Mahura takahea

Mahura takahea
Conservation status
Data Deficit (NZ TCS)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Subphylum:	Chelicerata
Class:	Arachnida
Order:	Araneae
Infraorder:	Araneomorphae
Family:	Agelenidae
Genus:	Mahura
Species:	M. takahea
Binomial name
Mahura takahea Forster & Wilton, 1973

Mahura takahea is a species of Agelenidae that is endemic to New Zealand. ^[1]

Taxonomy

This species was described in 1973 by Ray Forster and Cecil Wilton from male and female specimens. The holotype is stored in Otago Museum. ^[1]

Description

The male is recorded at 3.14mm in length whereas the female is 2.90mm. The male cephalothorax is pale yellow with darkish bands. The legs are pale yellow brown. The abdomen is creamy and shaded reddish brown. The female differs in being more darkly coloured. It also has pale markings dorsally. ^[1]

Distribution

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

Conservation status

Under the New Zealand Threat Classification System, this species is listed as "Data Deficient" with the qualifiers of "Data Poor: Size" and "Data Poor: Trend". ^[2]

References

1. Forster, R. R. & Wilton, C. L. (1973). The spiders of New Zealand. Part IV. Otago Museum Bulletin4: 1-309
2. 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.