Anoteropsis cantuaria facts for kids
Anoteropsis cantuaria is a type of wolf spider. It is special because it only lives in the Canterbury Plains of New Zealand. When an animal or plant only lives in one specific place, it is called endemic.
Quick facts for kids Anoteropsis cantuaria |
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| Dorsal view of male holotype | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Anoteropsis
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| Species: |
cantuaria
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Contents
About the Anoteropsis cantuaria Spider
How Scientists Named This Spider
Scientists give every living thing a special two-part name. This helps everyone know exactly which plant or animal they are talking about. The Anoteropsis cantuaria spider got its name from a spider expert named Cor Vink. He officially described this spider in 2002.
Vink chose the name cantuaria because the spider is only found in the Canterbury area of New Zealand. It's like giving it a last name based on its hometown!
What the Anoteropsis cantuaria Looks Like
These spiders are not very big. Male Anoteropsis cantuaria spiders are about 7 to 10 millimeters long. Females are a bit larger, usually 8 to 11.5 millimeters long.
Their bodies are mostly orange-brown. They have a black-brown area on their back, which sometimes has a faint stripe. Their legs are yellow-brown and might have light rings around them.
How to Tell A. cantuaria Apart
A. cantuaria looks a lot like another spider called A. lacustris. However, A. cantuaria is usually lighter in color.
- For males: Scientists look at a small part on their front legs called the "median apophysis on the palpal bulbs." In A. cantuaria, this part has a slightly more rounded bend than in A. lacustris.
- For females: Scientists check a special part on their underside called the "epigyne." The shapes of the hard parts (called sclerites) on the epigyne of A. cantuaria have little hoods that point backward.
Where Anoteropsis cantuaria Lives
This spider is only found in the Canterbury area of New Zealand. It likes to live among the rocks and stones found in riverbeds. It especially likes the shallow, braided rivers that are common in the Canterbury Plains.
Braided rivers look like many small streams weaving together, like braids in hair. Spiders have been found in places like Waipara Gorge, Waihi Gorge, and the Opihi River.
The Life of an Anoteropsis cantuaria
Adult Anoteropsis cantuaria spiders can be seen from spring to autumn. This is usually from September to April in New Zealand.
Female spiders lay their eggs in October. If you see a female wolf spider in mid-summer (around January), she might be carrying her spiderlings. Wolf spiders are known for carrying their babies around with them, often on their backs!
See also
In Spanish: Anoteropsis cantuaria para niños
