Moggridgea tingle

Moggridgea tingle
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Arachnida
Order:	Araneida
Suborder:	Mygalomorphae
Superfamily:	Migoidea
Family:	Migidae
Genus:	Moggridgea
Species:	M. tingle
Binomial name
Moggridgea tingle Barbara York Main 1991[1]

Moggridgea tingle, also called the Tingle trapdoor spider is a small, basal spider endemic to the tingle and karri forest of southwestern Australia. This migid was first recorded in the 1990s.

Description

Moggridgea tingle is less than 10 millimetres long, the female carapace length is 2.6 - 3.1 mm. The carapace and legs are black and shiny. West Australian species of the Migidae family remained undiscovered until 1990 and were first described and named by Dr Barbara Main in 1991. M. tingle was discovered by accident in a laboratory analysis of another arachnid and the bark in which it was living, the spider was noticed when it emerged as the sample was discarded.^[2] The specific epithet is derived from the common name 'tingle', the tree from which the bark was taken.^{[citation needed]}

Distribution

The migid is found at four sites in the Walpole-Nornalup National Park residing in the soil or the bark of a Eucalyptus tree, the Red tingle Eucalyptus jacksonii. The spider's habitat is located within the Tingle and Karri (Eucalyptus diversicolor) forests of the Warren region, a biodiversity hotspot containing other species of gondwanan heritage. Another species (possibly several) of Moggridgea have been, living further south, in the Stirling and Porongurup Ranges. The closest extant relatives of the spider are found at Kangaroo Island, Socotra and in southern Africa.

Ecology

Red Tingle

Moggridgea tingle live within the topsoil or in the fibrous bark of Eucalyptus jacksonii (Tingle trees), constructing nests of silk tubes. These tubes, up 20 mm long, have an opening at the surface of the bark or soil with a hinged 'trapdoor' cover made of moss, bark and the spider's silk. It is found in damp and shady locations.

M. tingle is vulnerable to fire and habitat destruction associated with roads. Planning exists to reduce damage to the species habitat during fire management operations such as 'prescribed burns'. It has a status of endangered due to destruction of habitat.^{[citation needed]}

References

1. ^ Main, B.Y. 1991. Occurrence of the trapdoor spider genus Moggridgea in Australia with descriptions of two new species (Araneae: Mygalomorphae: Migidae). Journal of Natural History 25: 383-397 [385].
2. ^ Madden, Catherine. "Rare spider found near Walpole". ScienceNetwork WA. Government of Western Australia. http://www.sciencewa.net.au/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=655&Itemid=587. Retrieved 2009-03-01. 

• Burbidge, Andrew A (2004). "9. Invertebrates". Threatened animals of Western Australia. Department of Conservation and Land Management. pp. 160. ISBN 0 7307 5549 5. "The Department of Conservation and Land Management has developed a fire response plan to ensure that the spider' habitat is not damaged by fire-fighting operations." 
• Main, Barbara (1991). "Occurrence of the trapdoor spider genus Moggridgea in Australia with descriptions of two new species (Araneae: Mygalomorphae: Migidae)". Journal of Natural History 25 (25): 383–397. doi:10.1080/00222939100770271. ISSN (Print) 1464-5262 (Online) 0022-2933 (Print) 1464-5262 (Online). http://taylorandfrancis.metapress.com/content/w0242499638n5h47/. Retrieved 2007-04-01. "Abstract: The occurrence of the trapdoor spider genus Moggridgea (Migidae) in Australia is reported, and two new species described: M. tingle n. sp. from southwest Western Australia and M. australis n. sp. from Kangaroo Island, South Australia. This is the first record of the subfamily Paramiginae from Australia. The historical biogeographic implications are discussed." 
• "Moggridgea tingle Main, 1991". Australian Faunal Directory. Australian Government. 9 October 2008. http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/abrs/online-resources/fauna/afd/taxa/Moggridgea_tingle. Retrieved 2009-03-01. 
• CSIRO Entomology
• Australasian Spider Checklist

Further reading

• Waldock, Julianne M.. "Migidae in south-western West Australia (Araneae, Mygalomorphae)" (pdf). Unpublished report. Department of Conservation and Land Management. pp. 48 pp.. Archived from the original on 2007-08-29. http://web.archive.org/web/20070829093944/http://www.australasian-arachnology.org/download/newsletter/newsletter70.pdf. Retrieved 2007-05-05. 

External links

• http://www.southernnrmcouncil.com/documents/publications/strategy/background/Background_Paper_02_Biodiversity.pdf Conservation strategy: background paper "Biodiversity"

News items

• "Spider find may spark forest management rethink"
• Ancient spider discovered in South-West