Endangered Spider Rediscovered on Isle of Wight After 40-Year Absence

In a remarkable conservation achievement, a critically endangered spider that had not been seen in the UK for four decades has been rediscovered on the Isle of Wight. The tiny orange-legged arachnid, known as the Aulonia albimana, was last recorded in the country back in 1985.

The team that made the discovery, entomologist Mark Teller and colleague Graeme Lyons, have informally named the species the "white-knuckled wolf spider". This name was inspired by the distinctive pale "knuckles" on its palps - small leg-like appendages at the side of the mouth - as well as the researchers' race against the clock to find it.

Lyons recounts the thrilling moment, saying, "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." The team located the spider in a remote, overgrown area of the National Trust's Newtown National Nature Reserve, accessible only by boat.

The rediscovery of this "dapper little spider" has been hailed as a "major conservation success" by the National Trust, and a testament to the power of habitat management, curiosity, and collaboration in protecting endangered species.