Plectophanes altus

Plectophanes altus
Conservation status
Not Threatened (NZ TCS)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Subphylum:	Chelicerata
Class:	Arachnida
Order:	Araneae
Infraorder:	Araneomorphae
Family:	Cycloctenidae
Genus:	Plectophanes
Species:	P. altus
Binomial name
Plectophanes altus Forster, 1964

Plectophanes altus is a species of Cycloctenidae spider endemic to New Zealand. ^[1]

Taxonomy

This species was described in 1964 by Ray Forster from female specimens. ^[2] It was most recently revised in 1979. The holotype is stored in Otago Museum. ^[1]

Description

The female is recorded at 4.7mm in length. This species has a dark brown carapace. The abdomen is coloured dark brown with 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 "Not Threatened" with the qualifiers of "Data Poor: Size" and "Data Poor: Trend". ^[3]

References

1. Forster, R. R. (1979). The spiders of New Zealand. Part V. Cycloctenidae, Gnaphosidae, Clubionidae. Otago Museum Bulletin5: 1-95
2. Forster, R. R. (1964). The spider family Toxopidae (Araneae). Annals of the Natal Museum16: 113-151
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.