Immigrated moon spider
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Immigrated moon spider ( Parasteatoda tabulata ), female |
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| Parasteatoda tabulata | ||||||||||||
| ( Levi , 1980) |
The immigrated moon spider ( Parasteatoda tabulata ) is a spider from the family of crested web spiders (Theridiidae). The species was originally distributed in the tropics of Asia , but was also introduced in Europe , North America and other parts of Asia.
features
The female of the immigrant moon spider reaches a body length of 3.2 to 4.6 millimeters, of which 1.4 to 1.9 are attributable to the prosoma (front body). The male remains considerably smaller with a body length of 2.9 millimeters. Here 1.3 to 1.6 millimeters are allotted to the prosoma. The body structure corresponds to that of other moon spiders ( Parasteatoda ). Apart from the fact that the color of the female is a little darker, it is otherwise the same as that of the male.
The carapace (back shield of the prosoma) has a red-brown basic color. There is a darker longitudinal stripe between the anterior median eyes and the fovea ( apodem ). In addition, the fovea has a darker radial drawing and the carapace also has dark borders. The chelicerae (jaw claws) are colored red-brown like the carapace, but also have dark discoloration. Like the two previous areas, the maxilla (mouthparts) and the labium (lip) are also characterized by a red-brown color. In contrast, the sternum (breast shield of the prosoma) is colored reddish yellow and has a broad, dark brown edge color.
The legs have yellow colored coxes (hip joints), while the other leg segments are colored reddish brown. There are dark rings on the basal (lying at the base) and distal (lateral) attachments of the femora (thighs), as well as on the patellae (limbs between the femora and the tibia), the tibia (leg braces) and the metatarses (heel limbs of the Tarsi or limbs).
The opisthosoma (abdomen) is gray-brown in color. Its dorsal (upper) area has two pairs of white, laterally applied points in the basal area, which are flanked by many brown and black points in between and next to them. In the median (middle) area, two more white areas can be seen, which are more pronounced. In addition, there is a dark, characteristic transverse band in this section. Ventrally (underneath) on the opisthosoma there is a large white point between the epigastral furrow and the spinnerets . In addition, a dark brown line can be seen in front of the spinnerets.
Another view of a female
Another shot of a male missing several legs.
Genital morphological features
The bulbi (male sexual organs) of the immigrated moon spider are characterized within the genus of the moon spiders ( Parasteatoda ) by the terminal (at the end) elongated conductors (ladder).
The epigyne (female sex organ) is particularly similar to that of the related greenhouse spider ( Parasteatoda tepidariorum ). The vulva of the immigrated moon spider has conspicuous, median, dark and beak-shaped appearing sclerotization ( chitinized indurations).
Similar spiders
There are some representatives in the genus of the moon spiders ( Parasteatoda ) who resemble the immigrated moon spider both in terms of the structure of the sexual organs and the basic body structure. This is particularly true of the greenhouse spider ( P. tepidariorum ), the common moon spider ( P. lunata ) and the similar moon spider ( P. simulans ). There are also distant similarities with the field ball spider ( Cryptachaea riparia ), which is also part of the family of crested web spiders (Theridiidae), but there belongs to the genus of false moon spiders ( Cryptachaea ). There are also similarities in spiders of the Tidarren genus, which belong to the same family .
The white areas and the dark transverse band on the opisthosoma can be used as morphological characteristics of the immigrated moon spider. Genital morphologically, the species can be distinguished from the other moon spiders by the larger emboli (last sclerites and import organs) of the bulbs, which occupy the ventral surfaces and are thus elongated, as well as the proximal parts of the median apophyses (chitinized processes). Compared to related species, the epigyne of the females of the immigrant moon spider has more curved entry passages, which can be distinguished from the sexual organs of female animals of other moon spiders by the sclerotization located just before the mouth in the actual spermatheks (seed pockets).
Occurrence
The immigrant moon spider was once only at home in the tropical regions of Asia or Southeast Asia , but was carried off from there to other parts of the world and was able to move to North America , parts of Central and Eastern Europe including Russia (in this country to the Far Eastern area) , in Central Asia and in China , Korea and Japan .
In Europe , the immigrant moon spider has so far been in the Netherlands (here for the first time in 2014), Germany (here for the first time in the 1980s), Austria (here for the first time in 1990), Switzerland , the Czech Republic , Poland , Lithuania , Belarus , the Ukraine , Romania , Bulgaria and detected in Georgia . In North America, the species has so far been found in the northeast on the island of Long Island, part of the US state of New York, and in the Canadian provinces of Ontario , Quebec , New Brunswick and Newfoundland .
Habitats
The immigrated moon spider is considered to be a synanthropic (preferring human settlement areas) species that occurs on houses, walls and benches. Common sites are also south-facing walls of new buildings. The species is often found in settlement areas together with the greenhouse spider ( Parasteatoda tepidariorum ). Finds of the immigrant moon spiders from the steppes of Kazakhstan and Russia are also passed down.
Threat and protection
In general, no threats to the immigrant moon spider can be identified. The introduction into areas where the species was not previously found created a large distribution area. The global population of the immigrant moon spider is not evaluated by the IUCN , which means that it does not receive any protection status. The species is also not recorded in Germany's Red List of Endangered Species, Animals, Plants and Fungi . In Germany, the immigrant moon spider is generally considered to be rare, but its populations are increasing both in the short and long term.
In Bavaria's Red List, too, the data available for assessing the population are considered insufficient. The species is also not rated in the Berlin Red List and is considered harmless in the Brandenburg Red List. The IUCN registers the immigrant moon spider in the Czech Republic in the category ES (“Ecologically Sustainable”).
Way of life
Like almost all crested web spiders (Theridiidae), the immigrated moon spider creates a spider web typical of the family to catch prey. The nocturnal spider itself hides in a hiding place, which is positioned in the center of the framework of the web. This hiding place consists of twigs, grass, stone, earth particles or also remains of prey. In the adult spiders, this retreat is built in the shape of a hood and about 15 to 23 millimeters long.
Network construction and range of prey
The hooded net of the immigrated moon spider works like that of other hooded web spiders (Theridiidae) and consists of several catch threads with sticky glue droplets attached to the hood-like framework and reaching down to the ground. If a prey comes into contact with these threads and is successfully prevented from escaping, the thread loosens and the spider emerges from its hiding place to spin the prey. If it is completely unable to escape or defend itself, the spider gives it a poisonous bite using the chelicerae and separates the prey from the ground before it transports the prey to its shelter and consumes it there.
With this catching tactic, the immigrant moon spider, like many crested-web spiders, prey on a large number of other arthropods and also does not avoid those with a harder exoskeleton (chitin armor), such as lobsters .
Life cycle and phenology
The life cycle of the immigrant moon spider has not yet been fully researched. In Europe, the period of activity of adult individuals of both sexes is from May to August for males and until October for females.
In a female's safety net, it is not uncommon for one or more males to be found near the netting of the net owner. The egg cocoons themselves are kept by the female in its hiding place. Females with egg cocoons can be found from September to November. The young animals also create nets similar to the adult spiders.
Systematics
The immigrated moon spider was first described by Herbert Walter Levi in 1980 and classified by the author in the genus Achaearanea , which gave the species the name A. tabulata . After the species was also referred to as A. nipponica in the meantime , in 2002 Jung-Sun Yoo and Joo-Pil Kim switched to the genus of moon spiders ( Parasteatoda ). This was done by considering the genital morphological characteristics and the immigrated moon spider was given the name P. nipponica . By Johan Bink was confirmed this change in 2014 and the way it was also their valid botanical name Parasteatoda tabulata .
The species name tabulata is a modification of the Latin noun tabulatum , which translates as “wooden floor”, “scaffolding” or “floor”. It was first described using a single female holotype found in Long Island . The specimen is now in the Louis Agassiz Museum of Comparative Zoology . It was not until 1983 that a male of the species was described for the first time.
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c d e f Parasteatoda tabulata (Levi, 1980) from araneae - Spiders of Europe, accessed November 30, 2020.
- ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Parasteatoda tabulata (Levi, 1980) at the Wiki der Arachnologische Gesellschaft e. V., accessed on November 30, 2020.
- ↑ a b c d e Parasteatoda tabulata (Levi, 1980) at BugGuide, accessed on November 30, 2020.
- ↑ a b Parasteatoda tabulata (Levi, 1980) at the Red List Center, accessed on November 30, 2020.
- ↑ Parasteatoda tabulata (Levi, 1980) at Global Biodiversity Information Facility , accessed on 30 November 2020th
- ↑ Barbara Knoflach, Kristian Pfaller: Kugelspinnen - an introduction (Araneae, Theridiidae) . In: Denisia . tape 12 , no. 1 , 2004, p. 145 . , accessed November 30, 2020.
- ↑ Barbara Knoflach, Kristian Pfaller: Kugelspinnen - an introduction (Araneae, Theridiidae) . In: Denisia . tape 12 , no. 1 , 2004, p. 147 . , accessed November 30, 2020.
- ↑ Natural History Museum of the Burgergemeinde Bern: World Spider Catalog - Parasteatoda tabulata . Accessed November 30, 2020.
- ↑ Renate Loewe, Bernt Linzen, Wolfhart von Stackelberg: TWO NEW SPIDERS OF THE GENERA THERIDION AND ACHAEARANEA FROM NORTH AMERICA (ARANEAE: THERIDIIDAE) . In: Transactions of the American Microscopical Society . tape 99 , no. 1 , August 3, 1980, p. 334 .
- ↑ Hiroshi Yoshida: A new species of the genus Achaearanea (Araneae: Theridiidae) from Japan. In: Acta Arachnologica . tape 32 , no. 1 , 1983, p. 38 .
literature
- Heiko Bellmann: The cosmos spider guide. Over 400 species in Europe. 2nd Edition. Kosmos Naturführer, Kosmos (Franckh-Kosmos), 2016, ISBN 978-3-440-14895-2 .
- Barbara Knoflach, Kristian Pfaller: Ball spiders - an introduction (Araneae, Theridiidae) . In: Denisia . tape 12 , no. 1 , 2004, p. 111-160 .
- Renate Loewe, Bernt Linzen, Wolfhart von Stackelberg: Two New Spiders of the Genera Theridion and Achaearanea from North America (Araneae: Theridiidae) . In: Transactions of the American Microscopical Society . tape 99 , no. 1 , August 3, 1980, p. 334-337 .
- Hiroshi Yoshida: A new species of the genus Achaearanea (Araneae: Theridiidae) from Japan. In: Acta Arachnologica . tape 32 , no. 1 , 1983, p. 37-42 .
Web links
- Parasteatoda tabulata in the World Spider Catalog
- Parasteatoda tabulata (Levi, 1980) at Global Biodiversity Information Facility
- Parasteatoda tabulata (Levi, 1980) in Fauna Europaea
- Parasteatoda tabulata (Levi, 1980) at the Red List Center
- Parasteatoda tabulata (Levi, 1980) from araneae - Spiders of Europe
- Parasteatoda tabulata (Levi, 1980) at the Wiki of the Arachnological Society e. V.
- Parasteatoda tabulata (Levi, 1980) at BugGuide