The slit spider (Araneae: Clubionoidea) that constructs fissures in the sand dunes of the Simpson Desert, Central Australia

摘要: The slit spider, Fissarena ethabuka gen. et sp. nov. is described in the superfamily Clubionoidea. It builds an unusual retreat sand dunes of Simpson Desert, Central Australia. spider constructs a horizontal into consolidated sand. Behind wide entrance gradually-narrowing, flat burrow. steep top edge crack hangs over slipface loose at mouth burrow, which serves as trap for crawling prey, especially ants. Slit spiders were common, particularly on dune crest, where 44% population occurred density 0·2 m-2. We suggest that ubiquitous filamentous biogenic surface crust crucial ability this to construct such stable crevices