''Tartarus'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

spider Spiders ( order Araneae) are air-breathing arthropods that have eight legs, chelicerae with fangs generally able to inject venom, and spinnerets that extrude silk. They are the largest order of arachnids and rank seventh in total species ...

s. All four described species are found in caves systems of

Western Australia Western Australia (commonly abbreviated as WA) is a state of Australia occupying the western percent of the land area of Australia excluding external territories. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to th ...

. These are located in the

karst Karst is a topography formed from the dissolution of soluble rocks such as limestone, dolomite, and gypsum. It is characterized by underground drainage systems with sinkholes and caves. It has also been documented for more weathering-resistant ro ...

area of the Nullarbor Plain. They are likely relict species from a time when the region was much more humid, given the fact that the other members of the family Stiphidiidae in Southern Australia live in forests.

Names

The genus name is derived from Tartarus, a place in the underworld of

Greek mythology A major branch of classical mythology, Greek mythology is the body of myths originally told by the Ancient Greece, ancient Greeks, and a genre of Ancient Greek folklore. These stories concern the Cosmogony, origin and Cosmology#Metaphysical co ...

, even lower than

Hades Hades (; grc-gre, ᾍδης, Háidēs; ), in the ancient Greek religion and myth, is the god of the dead and the king of the underworld, with which his name became synonymous. Hades was the eldest son of Cronus and Rhea, although this also ...

. All four species take their common names, and the specific epithet, from the caves in which they were first collected. ''Tartarus murdochensis'' and ''Tartarus thampannensis'' are both commonly called

Murdoch Murdoch ( , ) is an Irish/Scottish given name, as well as a surname. The name is derived from old Gaelic words ''mur'', meaning "sea" and ''murchadh'', meaning "sea warrior". The following is a list of notable people or entities with the name. ...

sink cave spider, ''Tartarus nurinensis'' is also known as the Nurina cave spider.

Species

* '' Tartarus mullamullangensis''

Gray Grey (more common in British English) or gray (more common in American English) is an intermediate color between black and white. It is a neutral or achromatic color, meaning literally that it is "without color", because it can be composed o ...

, 1973 (Western Australia) * '' Tartarus murdochensis'' Gray, 1992 (Western Australia) * ''

Tartarus nurinensis In Greek mythology, Tartarus (; grc, , }) is the deep abyss that is used as a dungeon of torment and suffering for the wicked and as the prison for the Titans. Tartarus is the place where, according to Plato's ''Gorgias'' (), souls are jud ...

'' Gray, 1992 (Western Australia) * '' Tartarus thampannensis'' Gray, 1992 (Western Australia)

References

External links

Mike Gray: Cave Spiders of the Nullarbor
Stiphidiidae Spiders of Australia Cave spiders Arthropods of Western Australia Araneomorphae genera {{Araneidae-stub