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Type: Article
Published: 2015-10-07
Page range: 129–135
Abstract views: 62
PDF downloaded: 1

Nukuhiva Berland, 1935 is a troglobitic wolf spider (Araneae: Lycosidae), not a nursery-web spider (Pisauridae)

Phoenix Environmental Sciences, 1/511 Wanneroo Road, Balcatta, Western Australia 6000, Australia. School of Animal Biology, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia 6009, Australia Department of Terrestrial Zoology, Western Australian Museum, Locked Bag 49, Welshpool DC, Western Australia 6986, Australia
Zoological Museum, University of Turku, Turku 20014, Finland.
Araneae Lycosinae subterranean troglomorphy

Abstract

The monotypic genus Nukuhiva Berland, 1935 with N. adamsoni (Berland, 1933) as type species, is re-described and transferred from the Pisauridae Simon, 1890 (fishing or nursery-web spiders) to the Lycosidae Sundevall, 1833 (wolf      spiders) based on genitalic and somatic characters. Nukuhiva adamsoni, originally described from French Polynesia, appears to inhabit mountainous habitats of volcanic origin. Its troglobitic morphology—comparatively small eyes and pale, uniform coloration—suggest it to be associated with subterranean habitats such as caves or lava tubes, similar to the Hawaiian troglobitic species Lycosa howarthi Gertsch, 1973 and Adelocosa anops Gertsch, 1973.