Desertas Wolf Spider

The Desertas wolf spider is one of the world's largest wolf spiders, a member of the family Lycosidae, with females reaching a leg span of several centimetres. Like other lycosids, it does not build webs to capture prey; instead, it is an active, ground-dwelling hunter that ambushes invertebrates using acute vision and vibration sensing. Females are notable for carrying their egg sacs attached to the spinnerets and later transport newly hatched spiderlings on their backs, typical wolf spider maternal behaviour.

As a predator of insects and other arthropods, it plays a role in regulating invertebrate populations within its ecosystem.

This species has an extremely restricted range, found only on Deserta Grande, one of the uninhabited Desertas Islands in the Madeira archipelago, Portugal. It occupies a limited area of dry, rocky slopes with sparse vegetation, a habitat type shaped by the island's arid conditions.

The species' survival is threatened by its naturally tiny range and population, which leaves it vulnerable to any localised disturbance. Invasive species, including introduced grazing animals and predators, have degraded native vegetation and altered the arthropod community it depends on. Agricultural and development pressures, though limited given the island's protected status, remain concerns, alongside climate change, which may intensify drought and habitat instability.

Deserta Grande is part of the Madeira Natural Park, and conservation efforts have focused on habitat restoration and control of invasive species, including grazing animals, to allow native vegetation to recover.

Given its single-island distribution and ongoing threats, the species remains classified as Critically Endangered, with a decreasing population trend and no indication of range expansion.

Hogna ingens inhabits arid and semi-arid volcanic landscapes in the Canary Islands, particularly favoring rocky outcrops, stone walls, and sparse vegetation areas. The species constructs burrows in sandy or loose soil substrates within these dry Mediterranean-type ecosystems.