Macrogradungula
| Macrogradungula moonya | |
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| Genus: | Macrogradungula Gray, 1987
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| Species: | M. moonya
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| Binomial name | |
| Macrogradungula moonya Gray, 1987
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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
- ^ a b 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.
{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Norman I. Platnick (2000–2013). "The World Spider Catalog, Version 14.0". American Museum of Natural History. Retrieved October 5, 2013.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|year=(help) - ^ Volker W. Framenau (September 15, 2013). "Checklist of Australian Spiders Version 1.24" (PDF). Australasian Arachnological Society. Retrieved October 5, 2013.
{{cite web}}: no-break space character in|author=at position 7 (help); no-break space character in|title=at position 10 (help) - ^ "Macrogradungula moonya Gray, 1987". Atlas of Living Australia. Retrieved October 5, 2013.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Stephen Goosem (2002). Update of Original Wet Tropics of Queensland Nomination Dossier (PDF). Wet Tropics Management Authority. p. 16.
- ^ 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.
External links
Media related to Macrogradungula moonya at Wikimedia Commons
