The Carrai Cave Spider (Progradungula carraiensis) is a cave‑dwelling gradungulid endemic to theCarrai Plateau karst of New South Wales, Australia. It is notable for erecting a narrow ladder/trellis‑like capture webacross cave walls and drip features, where it ambushes small arthropods under dim, humid conditions.
Ecology & Biology
Activity: chiefly crepuscular–nocturnal; by day it retreats into silk‑lined fissures.
Foraging: sets strip‑like “ladder webs” on vertical surfaces and subdues prey at close range with adhesive silk and rapid strikes.
Reproduction: females produce egg sacs in sheltered sections of the retreat and provide short‑term guarding; juveniles initially remain nearby before dispersing.
Identification
Body length: females typically 8–13 mm; males smaller (lengths exclude legspan).
Form: slender body with very long legs adapted to vertical cave surfaces; robust chelicerae.
Colour: cave‑associated pallor with reduced pigmentation; translucency varies with humidity and individual condition.
Range & Habitat
Restricted to the Carrai Plateau karst system of north‑eastern New South Wales, occupying moist, low‑airflow, dark–dimzones near cave entrances and vestibules.
Conservation & People
Threats: cave visitation/trampling, microclimate alteration at entrances, vegetation shifts and prolonged drought reducing humidity.
Guidelines: keep to established routes, avoid touching webs and microbial films, and minimise light/time in sensitive zones.
IUCN: no dedicated assessment to date; marked here as Not Evaluated (NE).
