Ascuta musca explained

Ascuta musca is a species of Orsolobidae. The species is endemic to New Zealand.^[1]

Taxonomy

This species was described in 1985 by Ray Forster and Norman Platnick from male and female specimens collected in Arthurs Pass. The holotype is stored in Otago Museum.

Description

The male is recorded at 2.05mm in length. In contrast to this the female is 2.41mm in length. The carapace and abdomen are patterned.

Distribution

This species is only known from Arthurs Pass, New Zealand.

Conservation status

Under the New Zealand Threat Classification System, this species is listed as "Not Threatened".^[2]

Notes and 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. 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 . New Zealand Threat Classification Series . English . 34 . 1–37.