Kauaʻi cave wolf spider

Kauaʻi cave wolf spider
Kauaʻi Cave Wolf Spider
Conservation status
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Suborder: Araneomorphae
Family: Lycosidae
Genus: Adelocosa
Gertsch, 1973
Species: A. anops
Binomial name
Adelocosa anops
Gertsch, 1973 [2]

The Kauaʻi cave wolf spider , also known to local residents as the "blind spider", is only known to occur in a few caves in a lava flow with an area of 10.5 square kilometres (4.1 sq mi) in the Kōloa–Poʻipū region of Kauaʻi, Hawaiian Islands, and only six populations are known to exist.[3] While their nearest surface-dwelling relatives have large eyes, this species has completely lost its eyes. They reach a body length of about 20 millimetres (0.8 in), are reddish brown and completely harmless to people.[4] Unlike most wolf spiders, it produces only 15 to 30 eggs per clutch. The female carries the egg sac in her mouthparts until the spiderlings hatch.[3]

One of its primary prey species is the Kauaʻi cave amphipod, Spelaeorchestia koloana, which is only known from nine populations and reaches about 10 mm (0.4 in) in length.[4] These feed on decomposing plant matter. Both species were discovered in 1971. Counts have never documented more than 30 spiders or 80 amphipods.[4]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Adelocosa anops". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2009.2. International Union for Conservation of Nature. 1996. http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/513. Retrieved March 17, 2010. 
  2. ^ Norman I. Platnick (2010). "Lycosidae". World Spider Catalog, Version 10.5. American Museum of Natural History. http://research.amnh.org/iz/spiders/catalog/LYCOSIDAE.html. Retrieved March 17, 2010. 
  3. ^ a b "Endangered Species in the Pacific Islands. Kaua‘i Cave Arthropods". United States Fish and Wildlife Service. January 6, 2010. http://www.fws.gov/pacificislands/fauna/kauaicaveanimals.html. 
  4. ^ a b c "Hawaii's Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy (2005): Kaua‘i Cave Arthropods" (PDF). October 1, 2005. http://www.state.hi.us/dlnr/dofaw/cwcs/files/NAAT%20final%20CWCS/Chapters/Terrestrial%20Fact%20Sheets/Inverts/Kauai%20Cave%20arthropods%20NAAT%20final%20!.pdf. 
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