Pakeha kirki explained

Pakeha kirki is a species of Cycloctenidae spider that is endemic to New Zealand.^[1]

Taxonomy

This species was described as Myro kirki in 1909 by Henry Roughton Hogg from a female specimen.^[2] It was most recently revised in 1973, in which the male was described. The holotype is stored in Otago Museum.

Description

The female and male are recorded at 16.32mm. The cephalothorax and legs are coloured pale reddish brown. The abdomen is pale grey with white markings dorsally.

Distribution

This species is only known from Snares Island, New Zealand.

Conservation status

Under the New Zealand Threat Classification System, this species is listed as "Naturally Uncommon" with the qualifiers of "Island Endemic" and "One Location".^[3]

Notes and References

1. Forster, R. R. & Wilton, C. L. (1973). The spiders of New Zealand. Part IV. Otago Museum Bulletin 4: 1-309
2. Hogg, H. R. (1909). Spiders and Opiliones from the subantarctic islands of New Zealand. In: The Subantarctic islands of New Zealand. Wellington 1, 155-181.
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.