Pacificana
Pacificana is a genus of spiders in the family Cycloctenidae.[1] It was first described in 1904 by Hogg.[2] As of 2025[update], it contains only one species, Pacificana cockayni (Pacific Bounty hunter),[3] found only on the Bounty Islands I Moutere Hauriri in New Zealand.[4]
Taxonomy
[edit]
| Pacificana | |
|---|---|
| |
| Adult male | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Araneomorphae |
| Family: | Cycloctenidae |
| Genus: | Pacificana |
| Species: | P. cockayni
|
| Binomial name | |
| Pacificana cockayni Hogg, 1904[4]
| |
Both the genus and species were described in 1904 by Henry Roughton Hogg from a subadult male and several female specimens.[2] A female syntype specimen is stored in Otago Museum.[5] with the remainder assumed to be in the Natural History Museum, London.[3]
A lack of distinctive characters meant this species has been difficult to assign to a family.[1][3] First described in Agelenidae[2] it was later transferred to Amaurobioididae (now Anyphaeneidae)[5] and Miturgidae[6] before a combination of morphological data (including the description of the male) and molecular analysis allowed it be placed in Cycloctenidae.[1][3]
Description
[edit]Female body length ranges from 12.7 to 22 mm. The cephalothorax is dark brown with yellow markings on the carapace. The legs are yellow and ringed with brown bands. The abdomen has yellow and black stripes dorsally.[2][3]
Male body length is between 12.2 to 14.7 mm. Colouring is similar to the female, but with more extensive yellow markings on the carapace.[3]
Distribution
[edit]This species is only known from the Bounty Islands | Moutere Hauriri in New Zealand.[5][3]
Biology
[edit]This spider is known to make silk retreats under rocks in bird colonies. They are assumed to emerge from these retreats to hunt insect prey.[3][7]
Conservation status
[edit]Under the New Zealand Threat Classification System, this species is listed as "Naturally Uncommon" with the qualifiers of "Climate Impact", "Data Poor: Trend", "Island Endemic" and "One Location".[8]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c Gorneau, Jacob A.; Cala-Riquelme, Franklyn; Crews, Sarah C.; Montana, Katherine O.; Spagna, Joseph C.; Vink, Cor J.; Esposito, Lauren (2024-12-02). "Mystery on the Bounty: The family-level status of Pacificana cockayni Hogg,1904 (Araneae)". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 204 (108256): 1–5. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2024.108256.
- ^ a b c d H.R. Hogg (January 1904). "VI.—On a new genus of spiders from Bounty Island, with remarks on a species from New Zealand". Annals and Magazine of Natural History. 13 (73): 65–70. doi:10.1080/00222930409487056. ISSN 0374-5481. Wikidata Q54556459.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Vink, Cor J.; Sirvid, Philip John; Dupérré, Nadine (2024-11-27). "A redescription of the Pacific Bounty hunter, Pacificana cockayni Hogg, 1904 and an attempt to reunite with its family". New Zealand Journal of Zoology: 1–19. doi:10.1080/03014223.2024.2432459.
- ^ a b "Miturgidae". World Spider Catalog. Natural History Museum Bern. Retrieved 2017-03-27.
- ^ a b c Forster, R. R. (1955c). Spiders from the subantarctic islands of New Zealand. Records of the Dominion Museum, Wellington 2: 167-203
- ^ Lehtinen, Pekka T. (1967-01-01). "Classification of the Cribellate spiders and some allied families, with notes on the evolution of the suborder Araneomorpha". Annales Zoologici Fennici. 4 (3): 199–468.
- ^ Pollard, Simon; Sirvid, Philip John (2021-01-01). Why is that Spider Dancing? The Amazing Arachnids of Aotearoa. Te Papa Press.
- ^ 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" (PDF). New Zealand Threat Classification Series. 34: 1–37.
External links
[edit]- Pacificana cockayni discussed on RNZ Critter of the Week,19 March 2023
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