Kauai cave wolf spider

Taxobox
name = Kaua'i Cave Wolf Spider
status = EN | status_system = IUCN2.3

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image_caption =
image_width = 250px
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Arthropoda
classis = Arachnida
ordo = Araneae
subordo = Araneomorphae
familia = Lycosidae
genus = "Adelocosa"
genus_authority = Gertsch, 1973
diversity_link = List of Lycosidae species#Adelocosa
diversity = 1 species
species = "A. anops"
binomial = "Adelocosa anops"
binomial_authority = Gertsch, 1973
range_

range_map_width = 250px
synonyms =

The Kaua‘i cave wolf spider, also known to local residents as the "blind wolf spider", is only known to occur in a few caves in a 10.5 km² lava flow in the Koloa-Poipu region of Kaua‘i, Hawaiian Islands, and only six populations are known to exist. While their nearest surface-dwelling relatives have large eyes, this species has completely lost its eyes. They reach a body length of about 20mm, are reddish brown and completely harmless to people. Unlike most wolf spiders, it produces only 15 to 30 eggs per clutch. The female carries the egg sac in her mouthparts until the spiderlings hatch.

One of its primary prey species is the Kaua‘i Cave Amphipod ("Spelaeorchestia koloana"), which is only known from nine populations and reaches about 10mm in length. These feed on decomposing plant matter. Like the wolf spider, they are blind, although they do have eyes. Both species were discovered in 1971. Counts have never documented more than 30 spiders or 80 amphipods.

ee also

Blind spiders

References

* [http://www.fws.gov/pacificislands/wesa/caveanimals.html Kaua‘i Cave Arthropods] (with picture of spider and amphipod)
* Hawaii's Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy (2005): Kaua‘i Cave Arthropods [http://www.state.hi.us/dlnr/dofaw/cwcs/files/NAAT%20final%20CWCS/Chapters/Terrestrial%20Fact%20Sheets/Inverts/Kauai%20Cave%20arthropods%20NAAT%20final%20!.pdf PDF]
* (2008): [http://research.amnh.org/entomology/spiders/catalog/index.html The world spider catalog] , version 8.5. "American Museum of Natural History".