Tim AtkinsonSouth of England
A critically endangered spider, not seen in the UK for 40 years, has been rediscovered in a remote nature reserve accessible only by boat.
Aulonia albimana, which was last recorded in the UK in 1985, was uncovered at the National Trust’s Newtown nature reserve on the Isle of Wight – about 2km (1.2 miles) from the spider’s former colony.
The tiny orange-legged arachnid has informally been named the white-knuckled wolf spider by those who found it.
Entomologist Mark Telfer, who led the survey, called it “one of those unforgettable discoveries”.
“To find a species thought lost for 40 years is thrilling – and testament to how the right habitat management, combined with curiosity and collaboration, can deliver remarkable results,” he said.
Wolf spiders – of which there are about 38 species living in the UK – take their name from their agile hunting skills, which involve chasing prey along the ground before pouncing like a wolf.
But the National Trust said the Aulonia albimana’s hunting techniques remained something of a mystery, as the species was also known to spin a flimsy web.
Graeme Lyons, who was also part of the search team, said: “I suggested calling it the white-knuckled wolf spider because this was probably the longest long shot I’ve ever taken part in.
“We had just four hours at the site where this spider was last seen 40 years ago, before our boat came to pick us up.
“I found the first one with just nine minutes to go, and the second one in the last minute.
“I’ve seen 559 species of spider in the British Isles and this one was by far the most exciting find.”
Mr Telfer said the name was also inspired by the distinctive pale “knuckles” on the small leg-like appendages at the side of the spider’s mouth.
PA MediaDr Helen Smith, conservation officer for the British Arachnological Society, said: “The remarkable discovery of this dapper little spider on the Isle of Wight is one of Britain’s epic ‘lost species’ rediscoveries of the century.
“With repeated failure to find it at its former sites, where its open habitat has been lost, it seemed increasingly likely that it had joined the country’s sad list of extinct species.”
The area where the spider was found used to be overgrown but has been restored by the National Trust with the help of a flock of Hebridean sheep.
The trust said they chewed through vegetation to maintain short, open turf – creating exactly the kind of patchy, sunlit ground the White-knuckled Wolf Spider favours.
Dr Smith praised the “vital habitat restoration work” and said it showed the white-knuckled wolf spider “not only had a place to hang on, but hopefully one in which it can now thrive”.
“We look forward to working with the National Trust to establish the full extent of the population and determine the conditions it needs to expand its range and secure its future” she said.
