Ascuta insula

Ascuta insula
Conservation status
Naturally Uncommon (NZ TCS)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Subphylum:	Chelicerata
Class:	Arachnida
Order:	Araneae
Infraorder:	Araneomorphae
Family:	Orsolobidae
Genus:	Ascuta
Species:	A. insula
Binomial name
Ascuta insula Forster & Platnick, 1985

Ascuta insula is a species of Orsolobidae spider of the genus Ascuta . The species is endemic to New Zealand. ^[1]

Taxonomy

This species was described in 1985 by Ray Forster and Norman Platnick from a single female specimen collected on Stephens Island. ^[1] The holotype is stored at the New Zealand Arthropod Collection under registration number NZAC03014990. ^[2]

Description

The female is recorded at 4.2 mm (0.17 in) in length. The carapace and abdomen have patterning on the dorsal surface. ^[1]

Distribution

This species is only known from Stephens Island, New Zealand. ^[1]

Conservation status

Under the New Zealand Threat Classification System, this species is listed as "Naturally Uncommon" with the qualifiers of "One Location". ^[3]

References

1. Forster, R.R; Platnick, N.L (1985). "A review of the austral spider family Orsolobidae (Arachnida, Araneae), with notes on the superfamily Dysderoidea". Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History. 181: 1–230.
2. "Specimen Details". scd.landcareresearch.co.nz. Retrieved 2024-08-04.
3. Sirvid, P. J.; Vink, C. J.; Fitzgerald, B. M.; Wakelin, M. D.; Rolfe, J.; Michel, P. (2020-01-01). "Conservation status of New Zealand Araneae (spiders), 2020" (PDF). New Zealand Threat Classification Series. 34: 1–37.