Draculoides
Draculoides is a genus of troglobite arachnid endemic to North West Australia. Often mistaken for a spider, D. bramstokeri is a schizomid — a small, soil-dwelling invertebrate that walks on six legs and uses two modified front legs as feelers. It uses large fang-like pedipalps, or pincers, to grasp invertebrate prey and crunch it into pieces before sucking out the juices.
| Draculoides | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Schizomida |
| Family: | Hubbardiidae |
| Subfamily: | Hubbardiinae |
| Genus: | Draculoides Harvey, 1992 |
| Type species | |
| Draculoides vinei Harvey, 1988 | |
| Species | |
|
6, see text | |
The genus was first described in 1992 by M.S. Harvey of the Western Australian Museum,[1] based on his earlier description of Schizomus vinei (Draculoides vinei).[2]
A second species was described in 1995, Draculoides bramstokeri, based on specimens found at Barrow Island, Western Australia; the specific epithet honours Bram Stoker, the author of Dracula.[3] The allusion to this fictional character, a vampire, in the name of the genus is given for the method of consuming its prey.
Species
As of June 2022, the World Schizomida Catalog accepts the following six species:[4]
- Draculoides bramstokeri Harvey & Humphreys, 1995 – Australia (Western Australia)
- Draculoides brooksi Harvey, 2001 – Australia (Western Australia)
- Draculoides julianneae Harvey, 2001 – Australia (Western Australia)
- Draculoides mesozeirus Harvey, Berry, Edward & Humphreys, 2008 – Australia (Western Australia)
- Draculoides neoanthropus Harvey, Berry, Edward & Humphreys, 2008 – Australia (Western Australia)
- Draculoides vinei (Harvey, 1988) – Australia (Western Australia)
See also
References
- Draculoides Harvey, M. S. 1992. The Schizomida (Chelicerata) of Australia. Invertebrate Taxonomy 6: 77–129 [82].
- Harvey, M. S. 1988. A new troglobitic schizomid from Cape Range, Western Australia (Chelicerata: Schizomida). Records of the Western Australian Museum 14: 15–20 [16].
- Draculoides bramstokeri Harvey, M. S. & Humphreys, W. F. 1995. Notes on the genus Draculoides Harvey (Schizomida: Hubbardiidae), with the description of a new troglobitic species. Records of the Western Australian Museum Supplement 52: 183–189 [185].
- "Genus: Draculoides Harvey, 1992". World Schizomida Catalog. Natural History Museum Bern. Retrieved 10 June 2022.
Further reading
- Burbidge, Andrew A (2004). "9. Invertebrates". Threatened animals of Western Australia. Department of Conservation and Land Management. p. 151. ISBN 0-7307-5549-5.
The North West Cape Karst Management Advisory Committee coordinates the conservation of threatened animals on the North West Cape peninsula.
- "Draculoides Harvey, 1992". Integrated Taxonomic Information System.