Subantarctia turbotti explained

Subantarctia turbotti is a species of Orsolobidae. The species is endemic to New Zealand.^[1]

Taxonomy

This species was described in 1955 by Ray Forster from female specimens collected on Auckland Island. The species was redescribed in 1964 to include male specimens.^[2] The holotype is stored in Auckland War Memorial Museum under registration number AMNZ5066.^[3] The species was named after Auckland War Memorial Museum director Graham Turbott.

Description

The male is recorded at 3.53mm in length whereas the female is 8.01mm. The female has yellowish brown legs, dark reddish brown carapace and uniform creamy white. In contrast, the male has bright reddish brown legs and carapace.

Distribution

This species is only known from Auckland Island in New Zealand.^[4]

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".^[5]

Notes and References

1. Forster . R.R . 1955 . Spiders from the subantarctic islands of New Zealand . Records of the Dominion Museum, Wellington . 2 . 167-203.
2. Forster . R.R . 1964 . The Araneae and Opiliones of the subantarctic islands of New Zealand . Pacific Insects Monographs . 7 . 58-115.
3. Web site: Subantarctia turbotti . 2024-08-15 . Auckland War Memorial Museum . en.
4. 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.
5. 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.