Maoriata magna explained

Maoriata magna is a species of Orsolobidae. The species is endemic to New Zealand.^[1]

Taxonomy

This species was described as "Ascuta magna" in 1956 by Ray Forster from male and female specimens collected in Fiordland. In 1985, the species was made the type species of Maoriata.^[2] The holotype is stored in Canterbury Museum.

Description

The male is recorded at 4.2mm in length whereas the female is 4.35mm. This species has a dark yellowish carapace, pale brown legs and creamy white coloured abdomen with a chevron pattern dorsally.

Distribution

This species is only known from Fiordland, New Zealand.

Conservation status

Under the New Zealand Threat Classification System, this species is listed as "Not Threatened".^[3]

Notes and References

1. Forster . R. R . 1956 . New Zealand spiders of the family Oonopidae . Records of the Canterbury Museum . 7 . 89-169.
2. 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.
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 . New Zealand Threat Classification Series . English . 34 . 1–37.