Hyllus argyrotoxus

Hyllus argyrotoxus is a medium to large-sized salticid with a robust body and relatively long legs. The species exhibits sexual dimorphism, with females generally larger and more heavily built than males. Both sexes possess large anterior median eyes that provide acute binocular vision. The coloration is typically contrasting black, dark brown and white or silvery markings, which are more distinct in males. Diagnostic characters of the male palp and female epigyne have been illustrated and described in taxonomic literature.

Hyllus argyrotoxus is distributed across a wide area in Africa, being found in Botswana, Eswatini, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe. In South Africa, the species has a wide distribution and is known from the provinces Eastern Cape, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North West and Western Cape.

This species is a highly mobile, plant-dwelling spider that moves boldly through low vegetation and shrubs. It is most frequently collected from bushes and trees rather than from the ground layer. Females construct silken retreats on the underside of leaves, folding the leaf into a broad tube in which the egg sac is deposited and guarded. In South Africa, Hyllus argyrotoxus inhabits a wide range of biomes including Fynbos, forest, grassland, Indian Ocean coastal belt, savanna and thicket, at altitudes ranging from approximately 17 to 1558 m above sea level. The species has also been recorded in agricultural ecosystems such as avocado, citrus, cotton and macadamia orchards, indicating a tolerance for modified habitats.