Cataxia bolganupensis, also known as the Porongurup trapdoor spider, is a species of mygalomorph spider in the Idiopidae family. It is endemic to Australia. It was described in 1985 by Australian arachnologist Barbara York Main. The specific epithet refers to the type locality.[1][2][3]

Cataxia bolganupensis
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Infraorder: Mygalomorphae
Family: Idiopidae
Genus: Cataxia
Species:
C. bolganupensis
Binomial name
Cataxia bolganupensis
(Main, 1985)[1]
Synonyms
  • Neohomogona bolganupensis Main, 1985
  • Homogona bolganupensis (Main, 1985)

Distribution and habitat

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The species occurs in southern Western Australia in the Mallee bioregion, in wet karri forest on the south side of the Porongurup Range. The type locality is a track on Nancy Peak above Bolganup Dam, in Porongurup National Park, some 40 km (25 mi) north of Albany.[2][3]

In early 2024, a team of volunteers headed by experts relocated around 40 of the spiders to a nearby location after plans were made to build a picnic area over their burrows.[4]

References

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  1. ^ a b Main, BY (1985). "Further studies on the systematics of ctenizid trapdoor spiders: A review of the Australian genera (Araneae: Mygalomorphae: Ctenizidae)". Australian Journal of Zoology Supplementary Series. 108: 1–84 [43].
  2. ^ a b "Species Cataxia bolganupensis (Main, 1985)". Australian Faunal Directory. Dept of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, Australia. 2023-02-03. Retrieved 2023-08-11.
  3. ^ a b Rix, MG; Bain, K; Main, BY; Raven, RJ; Austin, AD; Cooper, SJB; Harvey, MS (2017). "Systematics of the spiny trapdoor spiders of the genus Cataxia (Mygalomorphae: Idiopidae) from southwestern Australia: Documenting a threatened fauna in a sky-island landscape". Journal of Arachnology. 45 (3): 395–423 [404]. doi:10.1636/0161-8202-45.1.451. Retrieved 2023-08-11.
  4. ^ Thannoo, Jamie (15 February 2024). "Experts, citizen scientists team up to rescue rare trapdoor spiders in WA's Porongurup Range". ABC News. Retrieved 18 February 2024.