A spider species considered critically endangered has been found again after vanishing from British territory for four decades, emerging at an isolated conservation area reachable solely by watercraft.
The species Aulonia albimana, absent from UK records since 1985, turned up at Newtown nature reserve managed by the National Trust on the Isle of Wight, situated roughly 2km (1.2 miles) away from where the arachnid previously lived.
Researchers have given this small creature with orange-colored legs the unofficial designation of white-knuckled wolf spider. Mark Telfer, who conducted the expedition alongside fellow entomologist Graeme Lyons, described it as "one of those unforgettable discoveries".
"To find a species thought lost for 40 years is thrilling - and testament to how the right habitat management, combined with curiosity and collaboration, can deliver remarkable results," he said.
These wolf spiders, numbering approximately 38 species across the UK, earn their designation from their swift predatory abilities, pursuing victims across terrain before attacking in wolf-like fashion. However, the National Trust noted that Aulonia albimana's hunting methods remain somewhat enigmatic, since this species also constructs delicate webs.
Mr Lyons said: "I suggested calling it the white-knuckled wolf spider because this was probably the longest long shot I've ever taken part in. We had just four hours at the site where this spider was last seen 40 years ago, before our boat came to pick us up. I found the first one with just nine minutes to go, and the second one in the last minute. I've seen 559 species of spider in the British Isles and this one was by far the most exciting find."
Mr Telfer explained the designation also drew inspiration from the notable light-colored "knuckles" visible on the tiny appendages resembling legs positioned beside the spider's mouth.
Dr Helen Smith, conservation officer for the British Arachnological Society, said: "The remarkable discovery of this dapper little spider on the Isle of Wight is one of Britain's epic 'lost species' rediscoveries of the century. With repeated failure to find it at its former sites, where its open habitat has been lost, it seemed increasingly likely that it had joined the country's sad list of extinct species."
The location where researchers located the spider had previously become dense with vegetation but underwent restoration by the National Trust using Hebridean sheep. These animals consumed excess plant growth to create short, sparse grassland, producing precisely the type of varied, sun-drenched terrain that attracts the White-knuckled Wolf Spider.
Dr Smith commended the "vital habitat restoration work" and indicated it demonstrated the white-knuckled wolf spider "not only had a place to hang on, but hopefully one in which it can now thrive".
"We look forward to working with the National Trust to establish the full extent of the population and determine the conditions it needs to expand its range and secure its future" she said.
