Larinioides sericatus ( Clerck, 1757 )

Šestáková, Anna, Marusik, Yuri M. & Omelko, Mikhail M., 2014, A revision of the Holarctic genus Larinioides Caporiacco, 1934 (Araneae: Araneidae), Zootaxa 3894 (1), pp. 61-82 : 74-76

Larinioides sericatus ( Clerck, 1757)

Figs 3 , 8 C, 9C, 10C, 21, 22, 25C, 28

Araneus sericatus Clerck 1757: 40 , pl. 2, fig. 1 (D♀).

Aranea undata Olivier 1789: 206 (D; preoccupied by De Geer, 1778). Aranea oviger Panzer 1804: 157 , pl. 174, fig. 3 (D).

Epeira apoclisa Dufour 1831: 364 , pl. 11, fig. 2 (D♀). Syn. n. Epeira virgata Hahn 1834: 26 , fig. 113 (D♂♀).

Epeira frondosa Walckenaer 1841: 65 (D♀).

Epeira sclopetaria Westring 1851: 34 (D♀).

Epeira hygrophila Simon 1874: 105 (D♀).

Nuctenea sclopetaria: Levi 1974: 310 , figs 85–88, 103–104, 108, 114–115, 124–125, 128 (♂♀). Larinioides sclopetarius: Roberts 1995: 321 , fig., pl. 28, fig. 2 (♂♀); Dondale et al. 2003: 189, figs 409–416 (♂♀).

For a complete list of references see Platnick (2014).

Misidentifications:

Epeira sericata Blackwall, 1864: 328 , pl. 23, fig. 238 (♂♀). Refers to L. cornutus . Epeira sclopetaria Becker, 1896: 34 , pl. 8, fig. 2 (♂♀). Refers to L. cornutus .

Epeira sclopetaria Menge, 1866 : pl. 7, tab. 7, figs A–P (♂♀). Refers to L. ixobolus . Araneus sericatus Shear, 1967: 8 , fig. 20–21 (♂). Two figs refer to L. patagiatus . Larinioides sclopetarius Namkung, 2002: 259 , figs 19.21a–b (♂♀). Refers to L. jalimovi . L. sclopetarius Namkung, 2003: 260 , figs 19.20a–b (♂♀). Refers to L. jalimovi . Epeira umbratica Menge, 1866: 55 , pl. 6, fig. 6 (#m, misidentified, not ♀). Refers to L. ixobolus (not to L. sericatus ).

Material examined: SLOVAKIA: 1♂ 1♀ (15 September 2010): Rapovce, 48°16’N 19°41’E, 176 m, Ľ. Černecká (LC); 1♂ (9 June 2006), 1♀ 1sub.♂ (4 June 2008): Bratislava, on the wall, near Danube River, 48°9’N 17°4’E, 139 m, A. Šestáková ( AS); 1♀ (26 June 2008): Senica, Kunov, on the fence near pond, 48°42’N 17°25’E, 227 m, A. Šestáková ( AS); 1♂ (31 July 2009), 1♀ (18 September 2009): Vrútky, bus station, 49°7’N 18°56’E, 380 m, A. Šestáková ( AS).

Diagnosis. The species resembles L. ixobolus and L. jalimovi , but is distinguished by typical white hairs on carapace, median apophysis have a unique small apical spur ( Fig. 10 C), embolus lack flat shield and terminal apophysis is rounded ( Figs 21, 22 ). Epigyne can be distinguished by the sclerotised lateral lamellae protruding on its base ( Fig. 28 ).

Description. Carapace brown with paler pattern with dense white hairs on the head region. Chelicerae spotted, sternum uniformly brown or with pale spot in the middle. Dorsum of abdomen with brown folium and white bordered pale cross or with indistinct pattern as in L. ixobolus ( Figs 3 A, C). Legs yellow and dark annulated, femur ventrally dark spotted.

Male. Total length 6.0–8.0. Carapace 3.2–4.0 long, 2.7–3.5 wide. Length of the first patella + tibia 5.3–8.0. Tibia II not modified ( Fig. 8 C). Palp as in Figs 9 C, 10C, 21, 22, 25C; bulbus with rounded terminal, subterminal apophysis 1 and 2; embolus simple, without flat shield; median apophysis with small apical spur on the broader part of bifurcation; conductor rounded, higher then wide.

Female. Total length 8.0–14. Carapace 3.9–5.3 long, 3.1–4.6 wide. Length of the first patella + tibia 4.4–10.2. Epigyne as in Fig 28 ; round, bordered with lateral lamellae, apically covering copulatory ducts and basally protruding as flat round plates; scapus slightly curved.

Distribution. Platnick (2014) mentions that this species has a Holarctic distribution, but it is restricted to the Nearctic and Western Palaearctic, while records from the Far East ( Namkung 2002, 2003) refer to L. jalimovi . We agree with Levi (1974) that this species was very likely introduced to the Nearctic by humans.

Comments. Araneus sclopetarius is confused with L. cornutus in the figures by Clerck (1757). Therefore the name Araneus sclopetarius Clerck, 1757 becomes a junior synonym of L. cornutus and the senior synonym of A. sclopetarius , Araneus sericatus Clerck, 1757 , is revalidated. This conclusion is based not only on abdominal patterns but also on the terminal apophysis, which is clearly tapered and curved upwards, not rounded as in L. sericatus . This misidentification has confused other arachnologists, e.g. Blackwall (1864), Becker (1896).

Figures

FIGURE 8. Prolateral view of the second pair of male legs of Larinioides species. A— L. jalimovi; B— L ixobolus; C— L. sericatus; D— L. patagiatus; E— L. chabarovi, F— L. cornutus; G— L. folium.

FIGURE 9. Conductor of male palp of Larinioides species. A— L. jalimovi; B— L. ixobolus; C— L. sericatus; D— L. patagiatus; E— L. chabarovi; F— L. cornutus; G— L. folium.

FIGURE 10. Median apophysis of male palp of Larinioides species. A— L. jalimovi; B— L. ixobolus; C— L. sericatus, arrow pointed to the spur from different view; D— L. patagiatus; E— L. chabarovi; F— L. cornutus; G— L. folium.

FIGURES 1 – 4. Habitus of Larinioides species. Letters indicate columns; numbers indicate rows. 1 — L. jalimovi; 2 — L. ixobolus; 3 — L. sericatus; 4 — L. patagiatus. A, B—females; C, D—males; A, C—dorsal side; B, D—ventral side.

FIGURES 21 – 24. Male embolic division of Larinioides sericatus and L. patagiatus. Letters indicate columns; numbers indicate rows. 21, 22 — L. sericatus; 23, 24 — L. patagiatus; 21, 23 — before maceration; 22, 24 — after maceration in NaOH solution; A, B—prolateral view; C, D—retrolateral view.

FIGURES 26 – 32. Epigyne of Larinioides species. Letters—columns. Numbers—rows. 26 — L. jalimovi; 27 — L. ixobolus; 28 — L. sericatus; 29 — L. patagiatus; 30 — L. cornutus; 31 — L. folium; 32 — L. chabarovi. A – D—posterior, E—lateral, F—dorsal view. A, C—before maceration; B, D – F—after maceration in NaOH solution. BL = basal lamella, LL = lateral lamella, SC = scapus.