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Moriarty's Trapdoor Spider (Kwonkan moriartii)

Moriarty's trapdoor spider is a mygalomorph spider in the family Anamidae, known from a small number of records in Western Australia. Its habitat and ecology are poorly documented, so ground disturbance near records warrants careful survey and precautionary clearing. It is listed as DBCA Priority 2 in WA.

Conservation status

Western Australia, WA Threatened and Priority Fauna List: Priority 2.

Seasonal guidance

Seasonal activity, breeding and dispersal have not been documented for Moriarty's trapdoor spider. Use the following as a general planning window, not as a species-specific activity calendar.

Breeding: Not recorded for this species.

Activity: Seasonal activity is not recorded; a survey at any time of year may be appropriate when works could affect a known or suspected location.

Months are shown as broad planning coverage, not as evidence of seasonal presence or activity.

  • Survey and works planning: General planning window only. Seasonal activity or breeding months have not been documented for this species.

Identification: Appearance and size

Identification is based on the male holotype. Females are unknown, and the species is poorly known.

The described male has an orange, hairless carapace, a slightly recurved fovea with a medial cleft, and a rectangular eye group with an eye tubercle. Its abdomen was pale on the sides and underside, and grey-brown dorsally.

The holotype body length was 12.04 mm. It was in poor condition, with a deformed underside and abdomen and a broken first leg, so this measurement should not be treated as a typical adult size.

Identification: Similar species

The closest described species geographically is Kwonkan goongarriensis, to the south. Males of K. moriartii have a thicker first metatarsus with a more pronounced proximal excavation, and a distinct distal bend in the embolus.

Females of K. moriartii are unknown, so female identification characters are not available.

Identification: Field signs

No field sign or burrow has been described for this species. As general practice for trapdoor spiders, crews can look for silk-lined burrow entrances and hinged or concealed doors, but these signs alone do not confirm the species.

Distribution: Known records

The known distribution is limited and may not represent the full range.

The type locality is Kathleen Valley Station, via Wiluna, in the central Murchison bioregion. The type specimen was collected there by hand in 1962. Distribution information places the species in the Mid West region, while the DBCA priority list flags the Goldfields region.

Atlas of Living Australia records show one WA record at one distinct 0.1-degree location. Separate WA government reports also mention records near development premises in the Wiluna area.

Distribution: Regional context

Goldfields is the WA region flagged on the DBCA list. The differing regional descriptions and small number of records mean that absence from a mapped record location should not be taken as evidence of absence from a site.

Habitat: Documented habitat

Habitat occupied by Moriarty's trapdoor spider has not been identified.

No vegetation type, soil, landform or habitat description is recorded for the Kathleen Valley Station type locality. The specimen was collected by hand, but the precise microhabitat was not recorded.

Habitat: Site assessment

Do not infer suitable habitat from the regional name or from habitat information for other Kwonkan species. For works planning, treat undisturbed ground around known records as requiring assessment until a site inspection or targeted survey provides better information.

Foraging habitat: Diet and foraging

The species' diet and foraging behaviour have not been documented.

No prey, feeding method or foraging location has been reported for K. moriartii. Do not assign a particular prey type or foraging habitat to this species.

Foraging habitat: Precaution for works

As general spider-care practice, avoid unnecessary disturbance of ground and potential refuges while checking for fauna. This is a precaution, not a species-specific description of where or how the spider feeds.

Breeding habitat: Available information

Breeding habitat and reproductive biology are poorly known.

Females are unknown. Mating, egg sacs, young, breeding sites and breeding season have not been documented.

Breeding habitat: Survey implications

Do not use a presumed breeding season to schedule or rule out surveys. Where a record or possible shelter is within a work area, use precautionary survey and clearing procedures regardless of the time of year.

Sheltering habitat: Known shelter

Species-specific shelter details have not been documented, despite the common name identifying it as a trapdoor spider.

A burrow, door, refuge depth or shelter substrate has not been documented for K. moriartii. The type specimen was collected by hand, but the collection account does not say where it was found.

Sheltering habitat: General search cues

As general practice for trapdoor spiders, inspect undisturbed ground for small, silk-lined openings or concealed doors, and avoid probing or crushing suspected refuges. A suspected entrance is not a confirmed record of Moriarty's trapdoor spider.

Threats: Status and knowledge gaps

The species is poorly known and has few known locations. Species-specific threat impacts have not been established.

DBCA lists Moriarty's trapdoor spider as Priority 2, a priority category for poorly known fauna known from few locations, with some occurring on conservation lands. This is a DBCA priority category, not a listing under the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016. No national listing is given.

Threats: Potential pressures

General conservation information identifies habitat destruction and fragmentation, habitat management regimes and biotic interactions as broad threat categories for spiders in Australia. These are general concerns, not documented impacts on this species. Development clearing may remove or disturb ground habitat, so avoidable disturbance should be minimised.

Survey methodology: 1. Desktop assessment

Survey methods for this species have not been described. The following steps are precautionary field practice for a poorly known, ground-dwelling spider.

Check DBCA records, project reports and current spatial data for known locations and nearby records. Include the Kathleen Valley Station type locality and records reported in WA government documents in the regional review.

Survey methodology: 2. Ground inspection

Walk the proposed disturbance footprint and accessible margins before clearing. As general trapdoor spider survey practice, inspect the ground surface and potential burrow entrances carefully. Do not assume the species is absent because no entrances are visible.

Survey methodology: 3. Record and escalate

Photograph and map any suspected spider or refuge without damaging it. Seek identification from a suitably qualified arachnologist and consult the relevant fauna authority before disturbing a suspected refuge or confirmed individual.

Vegetation associations

Source-checked associations and automatically indexed candidates are separated below. An association does not establish site presence, preference or dependence.

No species-specific vegetation association has been indexed or source-checked in this evidence library. This is an evidence gap, not evidence of no association.

Ecosystem associations

Source-checked associations and automatically indexed candidates are separated below. An association does not establish site presence, preference or dependence.

No species-specific ecosystem association has been indexed or source-checked in this evidence library. This is an evidence gap, not evidence of no association.

Soil and substrate associations

Source-checked associations and automatically indexed candidates are separated below. An association does not establish site presence, preference or dependence.

No species-specific soil association has been indexed or source-checked in this evidence library. This is an evidence gap, not evidence of no association.

Water and wetland associations

Source-checked associations and automatically indexed candidates are separated below. An association does not establish site presence, preference or dependence.

No species-specific water association has been indexed or source-checked in this evidence library. This is an evidence gap, not evidence of no association.

Fauna records and mapped habitat: Not yet analysed

Record locations can be overlaid with mapping, but record frequency alone does not measure habitat preference. No species is excluded from desktop assessments by this analysis.

No quality-controlled record-to-map analysis has been completed for this species. The existing generalised distribution dots and indicative range polygons have not been treated as precise occurrence coordinates.

A defensible run needs dated, independently attributable records, coordinate uncertainty, duplicate and captive-record checks, layer versions and regional scope. Preference and absence require additional survey-effort and detection evidence.

Habitat limitations and contrary evidence: No supported exclusion recorded

Not recorded is not the same as cannot occur. Low suitability, resident habitat, breeding habitat and occasional movement are different conclusions.

This library has not established a vegetation, ecosystem or soil-type exclusion for this species. This does not mean all habitat is suitable; the evidence needed to justify an exclusion has not been assembled.

Habitat limitations and contrary evidence: Before using a negative association

  • Confirm the taxon, geographic region, life stage and habitat function covered by the evidence.
  • Check survey methods, season, repeated effort and detectability before interpreting non-detection.
  • Investigate credible contradictory records and microhabitats absent from broad mapping.
  • Do not convert a missing map class, low record count or failed data request into species absence.

Before habitat disturbance: 1. Review records

Plan works to avoid ground disturbance around known records and suspected refuges wherever practicable.

Review the project footprint against DBCA information, the type locality and reported nearby records. Confirm whether any record or suspected habitat falls within or close to the disturbance area.

Before habitat disturbance: 2. Brief the crew

Brief clearing crews and fauna spotter catchers on the species' Priority 2 status, the limited identification information and the requirement to stop work if a suspected spider or refuge is found.

Before habitat disturbance: 3. Set controls

Mark no-go areas around confirmed records or suspected refuges and establish a practical buffer with advice from the project ecologist. Keep vehicle movements and stockpiling within approved work areas.

During habitat disturbance: 1. Clear carefully

Use staged, controlled clearing and keep a fauna spotter catcher present where required by project approvals or the site fauna plan.

Work progressively and inspect the ground ahead of machinery. Avoid crushing, scraping or probing suspected burrows or concealed refuges. Handle a spider only if the approved fauna procedure permits it and the handler is competent.

During habitat disturbance: 2. Stop and protect

If a suspected individual or refuge is found, stop work in the immediate area, protect the location from traffic and notify the project ecologist. Record its position and condition, and obtain expert identification and direction before work resumes.

After habitat disturbance: 1. Verify the work area

After clearing, retain records of searches, observations and any actions taken.

The fauna spotter catcher or ecologist should check the completed disturbance area and retained margins for observations or signs encountered during works. Do not describe a site as clear of the species solely because no spider was seen.

After habitat disturbance: 2. Report findings

Document survey effort, locations, photographs, identification outcomes and any mortality or refuge disturbance. Follow project and agency requirements for reporting significant fauna records.

Rehabilitation actions: 1. Restore disturbed areas

Species-specific rehabilitation requirements have not been documented. Prioritise avoiding further disturbance and restoring the site in line with approved plans.

Rehabilitate temporary work areas using the approved site plan, limiting additional ground disturbance and preventing avoidable compaction or erosion. Particular planting or substrate cannot be recommended for this species because its habitat requirements are unknown.

Rehabilitation actions: 2. Monitor and adapt

Retain records of rehabilitation actions and any later spider observations. If the species is confirmed, seek ecologist advice on site-specific monitoring and management rather than assuming that general rehabilitation measures provide suitable shelter.

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