Novakiella

Novakiella is a genus of South Pacific orb-weaver spiders. Previously monotypic containing the single species, Novakiella trituberculosa found in Australia and New Zealand, a second species was recognised in 2021, Novakiella boletus.

Taxonomy

The genus Novakiella was first described by David Court & Forster in 1993 as a replacement name for Novakia. The sole species N. trituberculosa was originally placed in the now obsolete genus Epeira as E. tri-tuberculata. Carl Friedrich Roewer temporarily moved it to Araneus while dissolving this "catch-all" taxon, and it was later placed into its own genus, Novakia, later renamed to Novakiella.

Distribution

N. trituberculosa is native to New Zealand and Australia, while N. boletus is endemic to Australia.