Spelungula
Genus of spiders
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Spelungula is a monotypic genus of South Pacific large-clawed spiders containing the single species, Spelungula cavernicola, or the Nelson cave spider.[2]
| Spelungula | |
|---|---|
| |
| Nelson cave spider, Oparara basin, Karamea, New Zealand | |
Scientific classification  | |
| 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 | |
Taxonomy
This species was described in 1987 by Ray Forster from specimens collected in caves around Nelson.[3] The holotype is stored at Te Papa Museum under registration number AS.000014.[4]
Etymology
The genus name is derived from "spelunca", which is latin for cave and is feminine in gender. The species name "cavernicola" refers to the species restriction to caves.[3]
Description
Distribution/habitat
This species is only known from caves in northwestern Nelson, New Zealand.[3]
Conservation status
It is one of the few spider species afforded legal protection under the New Zealand Wildlife Act.[7][8] It is classified as "Range Restricted" and stable in the New Zealand Threat Classification System.[9]
In May 2022, the Crazy Paving Cave in Kahurangi National Park, where the spiders are known to breed, was closed for a year in an attempt to help the population to recover.[10]
