Critically endangered species found for the first time in 40 years

KANIKA SINGH RATHORE,

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A critically endangered spider that has never been seen before UK For four decades, but has been rediscovered Isle of Wight,

National TrustNewtown National Nature Reserve described the discovery of the tiny orange-legged arachnid as a “major conservation breakthrough”.

The team that found Aulonia albimana, which was last recorded in the UK in 1985, has informally named the species the White-knuckled Wolf Spider.

Entomologist Mark Taylor, who made the discovery with colleague Graeme Lyons, said the name was inspired by the distinctive yellow “fingers” on its palate – tiny foot-like appendages at the side of the mouth – and the race against time to find it.

He said, “This is one of those unforgettable discoveries. It’s thrilling to find a species that has been lost for 40 years – and it’s testament to how the right habitat management combined with curiosity and collaboration can produce remarkable results.”

The discovery in the National Trust's Newtown National Nature Reserve was praised by the charity as a 'major conservation success'.

The discovery in the National Trust’s Newtown National Nature Reserve was praised by the charity as a ‘major conservation success’. ,John Miller/National Trust/PA,

Mr Lyons said: “I suggested calling it the white-knuckled wolf spider because it was probably by a long shot the biggest spider I had ever come across.

“Before our boat came to pick us up, we had only four hours at the spot where this spider was last seen 40 years ago.

“I found the first one with only nine minutes left, and the second one at the last minute. I’ve seen 559 species of spider in the British Isles, and it was the most exciting discovery I’ve ever made.”

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The team found the spider in a remote overgrown area of ​​the reserve, accessible only by boat, about 2 km from the spider’s former colony.

Orange-footed arachnid, Aulonia albimana

Orange-footed arachnid, Aulonia albimana ,Graeme Linens/National Trust/PA,

He said wolf spiders – of which there are about 38 species in Britain – were named for their agile hunting skills as they pursue their prey on the ground and pounce on them, although they can also weave a “slender web”.

Dr Helen Smith, conservation officer at the British Arachnological Society, said: “The remarkable discovery of this beautiful little spider Isle of Wight Britain’s epic of the century is one of the rediscoveries of ‘lost species’.

“With the repeated failure to find it at its former sites, where its open habitat has been lost, it is increasingly likely that it has joined the sad list of the country’s extinct species.”

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