Spelungula cavernicola
Encyclopedia
Spelungula cavernicola, or the Nelson cave spider, is a spider
which is endemic
to New Zealand
. It has a 2.4 centimetre (0.94488188976378 in) body length and a leg span of up to 13 centimetres (5.1 in).
it is the only spider protected under the Wildlife Act
. It is classed as Range Restricted and stable in the New Zealand Threat Classification System
.
Spider
Spiders are air-breathing arthropods that have eight legs, and chelicerae with fangs that inject venom. They are the largest order of arachnids and rank seventh in total species diversity among all other groups of organisms...
which is endemic
Endemic (ecology)
Endemism is the ecological state of being unique to a defined geographic location, such as an island, nation or other defined zone, or habitat type; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsewhere. For example, all species of lemur are endemic to the...
to New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. It has a 2.4 centimetre (0.94488188976378 in) body length and a leg span of up to 13 centimetres (5.1 in).
it is the only spider protected under the Wildlife Act
Wildlife Act 1953
-External links:*...
. It is classed as Range Restricted and stable in the New Zealand Threat Classification System
New Zealand Threat Classification System
The New Zealand Threat Classification System is used by the Department of Conservation to assess conservation priorities of species in New Zealand....
.
External links
- Nelson cave spider (Spelungula cavernicola) at the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa TongarewaMuseum of New Zealand Te Papa TongarewaThe Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa is the national museum and art gallery of New Zealand, located in Wellington. It is branded and commonly known as Te Papa and Our Place; "Te Papa Tongarewa" is broadly translatable as "the place of treasures of this land".The museum's principles...
- Images of Spelungula cavernicola at Arkive