#3767 - Forsteropsalis marplesi
Originally described as Megalopsalis marplesi, by Raymond 'Ray' Robert Forster (1922 – 2000) a New Zealand arachnologist and museum director, in honour of Brian John Marples (1907 – 1997), a British zoologist who spent most of his career in New Zealand and wrote about the native Opiliones amongst a wide range of other topics. In 2011 Australian arachnologist Christopher Taylor (who works here in Perth) renamed the species, to honour Forster as well.
A large and delightfully odd harvestman, spotted as we slid and slithered back down the track from the glowworms at Nicols Creek.
Females have chelicerae much more in keeping with the size of the rest of them, but males develop chelicerae so large they outweigh the rest of the body. The males fight for access to mates.
All six Forsteropsalis species are endemic to New Zealand, but this one is found on both the North and South Island, usually in damp sheltered locations like the Nicols Creek gorge, where they scavenge and hunt smaller animals.
Dunedin, Aotearoa New Zealand
