Intertribal commission and researcher honor tribes in naming of new Gorge spider

At the commission meeting Jeremy Fivecrows, communications director for the Columbia River Intertribal Fish Commission, introduced a Sahaptin-derived word adopted as the name for a newly described spider species found in the Columbia Gorge. He said Greta Binford of Lewis & Clark College discovered the animal and worked with tribal language experts, including Tony Washines of the Yakama Nation, to propose a name that reflects their language and the species' attributes.

"The new name means, cave dwelling predator," Jeremy said, explaining that the genus name Trogloraptor also translates roughly the same way and that the Sahaptin name (Tulishpun) honors a living language and the species' long-standing presence in the Gorge. He described a naming ceremony at the Herman Creek Trailhead where specimens were presented, there was drumming, and tribal participation marked the event.

Why it matters: the naming illustrates collaborative scientific and tribal-language work in the Gorge, highlights the presence of unique biodiversity in the National Scenic Area, and was offered as a cultural and educational moment early in the meeting.