 |
| Trogloraptor tulishpun Jones & Binford, in Jones, Watson, Hedin et Binford, 2026. photos by M. Hedin |
Abstract
We present a morphological description of a recently discovered species of spider in the family Trogloraptoridae from the Columbia River Gorge in northwestern Oregon. The family was previously monotypic (Trogloraptor marchingtoni) and only known from populations near the southwestern Oregon—northern California border. Trogloraptor tulishpun sp. nov. retains the key family synapomorphy, distinctive subsegmented raptorial tarsi, and an oblique membranous division of the basal segment of the anterior lateral spinnerets. Trogloraptor tulishpun is distinguished from T. marchingtoni by its color pattern, clypeal height, vulvar and palp structure. We have found T. tulishpun in four localities in the Columbia River Gorge, which show little mitochondrial sequence divergence from one another, but are highly genetically distinct from T. marchingtoni. Trogloraptor tulishpun is found in basalt features, including lava tubes and shallow talus caves, and has been observed to eat arachnids and moths, making them top predators in these environments.
Araneae, arachnophagy, caves, invertebrate conservation, mitochondrial divergence, subterranean biodiversity
 |
| Habitus of live Trogloraptor tulishpun from Herman Creek Talus Cave. A male in captivity, B female in captivity, C male in Herman Creek Talus Cave, D female in Herman Creek Talus Cave on sparse web, E male on non Trogloraptor web, F female in Herman Creek Talus Cave. (all photos by M. Hedin) |
 |
| Habitus of male Trogloraptor tulishpun (holotype, USNMENT02418340) from Herman Creek Talus Cave. A, B dorsal views, C, E ventral views, D anterior view. |
Trogloraptor tulishpun, Jones and Binford, sp. nov.
Diagnosis. Trogloraptor tulishpun resembles T. marchingtoni (Griswold et al., 2012) by its similar carapace and abdominal shape and coloration, its subsegmented raptorial tarsi, and the partly sclerotized genital region (Figs 2, 3, 5, 7). It is clearly distinguished by its conspicuous scalloped patterning along the lateral and posterior edges of the carapace which is absent in T. marchingtoni. The abdominal patterning is different from the chevron pattern of T. marchingtoni, with oval-shaped spots down the center of the dorsal side that have a thin line of beige down the ...
Etymology. Tulishpun (pronounced too-lish-pun) is a word, simplified for ease of pronunciation, from the Sahaptin River dialect meaning “cave predator, owner of the domain”. The Sahaptin River dialect is from the Columbia River area, the type locality of this species, and the name was given to us by elders from the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission. The specific epithet is to be treated as a noun in apposition.
MADELINE M. JONES, FINN WATSON, MARSHAL HEDIN and GRETA J. BINFORD. 2026. Beneath the Surface: A New northern Species of Trogloraptor (Araneae: Trogloraptoridae), Genetic Diversity and Natural History. Zootaxa. 5828(1); 103-116. DOI: doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5828.1.5 [2026-06-08]