Aptostichus stephencolberti Genomic Resources. Aptostichus stephencolberti

The trapdoor spider species, Aptostichus stephencolberti, is only found in highly fragmented coastal dune habitats of California. Trapdoor spiders are ideal taxa for landscape scale genomic studies owing to their extreme site fidelity and limited dispersal capabilities making them highly prone to extinction. Dune habitats along California's coast are a diverse yet fragile ecosystem very sensitive to human impacts related to development, perturbation, rising sea levels, and invasive species. Consequently, species like A. stephencolberti will potentially reveal novel areas of endemism and high conservation value that may nto be evident in species with wider ranges and greater dispersal capabilities.