Eresus cinnaberinus
Encyclopedia
Eresus cinnaberinus of the family Eresidae, is commonly called the Ladybird Spider. It is native to Europe.
The taxon
"Eresus cinnaberinus" is considered a nomen dubium
by some authors, the specimens having been divided into the species E. kollari, E. sandaliatus and E. moravicus. The three species differ in size, colour pattern, shape of prosoma and copulatory organs, and habitat, with no morphologically intermediate forms. As eastern and western E. kollari are genetically different, with the eastern form likely a hybrid between "pure" E. kollari and E. moravicus, it is possible that later revisions will partition it into additional species.
with four black dots (sometimes with white lining), resembling a Ladybird
. The black legs have white stripes, the hind legs are partly red. Females are black with some white hairs, only the front is sometimes yellow.
, it can be found only in a "secret" half-acre patch of south-facing Dorset
heathland.
. It is given full protection under Schedule 5 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981
. Reintroduction
is in progress at the Arne RSPB reserve
in Dorset, England. In Germany it is also considered endangered.
county of Dorset
but was subsequently considered extinct in Britain. Rediscovered in 1979, it is known from only a single vulnerable, confirmed site in the town of Wareham
. Other unconfirmed reportings have yet to be substantiated.
The taxon
Taxon
|thumb|270px|[[African elephants]] form a widely-accepted taxon, the [[genus]] LoxodontaA taxon is a group of organisms, which a taxonomist adjudges to be a unit. Usually a taxon is given a name and a rank, although neither is a requirement...
"Eresus cinnaberinus" is considered a nomen dubium
Nomen dubium
In zoological nomenclature, a nomen dubium is a scientific name that is of unknown or doubtful application...
by some authors, the specimens having been divided into the species E. kollari, E. sandaliatus and E. moravicus. The three species differ in size, colour pattern, shape of prosoma and copulatory organs, and habitat, with no morphologically intermediate forms. As eastern and western E. kollari are genetically different, with the eastern form likely a hybrid between "pure" E. kollari and E. moravicus, it is possible that later revisions will partition it into additional species.
Description
Males are up to 11 mm long, females can reach up to 20 millimetre (0.78740157480315 in). Males have a black prosoma and a strikingly red opisthosomaOpisthosoma
The opisthosoma is the posterior part of the body in some arthropods, behind the prosoma . It is a distinctive feature of the subphylum Chelicerata...
with four black dots (sometimes with white lining), resembling a Ladybird
Coccinellidae
Coccinellidae is a family of beetles, known variously as ladybirds , or ladybugs . Scientists increasingly prefer the names ladybird beetles or lady beetles as these insects are not true bugs...
. The black legs have white stripes, the hind legs are partly red. Females are black with some white hairs, only the front is sometimes yellow.
Distribution
It prefers sunny, dry locations and is widely distributed in Central and Southern Europe. In EnglandEngland
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, it can be found only in a "secret" half-acre patch of south-facing Dorset
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
heathland.
Habits
These spiders live in up to 10 centimetres (3.9 in) long underground tubes with a diameter of about one centimetre. On top they are much wider and lined with cribellate silk. Many webs can usually be found in the same place, sometimes up to ten on a single square metre. E. cinnaberinus mainly catches millipedes and beetles. Males walk around during September, searching for females. If it finds one, it lives with the female in her tube, and they feed from the same web.Conservation
This spider is classified as endangered in Great BritainGreat Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
. It is given full protection under Schedule 5 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981
Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981
The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 is an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom and was implemented to comply with the Directive 2009/147/EC on the conservation of wild birds...
. Reintroduction
Reintroduction
Reintroduction is the deliberate release of a species into the wild in zones formerly inhabited by said species but where it has disappeared from for a number of reasons, from captivity or relocated from other areas where the species still survives in...
is in progress at the Arne RSPB reserve
Arne RSPB reserve
Arne RSPB reserve is a 500 hectare nature reserve, run by the RSPB, overlooking Poole Harbour and adjacent to the village of Arne, in Dorset, England....
in Dorset, England. In Germany it is also considered endangered.
History
Until the late 1920s the species was recorded from several sites in the EnglishEngland
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
county of Dorset
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
but was subsequently considered extinct in Britain. Rediscovered in 1979, it is known from only a single vulnerable, confirmed site in the town of Wareham
Wareham, Dorset
Wareham is an historic market town and, under the name Wareham Town, a civil parish, in the English county of Dorset. The town is situated on the River Frome eight miles southwest of Poole.-Situation and geography:...
. Other unconfirmed reportings have yet to be substantiated.
Subspecies
- Eresus cinnaberinus bifasciatus Ermolajev, 1937 (Russia)
- Eresus cinnaberinus frontalis Latreille, 1819 (Spain)
- Eresus cinnaberinus ignicomus Simon, 1914 (Corsica)
- Eresus cinnaberinus illustris C. L. Koch, 1837 (Hungary)
- Eresus cinnaberinus latefasciatus Simon, 1910 (Algeria)
- Eresus cinnaberinus tricolor Simon, 1873 (Corsica)