Name: Desertas Wolf Spider
Scientific Name: Hogna ingens
Conservation status: Critically Endangered
Location: Desertas Islands Portugal
Habitat: Mixed grasslands with exposed rocks and soils
Diet: Predator; invertebrates and lizards
Additional information: The Desertas Wolf Spider is the world's larges wolf spider with a leg span of 3-5 inches. With no mammals on the island this spider is the top predator in its environment. Decline of this spider is caused directly by invasive grasses which root in the crevasses needed for the spider, and other wildlife native to the island, to make homes. Current conservation efforts are underway to move populations of the island's wildlife to areas without the invasive grasses and to remove the invasive grass as well.
Resources:
IUCN Red List
EOL
Animal Arkive
