Summary for Walckenaeria antica (Araneae)

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National Distribution

 
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Walckenaeria antica male Copyright: Esmond Brown
Identification difficulty rating: 3
Name: Walckenaeria antica
Authority: (Wider, 1834)
Order: Arachnida: Araneae
Family: Linyphiidae
IUCN status: LC

Records: 4504
First Record: 1837
Latest Record: 2024

1992-on hectads: 643
Pre-1992 hectads: 439
Total hectads: 892

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About this species

Recorded altitude range
0m to 800m

Species text

Distribution
W. antica is widespread in Britain. A Palaearctic species, it is widely distributed throughout north-western and central Europe.

Habitat and ecology
W. antica appears to prefer sites exposed to the sun in open places or dry woodland litter, whereas W. alticeps prefers moist litter or shaded sphagnum bogs. However Rushton has shown that W. antica, being more eurytopic than W. alticeps, can utilise the wetter habitats more usually associated with the latter species if it is absent (Rushton 1991). It is a common aeronaut. Adults may be found throughout the year with most females in the spring and summer with a small peak again in the autumn. Adult males have mostly been found between April and June and again during the autumn in October.

Status
Common. There remains some uncertainty over the Status: of W. antica and the closely related W. alticeps because of confusion over the separation of the species (Kronestedt 1980). Although there is a slight difference in average size there is some overlap and separation of the two species requires very careful consideration of the genitalia, in the female by examination of the adnexae in the excised vulva.

Original author of profile: D.R. Nellist

Text based on Harvey, P.R., Nellist, D.R. & Telfer, M.G. (eds) 2002. Provisional atlas of British spiders (Arachnida, Araneae), Volumes 1 & 2. Huntingdon: Biological Records Centre.  References

Adult Season

Adult Season Data (based on 1970 records with adult season information)


Habitats

background methodology

Broad Habitat Data (based on 1540 records with habitat information)

Broad subhabitat Data (based on 65 records with subhabitat information)

Structural Habitat Data (based on 1274 records with structural habitat information)

Habitat Detail and Method (based on 1631 records with habitat detail and method information)

Recorded management for locations with Walckenaeria antica

Recorded substrate and hydrology for locations with Walckenaeria antica

Images

Walckenaeria antica male
Walckenaeria antica male
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