[2] This species was described in 1987 by Ray Forster from specimens collected in caves around Nelson.

[4] The genus name is derived from "spelunca", which is latin for cave and is feminine in gender.

[3] It is one of the few spider species afforded legal protection under the New Zealand Wildlife Act.

[7][8] It is classified as "Range Restricted" and stable in the New Zealand Threat Classification System.

[9] In May 2022, the Crazy Paving Cave in Kahurangi National Park, where the spiders are known to breed, was closed for a year in an attempt to help the population to recover.