Cassafroneta

Cassafroneta
Conservation status
Naturally Uncommon (NZ TCS)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Subphylum:	Chelicerata
Class:	Arachnida
Order:	Araneae
Infraorder:	Araneomorphae
Family:	Linyphiidae
Genus:	Cassafroneta Blest, 1979
Species:	C. forsteri
Binomial name
Cassafroneta forsteri Blest, 1979

Cassafroneta is a monotypic genus of South Pacific dwarf spiders containing the single species, Cassafroneta forsteri. It was first described by A. D. Blest in 1979, and has only been found in New Zealand. ^[1]

Taxonomy

This species was described in 1979 by A.D. Blest from a male specimen. ^[2] It was most recently revised in 2002, in which the female was described. This species is the sole member of the Cassafroneta genus. ^[3]

Description

The female is recorded at 2.13mm in length whereas the male is 2.28mm. ^{[2] [3]}

Distribution

This species is only known from New Zealand. ^[3]

Conservation status

Under the New Zealand Threat Classification System, this species is listed as "Naturally Uncommon" with the qualifier of "Biologically Sparse". ^[4]

References

1. "Gen. Cassafroneta Blest, 1979". World Spider Catalog Version 20.0. Natural History Museum Bern. 2019. doi:10.24436/2 . Retrieved 2019-06-13.
2. Blest, A.D. (1979). "The spiders of New Zealand. Part V. Linyphiidae-Mynoglenidae". Otago Museum Bulletin. 5: 95–173.
3. Blest, A.D.; Vink, C.J. (2002). "New Zealand spiders: Linyphiidae, Mynogleninae". Records of the Canterbury Museum. 16: 1–31.
4. 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.