Aptostichus stephencolberti

Bond, 2008

Stephen Colbert's Trapdoor Spider

Aptostichus stephencolberti is a of trapdoor in the Euctenizidae, described by arachnologist Jason Bond in 2008. The species was named after political satirist Stephen Colbert following a televised appeal. It is to the California coastline and inhabits coastal sand dune . Like other members of the , it constructs -lined burrows with wafer-like trapdoor lids.

Aptostichus stephencolberti by (c) Jason E. Bond, some rights reserved (CC BY). Used under a CC-BY license.

Aptostichus stephencolberti female 3 by Jason E. Bond. Used under a CC BY 3.0 license.

Aptostichus stephencolberti female by Jason E. Bond. Used under a CC BY 3.0 license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Aptostichus stephencolberti: //æpˈtɒstɪkəs ˌstɛfənkoʊlˈbɜrti//

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

Images

Habitat

Coastal sand dune along the California coastline. Mature individuals are found on and between primary and secondary dune crests, where vegetation structure and microclimate are more stable and flooding risk from high tides is minimized.

Distribution

to California, USA. Known from coastal dune along the California coastline.

Human Relevance

The was named after political satirist Stephen Colbert by Jason Bond in 2008, following Colbert's televised appeal to have a named after him. This naming exemplifies the practice of using celebrity names to draw public attention to and .

Similar Taxa

Aptostichus simusBoth inhabit California coastal dune and were historically confused; A. stephencolberti was distinguished through integrative species delimitation revealing cryptic diversity.

More Details

Conservation Context

Coastal dune in California multiple biotic and abiotic threats, making like A. stephencolberti of particular concern.