Critically endangered species found for first time in 40 years
A critically endangered spider not seen in the UK for four decades has been rediscovered on the Isle of Wight.
The National Trust’s Newtown National Nature Reserve described the discovery of the tiny orange-legged arthropod as a “major conservation success”.
The team found Aulonia albimana, which was last recorded in the United Kingdom in 1985, and informally named the species the white-jointed wolf spider.
Entomologist Mark Teller, who made the discovery with colleague Graeme Lyons, said the name was inspired by the distinctive pale “knuckles” on the palps (small leg-like extensions at the edge of the mouth) and the race against time to find it.
“This is one of those unforgettable discoveries. Finding a species thought to have been lost for 40 years is exciting and a testament to how proper habitat management combined with curiosity and collaboration can deliver extraordinary results,” he said.
Mr Lyons said: “I suggested calling it the white-knuckle wolf spider because it was probably the longest long shot I had ever been involved in.
“We only had four hours at the site where this spider was last seen 40 years ago before our boat came to pick us up.
“I found the first with just nine minutes left and the second at the last minute. I’ve seen 559 species of spiders in the British Isles and this was by far the most exciting discovery.”
The team found the spider in a remote overgrown area of the reserve that can only be reached by boat, about 2 km from the spider’s former colony.
Wolf spiders, of which there are about 38 species in the UK, are named for their agile hunting skills, where they chase their prey on the ground and jump on them, but they can also spin a “fine web”, they said.
British Arachnological Society conservation officer Dr. Helen Smith said: “The remarkable discovery of this delicate little spider on the Isle of Wight is one of Britain’s epic ‘lost species’ rediscoveries of the century.
“It is increasingly likely that it will join the country’s sad list of extinct species, due to its repeated failure to be found in its former areas where its open habitat has been lost.”
