
Description
Tricassa deserticola shares all of its features with its subfamily Tricassinae, of which it is the only representative member. Its total length ranges from 4.60-5.88 millimetres. It has a pale yellowish white carapace, sternum, and legs, and its abdomen is uniformly pale yellow featuring a "pink glimmer" due to main blood flow.
Conservation Tricassa deserticola is listed as Least Concern by the South African National Biodiversity Institute due to its wide geographical range.
Taxonomy Tricassa deserticola was described by Simon in 1910 from Namibia. The species was revised by Alderweireldt and Jocqué (1993), and both sexes are known and illustrated.
References