Rare spider recorded at ReefBlitz

A rare intertidal spider was discovered at ReefBlitz 2014 by one of our volunteer survey leaders. 

The spider, which doesn’t have a common name but is known scientifically as Paratheuma australis, was identified as a mature female by Dr Christine Lambkin, a curator at the Queensland Museum.

This spider is generally found in Hawaii and other hot and humid climates, such as Cuba, Florida, and Haiti.

“Little is known about the habitat requirements and behaviour of this species because it has been rarely collected. 

Unfortunately that may be because it is rarely looked for, and this is an environment that spider collectors rarely target,” said Dr Lambkin.

ReefBlitz 2014 was a unique opportunity for the local community to discover the plants and animals living in their own backyard at Cannonvale Beach. 

During the 2 day event, 191 species were identified from 656 observations. These species included reptiles, seabirds, plants, and molluscs.