Aptostichus sarlacc

Bond, 2012

Sarlacc Trapdoor Spider

Aptostichus sarlacc is a trapdoor described by Jason Bond in 2012 from the Mojave Desert. The species epithet references the Sarlacc creature from George Lucas' Star Wars, a fictional desert-dwelling organism. It belongs to a of trapdoor spiders known for constructing -lined burrows with camouflaged trapdoor lids made of soil, vegetation, and silk. The species was among 33 new Aptostichus species described from the Southwest in a major taxonomic revision.

Aptostichus sarlacc anatomy by Jason Bond, Auburn University. Used under a CC BY 3.0 license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Aptostichus sarlacc: //æpˈtɒstɪkəs ˈsɑrlæk//

These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.

Images

Habitat

Mojave Desert; specifically from an extreme desert environment near Barstow, California characterized by a relatively young volcanic cinder cone with lava tubes

Distribution

United States: California (Mojave Desert, Barstow area)

Behavior

Constructs burrows among lava tubes extending from volcanic cinder cones; builds deep burrows in rocky substrate

Human Relevance

Named after the Sarlacc creature from Star Wars, reflecting the ' desert and the researcher's interest in creative species ; serves as an example of how pop culture references can increase public engagement with arachnology

Similar Taxa

  • Aptostichus angelinajolieaeAnother Aptostichus named by Bond after a celebrity, sharing the same and general trapdoor
  • Aptostichus barackobamaiCongeneric with similar burrow-constructing and preferences in California
  • Aptostichus bonoiAnother desert-dwelling Aptostichus from Joshua Tree National Park with comparable

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Sources and further reading