A third Hexura species
Hexura vandal becomes the third named species in its genus and the first reported from the Rocky Mountains, around 500 kilometres east of the previously documented Oregon and Washington range. It also provides the genus's first taxonomic update in nearly 50 years.
A forest specialist
Researchers found the spider around mossy ground and decaying logs in moist conifer forest. Repeated searches found it locally abundant in suitable habitat but absent as conditions became drier. Physical differences and genetic evidence support its recognition as a distinct, long-isolated lineage.
Important caveats
Its full geographic range remains uncertain. Concerns about logging and wildfire should not be read as a formal threatened-species assessment or evidence of a measured population decline.