Blakistonia aurea, also known as the Adelaide trapdoor spider or the yellow trapdoor spider, is a species of mygalomorph spider in the Idiopidae family. It is endemic to Australia. It was described in 1902 by British arachnologist Henry Roughton Hogg.[1][2]

Blakistonia aurea
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Infraorder: Mygalomorphae
Family: Idiopidae
Genus: Blakistonia
Species:
B. aurea
Binomial name
Blakistonia aurea
Hogg, 1902 [1]

Distribution and habitat edit

The species occurs in South Australia in the southern gulfs region, including the northern Eyre Peninsula, Mount Lofty and Flinders Ranges, extending into western New South Wales and north-western Victoria, in open forest and woodland habitats. Type localities are Adelaide, Blakiston and the Mount Lofty Ranges.[1][2]

Behaviour edit

The spiders are fossorial, terrestrial predators. The burrows have thick soil trapdoors and are constructed in heavy clay soils, such as those in creek banks and clay-pans.[2]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c Rainbow, WJ; Pulleine, RH (1918). "Australian trap-door spiders". Records of the Australian Museum. 12: 81–169 [110]. doi:10.3853/j.0067-1975.12.1918.882.
  2. ^ a b c "Species Blakistonia aurea Hogg, 1902". Australian Faunal Directory. Dept of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, Australia. 2023-02-03. Retrieved 2023-07-23.