Periegops keani facts for kids

Periegops keani is a special type of spider. It belongs to a group of spiders called Periegops. This spider only lives in the North Island of New Zealand. When an animal or plant only lives in one place, we say it is endemic to that area.

Discovering Periegops keani

Scientists officially named Periegops keani in 2013. They named this spider after John Kean. He helped find some of the first spiders of this type.

What Does It Look Like?

Like other spiders in the Periegops family, P. keani has six eyes. Its main body shell, called the carapace, is red-orange at the front. It turns more orange towards the back.

The spider's belly, or abdomen, is a creamy brown color. It has a light pattern that looks like upside-down V-shapes. The first pair of legs are orange-brown with lighter orange tips. The other legs are yellow-brown and darker near the body. Its mouthparts, called Chelicerae, are a reddish-brown.

Where Does It Live?

Periegops keani lives in forests. It likes places with deep layers of fallen leaves on the ground. It also prefers soil that drains water well.

This spider is only found in two specific areas of New Zealand. You can find it in the East Cape region. It also lives on the Aldermen Islands.

How Does It Live?

Periegops keani does not build webs to catch its food. Instead, it uses its silk for other things. It makes "drag lines" of silk. These are like safety lines that the spider leaves behind as it moves.

It also uses silk to build special hiding places. These are called silk retreats. Another spider related to P. keani, called P. suterii, is a fast hunter. It hunts mostly at night. P. keani likely hunts in a similar way.