Blakistonia aurea, also known as the Adelaide trapdoor spider or the yellow trapdoor spider, is a species of mygalomorph spider in the Idiopidae family. It is endemic to Australia. It was described in 1902 by British arachnologist Henry Roughton Hogg.[1][2]

Blakistonia aurea
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Infraorder: Mygalomorphae
Family: Idiopidae
Genus: Blakistonia
Species:
B. aurea
Binomial name
Blakistonia aurea
Hogg, 1902 [1]

Distribution and habitat

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The species occurs in South Australia in the southern gulfs region, including the northern Eyre Peninsula, Mount Lofty and Flinders Ranges, extending into western New South Wales and north-western Victoria, in open forest and woodland habitats. Type localities are Adelaide, Blakiston and the Mount Lofty Ranges.[1][2]

Behaviour

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The spiders are fossorial, terrestrial predators. The burrows have thick soil trapdoors and are constructed in heavy clay soils, such as those in creek banks and clay-pans.[2]

References

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  1. ^ a b c Rainbow, WJ; Pulleine, RH (1918). "Australian trap-door spiders". Records of the Australian Museum. 12: 81–169 [110]. doi:10.3853/j.0067-1975.12.1918.882.
  2. ^ a b c "Species Blakistonia aurea Hogg, 1902". Australian Faunal Directory. Dept of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, Australia. 2023-02-03. Retrieved 2023-07-23.