The conservation status of New Zealand Araneae

Abstract

We classify three New Zealand spiders (Araneae) as Threatened: Maloides cavernicola (Amaurobiidae) and Zealoctenus cardronaensis (Miturgidae) as Nationally Critical; and Maniho centralis (Amphinectidae) as Nationally Endangered. There are 155 At Risk taxa: Latrodectus katipo (Theridiidae) is Declining, seven taxa are R elict and a further 147 taxa are Naturally Uncommon. We classify 527 taxa as D ata D eficient. Since the last listing of Threatened spiders the number of species categorised as Threatened and At Risk has increased slightly (one and 28 taxa respectively) whereas the number categorised as Data Deficient has been reduced by 309 taxa. Not Threatened taxa have increased more than twofold to 403 taxa. Some biological factors that may affect the threat status of New Zealand spiders are briefly discussed.