A colourful spider recently discovered in the sand dunes near Yanchep is fighting for survival as Perth’s love affair with four-by-twos near the sea incentivises greenfield developers to stretch along the coast.
The species of peacock jumping spider (Maratus yanchep), was discovered in 2022. Now, housing estates are just 20 metres from the arachnids’ only known refuge, putting it high risk of extinction.
The maratus yanchep.Credit: Michael Lun Photography
The unusual spider was discovered by wildlife photographers Nick Volpe and partner Lucyna Kania, and their friend Reef Coakley.
Volpe has spent the past decade exploring Australia, shining a spotlight on the country’s lesser known animals.
It’s an intriguing species: to woo a female and avoid being eaten, the male must dance for his life by performing an intricate dance using a brilliantly coloured fan attached to his abdomen. If the female approves, they can mate. If not, he becomes her next meal.
Wildlife photographer Nick Volpe.
Volpe said since many species had such small distributions in the south-west it was inevitable many were never discovered, their habitat giving way to housing developments.
“It absolutely breaks my heart,” he said.
“People marvel at the photos of animals I take, but most don’t realise that their habitats are now so minimal and on the edge.
“This sprawling lifestyle of everyone owning the Australian dream has come at a huge cost to our environment.”
Year 12 student and photographer Michael Lun took incredible first-of-their kind images of the male spider performing its courtship dance, and collected specimens for the species to be described by scientists.
He’s also watched Peet’s Elavale housing estate march through the dunes to the coastline, ever closer to the discovery site.
Michael Lun where he found a new Peacock Spider witth the Elavale Eglinton Peet housing development behind him. Credit: Ross Swanborough
“On my last adventure out there, houses are now 20 metres away from where the spiders are,” he said.
“The loss of habitat for this species of spider isn’t on anyone’s radar. This species has a special place in my heart and I want to protect it.”
A Peet spokesman said no new species were noted as part of Peet’s work in the 80 hectare Elavale estate, which once complete will comprise more than 1000 lots.
“Peet takes its responsibility to protect local environments seriously as part of its development activities, and we meet all government and regulatory environmental requirements in the implementation of our projects,” he said.
Greens MP Brad Pettitt said the newly discovered spider was likely to become extinct without protection.
“Suburbs have derisively been called, most famously by Bill Vaughan, as places where a developer bulldozes out the trees then names the streets after them,” he said.
“In WA, we like to take this one step further by discovering a new species of spider, naming this unique new species after the area in which it is found, and then threatening its survival by bulldozing its unique habitat.
“WA needs to better protect the unique flora and fauna we have and not turn [its habitat] into another unsustainable, largely treeless, car-dependent suburb over an hour from the city centre.”
Volpe said the south-west corner of WA, one of the most biodiverse places on the planet, had a mind-boggling number of animal and plant species, including 69 known species of peacock spider.
“Never in human history have we had more power to stop species extinction than we do now. The value of existing bushland in the south-west is so much more than any developer or government can create a figure for.”
When WAtoday asked Planning and Housing Minister John Carey’s office to comment, the inquiry was handballed to the departments of Planning, Lands and Heritage; Primary Industries and Regional Development; Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions; and Water and Environmental Regulation.
It comes as the state government embraces National Science Week which started on Monday with a focus on species survival. Activities are planned to explore some of the critical challenges impacting Earth’s human, animal and plant habitation, especially here in WA.
Biologists Jurgen Otto and David Hill described Maratus yanchep in the academic journal Peckhamia. They noted the species stood out in particular by its variability, each known individual looking strikingly different.
The pair said in recent years many new and narrowly endemic species of Maratus had been found in the southwestern corner of Australia.
Specimens collected are now housed at the WA Museum.
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