Spelungula is a genus of spiders in the family Gradungulidae. The genus has only one species, Spelungula cavernicola,[1] or the Nelson cave spider, which is endemic to New Zealand. It is New Zealand's largest known spider in terms of leg span (13 -15cm)[2][3] and it has a body length of 2.4 centimetres (0.94 in).[2]
| Spelungula | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Araneomorphae |
| Family: | Gradungulidae |
| Genus: | Spelungula Forster, 1987[1] |
| Species: | S. cavernicola
|
| Binomial name | |
| Spelungula cavernicola Forster, 1987[1]
| |
As of 1991[update], it is the only spider protected under the Wildlife Act.[4][5] It is classed as "Range Restricted" and stable in the New Zealand Threat Classification System[6]. As the name suggests it is known only from a few caves in the Nelson and Buller region of the South Island, New Zealand. Its main prey is cave weta.[3]
See also
References
- ^ a b c "Gen. Spelungula Forster, 1987", World Spider Catalog, Natural History Museum Bern, retrieved 2016-04-08
- ^ a b McLachlan, Andrew; Taonga, New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage Te Manatu. "Nelson cave spider". www.teara.govt.nz. Retrieved 2016-05-29.
- ^ a b "Topic: Nelson cave spider | Collections Online - Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa". collections.tepapa.govt.nz. Retrieved 2016-05-28.
- ^ Faulls, D. (1991). "Eight legs, two fangs and an attitude". New Zealand Geographic (10): 68–96.
- ^ Wildlife Act - Schedule 7 Terrestrial and freshwater invertebrates declared to be animals
- ^ Molloy, Janice; Bell, B.; Clout, M.; de, Lange P.; Gibbs, G.; Given, D.; Norton, D.; Smith, N.; Stephens, T. (2002). "Classifying species according to threat of extinction. A system for New Zealand" (PDF). Department of Conservation (New Zealand). Retrieved 2008-02-29.
External links
- Nelson cave spider (Spelungula cavernicola) at the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
- Images of Spelungula cavernicola at Arkive
Wikispecies has information related to Spelungula cavernicola.
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