Backobourkia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Backobourkia |
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Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Araneomorphae |
| Family: | Araneidae |
| Genus: | Backobourkia Framenau, Dupérré, Blackledge & Vink, 2010 |
| Type species | |
| B. heroine (L. Koch, 1871)
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Backobourkia is a group of spiders known as orb-weavers. These spiders live in the South Pacific region, especially in Australia. Scientists Volker Framenau, Nadine Dupérré, Todd Blackledge, and Cor Vink first described this group in 2010.
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About Backobourkia Spiders
Backobourkia spiders are very common in Australia. They are closely related to another spider group called Eriophora. These spiders are part of a larger family of orb-weavers known as Araneidae.
Size Differences in Spiders
One interesting fact about Backobourkia spiders is their size. Female spiders in this group are usually all about the same size. However, the male spiders are much, much smaller. This big difference in size between males and females is called male dwarfism. It means the males are like tiny versions compared to the females.
Where Did the Name Come From?
The name Backobourkia is a fun play on words. It comes from a famous Australian saying, "Back of Bourke." Bourke is a town in Australia. When Australians say "Back of Bourke," it means a place that is very far away and remote. It's like saying "the middle of nowhere." The scientists chose this name because these spiders are often found in remote parts of Australia.
Backobourkia Species
As of 2019, there are only three known species in the Backobourkia group:
- B. brouni
- B. collina
- B. heroine
B. heroine is more often found in western Australia. On the other hand, B. brouni is more common in eastern Australia. B. heroine has also been found on New Caledonia and might even live in New Zealand.
