Volcanic-habitat
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.
Dinothenarus
Dinothenarus is a genus of rove beetles in the family Staphylinidae, established by Thomson in 1858. The genus contains at least two described species and has a disjunct distribution spanning northern North America, Eurasia, and Mexico. The subgenus Dinothenarus (s. str.) was previously known only from northern North America and Eurasia until the discovery of D. amisadaiae in the high mountains of central Mexico, representing a significant range extension.
Filatima loowita
Filatima loowita is a gelechiid moth described by Adamski in 2009. The species is endemic to Washington state in the United States, where it is associated with volcanic landscapes near Mount St. Helens. Its name derives from Loowit, the indigenous name for this volcano. The species is notable for its specialized larval feeding on Lupinus lepidus, with distinct early and late instar behaviors.