Distribution

The Distribution: is widespread in most of England and Wales but patchy and scattered in Scotland and some parts of southern England. The species is widespread in north-western and central Europe.

Habitat and ecology

O. gibbosus is associated with bogs, fens, wet meadows and other saturated habitats. This species like others in the genus does not make webs for prey capture, but hunts over the soil surface for its prey (De Keer & Maelfait 1989). Males have a characteristic but variable head modification which does not appear until the final moult (Uhl, pers. comm.). O. gibbosus form tuberosus may be recognised by its lacking the deep notch and long hairs of the carapace of the typical form of O. gibbosus. Juvenile development is very fast, being completed in as little as a month (De Keer & Maelfait 1989). Adults have been recorded throughout the year with a peak in male activity in early summer. Our data show adults of both sexes are mostly recorded in early summer with a smaller peak in September.

Status

Common. Original author of profile: J.R. Bell 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.