Macrogradungula

Macrogradungula moonya
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Suborder: Araneomorphae
Family: Gradungulidae
Genus: Macrogradungula
Gray, 1987
Species: M. moonya
Binomial name
Macrogradungula moonya
Gray, 1987

Macrogradungula moonya is a species of cribellate large spiders endemic to northeastern Queensland, Australia. It is the only species in the gradungulid genus Macrogradungula.

Taxonomy

Macrogradungula moonya was first described by the Australian arachnologist Michael R. Gray in 1987. Its generic name comes from Ancient Greek μακρός (makros, "long"), referring to its large size. Its specific name comes from the Australian Aboriginal word moonya, meaning "camp". It refers to the discovery of the first specimen while walking outside a tent in a rainforest campsite.[1]

Macrogradungula moonya is the only species in the genus Macrogradungula. It is classified under the family Gradungulidae, superfamily Austrochiloidea, and suborder Araneomorphae.[2][3][4]

Distribution

Macrogradungula moonya is currently known from three disjunct localities in northeastern Queensland, Australia. The first specimens were recovered from rainforest sink holes in Boulder Creek, Walter Hill Range.[1][5][6] Other specimens were reported from caves and cavities among boulder fields in the Black Mountains and Mount Bartle Frere. It is unknown if these other populations may represent new species.[7]

References

  1. 1 2 Raymond R. Forster; Norman I. Platnick & Michael R. Gray (1987). "A review of spider superfamilies Hypochiloidea and Austrochiloidea (Araneae, Araneomorphae)" (PDF). Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History. 185 (1): 1–116.
  2. ↑ Norman I. Platnick (2000–2013). "The World Spider Catalog, Version 14.0". American Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 5 October 2013.
  3. ↑ Volker W. Framenau (15 September 2013). "Checklist of Australian Spiders Version 1.24" (PDF). Australasian Arachnological Society. Retrieved 5 October 2013.
  4. ↑ "Macrogradungula moonya Gray, 1987". Atlas of Living Australia. Retrieved 5 October 2013.
  5. ↑ Graham A. Milledge (1997). "A new species of Progradungula Forster & Gray (Araneae: Gradungulidae) from Victoria" (PDF). Memoirs of the Museum of Victoria. 56 (1): 65–68.
  6. ↑ Stephen Goosem (2002). Update of Original Wet Tropics of Queensland Nomination Dossier (PDF). Wet Tropics Management Authority. p. 16.
  7. ↑ Patrick J. Couper & Conrad J. Hoskin (2008). "Litho-refugia: the importance of rock landscapes for the long-term persistence of Australian rainforest fauna" (PDF). Australian Zoologist. 34 (4): 554–560. doi:10.7882/az.2008.032.
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