Nihoa trapdoor spider
Artist's rendition
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Arthropoda Class: Arachnida Order: Araneae Family: Barychelidae Genus: Nihoa Species: N. mahina
Binomial name
Nihoa mahina Churchill & Raven, 1992

The Nihoa trapdoor spider or Nihoa mahina is a trapdoor spider endemic to Nihoa, Hawaii. These spiders are hunters that dig a hole near rocks cover it with a concealed trapdoor. These burrows are excavated completely with the spider's jaw. When prey approaches or falls in, the spider pounces on it. Then its abnormally large pedipalps are used to take food into the mouth. Scientific classification or biological classification is a method by which biologists group and categorize species of organisms. ... For other uses, see Animal (disambiguation). ... Subphyla and Classes Subphylum Trilobitomorpha Trilobita - trilobites (extinct) Subphylum Chelicerata Arachnida - spiders,scorpions, etc. ... Extant orders Acarina Amblypygi Araneae Opiliones Palpigradi Pseudoscorpionida Ricinulei Schizomida Solifugae Uropygi Wikispecies has information related to: Arachnida Arachnids are a class (Arachnida) of joint-legged invertebrate animals in the subphylum Chelicerata. ... Diversity 111 families, 40,000 species Suborders Mesothelae Mygalomorphae Araneomorphae  See table of families Wikispecies has information related to: Spiders Spiders are predatory invertebrate animals that have two body segments, eight legs, no chewing mouth parts and no wings. ... Diversity 44 genera, 300 species Genera see text The Brushed trapdoor spiders (family Barychelidae) are a spider family with about 300 species in 44 genera. ... Nihoa is a spider genus. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Diversity 9 genera, 120 species Genera Bothriocyrtum Cyclocosmia Ummidia Cteniza several others, see text Trapdoor spiders (superfamily Ctenizoidea, family Ctenizidae) are medium-sized mygalomorph spiders that construct burrows with a cork-like trapdoor made of soil, vegetation and silk. ... Devils Slide The cliffs of Tanager Peak, looking east from Miller Peak. ... Official language(s) English, Hawaiian Capital Honolulu Largest city Honolulu Area  Ranked 43rd  - Total 10,931 sq mi (29,311 km²)  - Width n/a miles (n/a km)  - Length 1,522 miles (2,450 km)  - % water 41. ... Male European garden spider with swollen pedipalps Pedipalps are a pair of feelers on a spiders face. ...

Prior to the 1980s, trapdoor spiders were not thought to exist in Hawaii. Upon their discovery, the genus was given the name Nihoa, because it was thought to exist nowhere else. Eventually, over 23 species across the Pacific were found. The species epithet, "mahina", means "moon" in the Hawaiian language, referring how Sheila Conant discovered the spider by the light of the moon. The Hawaiian language is an Austronesian language that takes its name from that of the largest island in the tropical North Pacific archipelago where it developed. ...

References

• M. Rauzon, Isles of Refuge: Wildlife and History of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, University of Hawaii Press, Honolulu, 2001.