Species of spider
Cataxia bolganupensis Porongurup trapdoor spider , is a species of mygalomorph spider in the Idiopidae family . It is endemic to Australia. It was described in 1985 by Australian arachnologist Barbara York Main . The specific epithet refers to the type locality.[ 1] [ 2] [ 3]
Distribution and habitat
The species occurs in southern Western Australia in the Mallee bioregion , in wet karri forest on the south side of the Porongurup Range. The type locality is a track on Nancy Peak above Bolganup Dam, in Porongurup National Park , some 40 km (25 mi) north of Albany .[ 2] [ 3]
In early 2024, a team of volunteers headed by experts relocated around 40 of the spiders to a nearby location after plans were made to build a picnic area over their burrows.[ 4]
References
^ a b Main, BY (1985). "Further studies on the systematics of ctenizid trapdoor spiders: A review of the Australian genera (Araneae: Mygalomorphae: Ctenizidae)". Australian Journal of Zoology Supplementary Series . 108 : 1–84 [43]. ^ a b "Species Cataxia bolganupensis (Main, 1985)" . Australian Faunal Directory . Dept of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, Australia. 2023-02-03. Retrieved 2023-08-11 .^ a b Rix, MG; Bain, K; Main, BY; Raven, RJ; Austin, AD; Cooper, SJB; Harvey, MS (2017). "Systematics of the spiny trapdoor spiders of the genus Cataxia (Mygalomorphae: Idiopidae) from southwestern Australia: Documenting a threatened fauna in a sky-island landscape" . Journal of Arachnology . 45 (3): 395–423 [404]. doi :10.1636/0161-8202-45.1.451 . Retrieved 2023-08-11 . ^ Thannoo, Jamie (15 February 2024). "Experts, citizen scientists team up to rescue rare trapdoor spiders in WA's Porongurup Range" . ABC News . Retrieved 18 February 2024 .
