Draculoides bramstokeri

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Draculoides bramstokeri is a small, troglobite, Australian arachnid. Often mistaken for a spider, D. bramstokeri is a schizomid — a small, soil-dwelling invertebrate that walks on six legs and uses two modified front legs as feelers. It uses large fang-like pedipalps, or pincers, to grasp invertebrate prey and crunch it into pieces before sucking out the juices. Named for this method of dispatching victims and after Bram Stoker, the author of Dracula.

The species is light yellow or brown, 5 mm long and known to inhabit six caves on Barrow Island and two on the North West Cape of Western Australia. It is threatened by pollution and damage to caves and is vulnerable to extinction.

The other three described species of Draculoides also occur in Australia.

See also

• Threatened fauna of Australia
• List of animals named after celebrities

References

• Burbidge, Andrew A Threatened animals of Western Australia. Department of Conservation and Land Management.
• Department of the Environment and Water Resources Draculoides bramstokeri Harvey & Humphreys, 1995. Australian faunal Directory. Australian Government. Retrieved on 2007-04-01..

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Last updated on Friday February 29, 2008 at 17:01:17 PST (GMT -0800)
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