Government Canyon bat cave spider Tayshaneta microps | |
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Conservation status
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![]() Critically Imperiled (NatureServe) | |
Scientific classification ![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
Class: | Arachnida |
Order: | Araneae |
Infraorder: | Araneomorphae |
Family: | Leptonetidae |
Genus: | Tayshaneta |
Species: | T. microps
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Binomial name | |
Tayshaneta microps (Gertsch, 1974)[1]
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Synonyms[1] | |
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Tayshaneta microps, synonym Neoleptoneta microps, is a rare species of spider in the family Leptonetidae known by the common name Government Canyon bat cave spider. It is endemic to Texas in the United States, where it is known to be found in two caves in Bexar County. It is a troglobite, an animal which spends its entire life in caves. It is one of nine Bexar County troglobites which were listed as endangered species in 2000.[citation needed]
The main threat to this and other local troglobites is the loss of their karst cave habitat.[citation needed] Some of the other nine other listed Bexar County invertebrates include the Robber Baron cave meshweaver (Cicurina baronia), the Cokendolpher cave harvestman (Texella cokendolpheri), and the Madla cave meshweaver (Cicurina madla).