Species-epithet-reference

Guides

• Aptostichus sarlacc

  Sarlacc Trapdoor Spider

  Aptostichus sarlacc is a trapdoor spider species 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 genus of trapdoor spiders known for constructing silk-lined burrows with camouflaged trapdoor lids made of soil, vegetation, and silk. The species was among 33 new Aptostichus species described from the American Southwest in a major taxonomic revision.

  trapdoor-spidermygalomorphdesert-endemicMojave-Desertvolcanic-habitatlava-tubesspecies-epithet-referenceJason-Bond2012-descriptionEuctenizidaeCalifornia-endemic