Nothophantes

Nothophantes, the horrid ground-weaver, is a critically endangered[1] monotypic genus of European dwarf spiders containing the single species, Nothophantes horridus. It was first described by P. Merrett & R. A. Stevens in 1995,[3] and has only been found in an area of Plymouth smaller than 1 square kilometre (0.39 sq mi).[1][2] The genus name comes from the Ancient Greek νόθος (nothos), meaning "spurious", and hyphantes, meaning "weaver".[4] The species name comes from the Latin horridus, meaning "bristly".[5]

Nothophantes
A male Nothophantes horridus
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Infraorder: Araneomorphae
Family: Linyphiidae
Genus: Nothophantes
Merrett & Stevens, 1995[2]
Species:
N. horridus
Binomial name
Nothophantes horridus
Merrett & Stevens, 1995

Description

Nothophantes horridus has a total body length of 2.5 millimetres (0.098 in), and has only been found in three limestone quarries and one industrial site in the Cattedown area. Shapter's Field Quarry, the species' type locality, has since been developed by builders and is now the Plymouth Trade Park industrial estate.[1] Its small size and habit of living deep inside cracks and crevices of rocks makes them difficult to find.[6]

History

It was first discovered in 1995,[3] then not recorded until 1999.[7] Until 2016 only nine specimens have ever been found, of which seven were female and two male.[4] It was photographed for the first time at a fourth site in 2016.[8] [9] In September 2011, Nothophantes horridus was one of the subjects of BBC Radio 4’s Saving Species programme.[10]

Threats

In 2014, plans by Wainhomes (South West) Holdings Ltd. to build homes in Radford Quarry were rejected by Plymouth City Council, and it was appealed, triggering a formal planning inquiry.[11][12]

In 2015, an online petition to save Nothophantes horridus from extinction was started by the conservation group Buglife, and was signed by almost 10,000 people. Money was raised through crowdsourcing to fund further research into the species, totaling nearly £10,500.[13] In June, the IUCN rated the spider as critically endangered, adding it to the global Red List of Threatened Species.[1] On June 9, the Planning Inspector rejected the building development because of concern for the rare wildlife, and notably Nothophantes horridus.[11][14]

References
  1. Cardoso, P.; Hilton-Taylor, C. (2015). "Nothophantes horridus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2015: e.T70560176A70560214. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-1.RLTS.T70560176A70560214.en. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
  2. "Gen. Nothophantes Merrett & Stevens, 1995". World Spider Catalog Version 20.0. Natural History Museum Bern. 2019. doi:10.24436/2. Retrieved 16 June 2019.
  3. Merrett, P.; Stevens, R. A. (1995). "A new genus and species of linyphiid spider from south-west England (Araneae: Linyphiidae)". Bulletin of the British Arachnological Society. 10: 119.
  4. Allen, Duncan (2011). "The distribution, ecology and conservation of the Horrid ground-weaver Nothophantes horridus" (PDF). Retrieved 11 June 2015.
  5. Elder, Charlie (29 April 2015). "Fight to save 'invisible' UK spider highlights plight of lesser-known species". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 15 June 2015.
  6. "Summary for Nothophantes horridus (Araneae)". Retrieved 11 June 2015.
  7. Merrett, P.; Stevens, R. A. (1999). "The male of Nothophantes horridus Merrett & Stevens (Araneae: Linyphiidae)". Bulletin of the British Arachnological Society. 11: 130.
  8. "Britain's rarest spider found at new site, and photographed". buglife. Retrieved 10 February 2016.
  9. "Horrid ground-weaver spider 'filmed alive for first time'". BBC News. 10 February 2016. Retrieved 11 January 2023.
  10. Presenters:Brett Westwood (8 September 2011). "Saving Species Episode 16". Saving Species. Series 2. BBC. BBC Radio 4. Retrieved 10 June 2015.
  11. "Rare horrid ground-weaver spider stops Plymouth housing plans". BBC News. 9 June 2015. Retrieved 11 June 2015.
  12. Morris, Steven (13 January 2015). "Rare spider under threat from housing estate plan, conservation charity warns". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 10 June 2015.
  13. Blackledge, Sam (26 June 2015). "Crowdfunder round-up: Web project generates cash for Plymouth causes". The Plymouth Herald. Plymouth. Retrieved 10 July 2015.
  14. "Critically endangered spider saved from planning development". buglife.org.uk. 9 June 2015. Retrieved 11 June 2015.
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