Hickmania troglodytes
Encyclopedia
The cribellate spider species Hickmania troglodytes (Tasmanian cave spider) occurs only in Tasmania
, where it is widely distributed, especially in underground drainage and cave systems, where large numbers can be found in the entrances.
They are up to 2 cm long, with a legspan of up to 18 cm; its web can have a diameter of more than one meter.
The smaller males have a distinct kink-like curve near the end of each second leg. These kinks are used to hold the female's head while mating.
Spiders of these species have a usually long lifetime for araneomorph
spiders: they can last several decades.
This spider, the only one of its own subfamily (Hickmaniinae), is the last of an old Gondwana
n lineage; its nearest relatives are found in South America
.
It is an icon species for faunal conservation in Tasmania.
troglodytes, "cave-dweller".
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
, where it is widely distributed, especially in underground drainage and cave systems, where large numbers can be found in the entrances.
They are up to 2 cm long, with a legspan of up to 18 cm; its web can have a diameter of more than one meter.
The smaller males have a distinct kink-like curve near the end of each second leg. These kinks are used to hold the female's head while mating.
Spiders of these species have a usually long lifetime for araneomorph
Araneomorphae
The Araneomorphae are a suborder of spiders. They are distinguished by having fangs that oppose each other and cross in a pinching action, in contrast to the Mygalomorphae , which have fangs that are nearly parallel in alignment.- Distinguishing characteristics :Note the difference in the...
spiders: they can last several decades.
This spider, the only one of its own subfamily (Hickmaniinae), is the last of an old Gondwana
Gondwana
In paleogeography, Gondwana , originally Gondwanaland, was the southernmost of two supercontinents that later became parts of the Pangaea supercontinent. It existed from approximately 510 to 180 million years ago . Gondwana is believed to have sutured between ca. 570 and 510 Mya,...
n lineage; its nearest relatives are found in South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
.
It is an icon species for faunal conservation in Tasmania.
Name
The genus name is in honor of an arachnologist called Hickman, Ipswich. The species name is GreekGreek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
troglodytes, "cave-dweller".