Linyphiid Key

https://www.fscbiodiversity.uk/fullscreen/liny

Based on Big Roberts, an interactive key to narrowing down Linyphiid candidates

Segestria senoculata - Snake-backed Spider

Has been previously recorded at Cullaloe but first time I've seen it there (I think!)

Gall mites

An Alnus beside the pond was particularly badly affected by gall mites with a large patch of leaves standing out. Two of them were not on the reserve list so good news for the mites and for the catalogue. Not so good for the tree!

Diplostyla concolor

A new spider for me, if not for the reserve, this Linyphiid was shaken from leaf litter yesterday morning along with a couple of other Linyphiids yet to be determined

Diplostyla concolor

Also found was this hairy snail which I think is Trochulus hispidus (English "Hairy snail"!)

Linyphiid spider Tenuiphantes cristatus

I have come to realise that before jumping into the complexities of spider palps there's a lot of benefit to be had from looking at the pedipalp . This pattern of spines on this species is very easy to pick out, although the cymbium itself is quite an easy one with its crest

Beating around the bush

A speculative prod at some gorse bushes on Friday produced some interest in terms of both spiders and flies, with several families of spider represented entirely by subadult specimens - Lycosid, Clubionid, Thomisid, Linyphiid. Two flies which emerged were an as yet unknown Nematoceran and my first Lonchoptera which hasn't been determined to species yet. There was also a Chloropid fly which is probably another Elachiptera cornuta agg.

Ozyptila sp.

Nematocera and Lonchoptera

Elachiptera sp.

Drapetisca socialis

Tree bark loving Linyphiid spider Drapetisca socialis

Fungus frenzy

Back from holidays and back to adding new species to the catalogue!

A couple of new fungi added to the list and a couple of new spiders for me, although one is already recorded on the reserve (Meta segmentata). Spider pics to follow since I left my camera at home.

The first fungus is Hebeloma pusillum, growing in association with willows on boggy ground. The second is Russula fellea, the Geranium Brittlegill (because it smells like geraniums). Other fungi were added to the year list, but weren't new (Wrinkled Shield, Woolly Milkcap, Clustered Toughshank, Redleg Toughshank)

The second spider is Drapetisca socialis, a Linyphiid which was in its expected niche of Beech tree bark.

H.pusillum

H.pusillum

Geranium Brittlegill

Spider day, 27th June

Miraculously a sunny day on Saturday allowed us to sweep like maniacs across the reserve in between days of rain and sodden vegetation. At least a couple of new species were added to the reserve list, with Tetragnatha montana being added to its more common cousin T.extensa. Also after finding many immature Clubionid spiders this year finally an adult male "took one for the team" to get the species on the list - see below. I think we have one more mature female which may or may not turn out to be not this species.

Still in pots are various spider, pseudoscorpions, harvestmen, a millipede.

Clubiona lutescens - 1 m. adult
Tetragnatha extensa - several
Metallina mengei - several
Enoplognatha ovata - several
Xysticus cristatus (probably? I had no adults when checked)
Paidiscura (Theridion) pallens - 1 with egg puch under oak leaf in woodland
Philodromus aureolus - one mature f. swept from meadow grass. These things are FAST.
Linyphiids - several potted for later examination

Clubiona lutescens

Paidiscura pallens

Additional spiders (thx KB) added with a couple more still in pots

Clubiona compta f - NEW

Clubiona lutescens f - NEW

Tetragnatha montana mf - NEW

Hypomma bituberculum f - NEW

Gongylidium rufipes mf - NEW

Philodromus aureolus mf - NEW

Enoplognatha ovata m

Lepthyphantes obscurus f - NEW

Pardosa pullata f

Araniella sp., probably cucurbitina f

Microlinyphia pusillla f

Neriene montana f

Neriene peltata f

Linyphia hortensis f

Ceratinella brevipes f - NEW

Diplocephalus picinus f - NEW

Clubiona reclusa f

Dismodicus bifrons f - NEW

Agyneta conigera f - NEW

Maso sundevalli f - NEW

Tiso vagans m

Another Linyphiid spider ... but not a money spider!

This spider, in the same family as what we call "money spiders", is a BEAST of more than 5mm which creates an impressive sheet web. In this case there were numerous specimens at the bottom of the bridge near the filter beds, so the overall sheet was quite something as I procured a specimen with a headtorch in the dark.

Extreme detail!

How to visually catalogue a spider using a scanning electron microscope - outrageous level of detail. Wonder how long it takes to process one spider, including shaving around the claw

http://research.amnh.org/atol/files/Content/SVsManual/SVmanualPrint.htm

Tenuiphantes cristatus

This little spider was another picked up by shaking grass cuttings at the weekend. I feel like I'm starting to get my eye in on the Linyphiid spiders, and to get to grips with the key tables. Now I know what I need to record before I open the book.

'Formula' for this spider is:  2-2-2-2, TmIV absent, TmI @ 0.15

This means that the dorsal spines on the tibiae are 2 on tibia 1, 2 on tibia 2 etc., there is no trichobothrium on metatarsus IV, and the trichobothrium on metatarsus I is at 15% of the distance from the proximal end.

The trichobothrium is a little sensory hair which has a pit at its base. Sometimes the pit is easier to locate first, but sometimes the hair is easier to locate because it vibrates when there is movement - a subtle move of your chair, a cough - anything. It is VERY sensitive. Trichobothria can sense air movements of prey items (flies) when in close proximity (link). This makes it harder to photograph, because essentially it's always moving. The pit is located in between the lines of other hairs on the leg - see picture 3

There is another Linyphiid rule I forgot. Must be broken sometime but the rule is as follows: "Where a number of species have size ranges your spider will be the exact size that meets the requirement for all candidate species!"

A very similar rule applies to fungal spores.

Spiny chelicerae

Why don't palp drawings also have this view?

Dark trichobothrium pit slightly right of the spine

Palp

Moneyspider - Microneta viaria

A good weekend playing with spiders, but ironically the only one identified to species level was one of the 'difficult' money spiders. The remainder hadn't reached the level of maturity to be finally identified.

The source of the rich pickings - cut grass:

Invertebrate Diary, March

Invertebrate diary

30/03/2015
Nothing in traps except springtails and a couple of  Tachypodoiulus niger

29/03/2015
Grass cuttings -

   1 Ero sp., imm f. (first of genus on reserve)
   1 Clubiona sp. imm. m. (C.reclusa only recorded species on reserve)
   1 Pardosa sp. imm. f.
   1 Microneta viaria, f. (previously recorded)
   1 Tenuiphantes cristatus, m. (new to reserve)
   1 Linyphid sp., imm. m.

   also: Anthobium unicolor, Tachypodoiulus niger, Nebria brevicollis

   Pitfall under 2nd log in woodland re-sited due to seeing no activity

25/03/2015
Filter Beds pitfall -
   1 Phorid
Orchid meadow pitfall
   1 harvestman
   2 spiders
   1 beetle larva
Woods pitfall - unchecked
1 large, hairy fly taken from path, assumed hover, but not

24/03/2015 - frosty
Filter Beds pitfall (a.m.) -
   2 x Nanogona polydesmoides,
   springtails,
   4 x spider sp.(1 lyniphid m, 1 f),
   1 small hymenopterid
Orchid meadow pitfall (a.m.) - not checked
Woods pitfall (a.m.) - empty
Willow catkins unproductive, some smaller flies basking on south facing trunks

23/03/2015
Filter Beds pitfall (a.m.) - empty
Orchid meadow pitfall (a.m.) - empty
Woods small pitfall (a.m.) - Anthobium unicolor, 1 small rove beetle, 1 globular springtail - damaged
Willow catkins car park (a.m.) - small fly netted
Willow catkins car park (lunch) - Melangyna lasiophthalma. male
(Woods small pitfall decommissioned, larger pot placed under another log)

21/03/2015
Orchid meadow, sweep netting p.m. - Two sheep ticks
Embankment sweep netting p.m. - Plant hopper Stenocranus minutus (2nd for Scotland)


20/03/2015

Released:
Spider Tetragnatha extensa (probably)
Common Flowerbug (Anthocoris nemorum)
Ground beetle Nebria brevicollis (probably)
Large broad-nosed 'weevil:': 5
Small brown beetle: 10 (Micrambe ulicis)

Retained
Large broad-nosed 'weevil:' 3 - same species
Small weevil: 1 - putative Exapion ulicis
Small beetle: 1 - ID abandoned
Small brown beetle: 2 Micrambe ulicis

Spider Metellina mengei adult female from grass cuttings beside the road

Diplocephalus latifrons

Money spider, Diplocephalus latifrons
(ID - KB)

Compare to the below palp image from link

Psuedoscorpion - Neobisium carcinoides

So the pseudoscorpion Neobisium carcinoides becomes the 250th species recorded from the reserve this year - a fitting species since I've waited a while to see one - one that didn't escape anyway! Shaken from twigs in a birch tree, I had some faffing about with a collecting box trying to capture it. Capture it I did though, and what a fantastic beast it is.

Pseudoscorpion Recorders Group

New spider -

With assistance from East Scotland Spider Group facebook page (KB), I bring for your delectation the spider Walckenaeria nudipalpis

Also assisting is the German spider website: wiki.spinnen-forum.de

Inverts ramp up

Been a while, since I've been on holiday, but good to be back bothering Cullaloe and picking up a few invertebrates. Two spiders, a harvestman, a fly and a millipede have made it onto the list since last time and soon moths will join in the merry gathering (hopefully).

The fairly common orb spider Zygiella x-notata. Not quite adult this one, but of two similar species there are structural differences which differentiate it without it having to be fully adult.

(note: I have recanted on this one for the moment and won't be counting it - habitat just seems wrong. I will maybe show it to a grown-up later for a second opinion) 

Looooooooooooooong legged harvestman

Not at Cullaloe, although I'll check the walls at lunchtime, there has been an emergence of the harvestman Dicranopalpus ramosus. Fantastic looking creatures. Apparently if you disturb them they go back to 'normal' harvestman mode when walking, although I didn't try it.

Dicranopalpus ramosus

Pics - Invertebrate - Arachnids: Mites, Spiders, Harvestmen

Link to list of Cullaloe's Arachnids

SPIDERS

Diplocephalus latifrons

Metellina mengei

05/04/2014

Walckenaeria nudipalpis

16/03/2015, Filter beds

HARVESTMEN

Megabunus diadema

Turret head

Diadem'd

Body patterning

Nematoma bimaculatum

26/10/2013, Mossy Barrens