Summary for Gnaphosa lugubris (Araneae)

previous species | next species

National Distribution

 
Logged-on? click on dot to query records. Please note our
Terms of Use. Double-click on map to go to region

View time series maps for Gnaphosa lugubris
Identification difficulty rating: 3
Name: Gnaphosa lugubris
Authority: (C.L.Koch, 1839)
Order: Arachnida: Araneae
Family: Gnaphosidae
National Rarity status: NR
IUCN status: VU, criteria: B2ab(ii)

Records: 69
First Record: 1900
Latest Record: 2022

1992-on hectads: 5
Pre-1992 hectads: 10
Total hectads: 13

Explore Regional Distribution

Please log on and add a note on this species

Missing records?


 
 
Please report any problems with this record:
VC error
GR error
Taxon ID suspect
Structural habitat suspect
Other problems, please explain here:


 

About this species

Recorded altitude range
1m to 61m

Species text

Distribution
The species has been recorded from E. Suffolk, W. Sussex, Hampshire, Isle of Wight and Dorset, but most records are from south-east Dorset. Old records from Berkshire and Staffordshire must be regarded as doubtful. It is fairly widespread in north-western and central Europe, but the species is not recorded from Ireland, Scandinavia north of Denmark, and only doubtfully from the Netherlands (van Helsdingen 1999).

Habitat and ecology
In Dorset, G. lugubris is found in dry stony areas on open heathland and on coastal limestone grassland, usually on hillsides in both cases. It also occurs in coastal grassland on the Isle of Wight and in dry coastal habitats in Sussex and Suffolk. Adult males are found from May to July with a peak of activity in early June; females from May to October.

Status
Although the current status of the species in south-east Dorset is uncertain, the spider has always been rather scarce and there appears to have been a real decline. It is known from four locations since 1992. Area of occupancy has fallen by 57% from seven hectads prior to 1992 to three hectads since that date.

Threats
There is probably little threat to most of its coastal sites, although coastal realignment of the Ore estuary is a potential threat to all shingle species on Havergate Island and Orford Ness, East Suffolk, and most of its heathland sites are NNRs, but other heathland sites may be threatened by agriculture, afforestation or development.

Management and conservation
Maintain open stony areas on heathland and short coastal grassland by grazing. However, many of its sites would probably remain sparsely vegetated because of lack of soil.

Text based on Dawson, I.K., Harvey, P.R., Merrett, P. & Russell-Smith, A.R. (in prep.).  References

Adult Season

Adult Season Data (based on 15 records with adult season information)


Habitats

background methodology

Broad Habitat Data (based on 36 records with habitat information)

no subhabitat data available

Structural Habitat Data (based on 13 records with structural habitat information)

Habitat Detail and Method (based on 11 records with habitat detail and method information)

Recorded management for locations with Gnaphosa lugubris

Recorded substrate and hydrology for locations with Gnaphosa lugubris

Images

sorry, no pictures available for this species yet - if you have an image please log on and upload it

See also A-Z Species Index - A-Z Picture Index - previous species | next species