Synothele arrakis
| Synothele arrakis | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Mygalomorphae |
| Family: | Barychelidae |
| Genus: | Synothele |
| Species: | S. arrakis |
| Binomial name | |
| Synothele arrakis | |
Synothele arrakis is a species of mygalomorph spider in the Barychelidae family. It is endemic to Australia. It was described in 1994 by Australian arachnologist Robert Raven. The specific epithet arrakis comes from the name of a desert planet in the Frank Herbert 1965 novel Dune, the inhabitants of which have deep blue eyes, alluding to the unusual deep blue colour of the spider's anterior median eyes.[1][2]
Distribution and habitat
The species occurs in arid south-east Western Australia, in mallee scrub habitats. The type locality is Buningonia Spring east of Kalgoorlie.[1][2]
References
- ^ a b c Raven, RJ (1994). "Mygalomorph spiders of the Barychelidae in Australia and the western Pacific". Memoirs of the Queensland Museum. 35 (2): 291–706 [502]. Retrieved 2023-07-11.
- ^ a b "Species Synothele arrakis Raven, 1994". Australian Faunal Directory. Dept of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, Australia. Retrieved 2023-07-11.