Cryptaranea facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cryptaranea |
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| Cryptaranea atrihastula | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Araneomorphae |
| Family: | Araneidae |
| Genus: | Cryptaranea Court & Forster, 1988 |
| Type species | |
| C. invisibilis (Urquhart, 1892)
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| Species | |
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7, see text |
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Cryptaranea is a group of fascinating orb-weaver spiders found in the South Pacific region. These spiders are known for building amazing, circular webs. The name Cryptaranea was first given to this group by scientists D. J. Court and Raymond Robert Forster in 1988.
What is a Genus?
A genus is like a family group for animals and plants that are very similar. All the spiders in the Cryptaranea genus share many common features. This helps scientists organize and understand the different types of living things on Earth.
Species of Cryptaranea
As of 2019, there are seven known types, or species, of Cryptaranea spiders. All of these species live only in New Zealand. This means they are endemic to New Zealand, which makes them very special!
Here are the seven known species:
- Cryptaranea albolineata (discovered by Urquhart in 1893) – Found in New Zealand
- Cryptaranea atrihastula (discovered by Urquhart in 1891) – Found in New Zealand
- Cryptaranea invisibilis (discovered by Urquhart in 1892) – Found in New Zealand
- Cryptaranea stewartensis (discovered by Court & Forster in 1988) – Found in New Zealand
- Cryptaranea subalpina (discovered by Court & Forster in 1988) – Found in New Zealand
- Cryptaranea subcompta (discovered by Urquhart in 1887) – Found in New Zealand
- Cryptaranea venustula (discovered by Urquhart in 1891) – Found in New Zealand
Where Do They Live?
All Cryptaranea spiders are found in New Zealand. This country is made up of two main islands and many smaller ones. It has diverse environments, from forests to mountains. These spiders have adapted to live in these unique New Zealand habitats.
Who Discovered Them?
The genus Cryptaranea was officially named and described by two scientists: D. J. Court and Raymond Robert Forster. They published their findings in 1988. Before their work, some of these spiders were known, but they weren't grouped together under this specific name.
