Discovery of Three New Spider Species on St. Helena Island: Facing the Threat of Extinction
On St. Helena Island, one of the islands in the South Atlantic, scientists have discovered three new spider species. These findings have garnered significant attention due to the imminent threat of their extinction, as reported by The Guardian.
One of these newly discovered spider species has been named Molearachne M. sanctaehelenae and is renowned for its ability to create remarkable mounds, earning it the nickname "mole spiders." Additionally, two other new spider species, Dolocosa joshuai and Hogna veseyensis, were identified on the island.
These recent spider discoveries bring the total count of such invertebrates, found exclusively on this remote island, to 505. Danniella Sherwood, a researcher affiliated with the Arachnology Research Association, commented, "St. Helena Island is a veritable candy store for an arachnophile like me. The island boasts an incredible range of habitats, fostering over 400 invertebrate species found nowhere else in the world, with around 120 residing in the cloud forest. I hope our work will elevate these wolf spiders to flagship status on the island, highlighting the unique and exquisite biodiversity of this oceanic jewel."
These spiders inhabit the "cloud forest," which is a tropical or subtropical montane rainforest. Experts emphasize the urgent need for the restoration of this cloud forest, which, in the British Overseas Territory of St. Helena, has dwindled from 600 hectares to a mere 16 hectares due to deforestation. These forested areas are vital for the island's freshwater supply.
Lisa Fowler, an invertebrate specialist and member of the St. Helena National Trust, stated that the island is home to 120 endemic animal species. Therefore, with the support of the United Kingdom, the island's authorities are developing a project aimed at expanding the forested area and ensuring a sustainable water source, utilizing fog harvesting to preserve these unique spiders and their habitat, as well as other cloud forest inhabitants. The island's plan includes increasing the cloud forest's size by 25%.