Summary details for Acartauchenius scurrilis (O.P.-Cambridge, 1872)

Species Details

Species name: Acartauchenius scurrilis (O.P.-Cambridge, 1872)
Synonym: Acartauchenius aequus (O.P.-Cambridge, 1910)
Taxonomy: Animalia :: Araneae :: Linyphiidae
habitat: short sward & bare ground

Distribution

The species has been recorded from Kynance Cove and Rame Head in Cornwall, Lundy Island and Prawle Point in Devon, New Forest and Woolmer Forest in Hampshire, Studland, Hartland Moor and Morden NNRs and Parley Common in Dorset, Thursley Common NNR in Surrey and Dungeness in Kent. The species is widespread in north-western and central Europe, but has not been recorded from Ireland or Norway.

Habitat and ecology

The spider is restricted by dependence on its ant host to dry heaths and coastal grassland in the south and west. A. scurrilis occurs in the nests of the ant Tetramorium caespitum (L.). The spider is sometimes taken in pitfall traps when dispersing (usually females, very occasionally males). Adult males have been taken in pitfall traps in May and September, and females between April and October, but adults are possibly present in ants' nests throughout most of the year. Denton (1999b) notes it as abundant in Tetramorium nests in Woolmer Forest in October.

Status

The species has a limited area of occupancy having been recorded from just eleven hectads in total. Since its specialised habitat is not often investigated by arachnologists, it may not be as rare as the number of records suggests.

Threats

The loss of dry heathland. In Britain the host ant, T. caespitum, nests in areas of dry lowland sandy heath and coastal zones. It is predominantly a southern species requiring habitats with sparse vegetation cover (greater than 40% bare ground) and attracting high levels of insolation at the ground surface.

Management and conservation

Maintain open areas in dry lowland heathland and coastal grassland in suitable condition for the host ant.

Text based on Dawson, I.K., Harvey, P.R., Merrett, P. & Russell-Smith, A.R. (in prep.).

Stats

First recorded: 1900
Last recorded: 2025
Total records: 46
Total visits: 45

Conservation status

Acartauchenius scurrilis

Source	Reporting category	Designation	Date designated	Comments
A Review of the scarce and threatened spiders (Araneae) of Great Britain: Species Status No. 22 (Sep 2017)	Rare and scarce species	Nationally Rare. Includes Red Listed taxa	01/09/2017
A Review of the scarce and threatened spiders (Araneae) of Great Britain: Species Status No. 22 (Sep 2017)	Red listing based on 2001 IUCN guidelines	Near Threatened	01/09/2017	Known from only a handful of locations, but any decline exhibited is uncertain. It remains vulnerable to loss of habitat through inappropriate, or lack of, management of its heaths and coastal grassland habitats. Threats: The loss of dry heathland. In Britain the host ant, T. caespitum, nests in areas of dry lowland sandy heath and coastal zones. It is predominantly a southern species requiring habitats with sparse vegetation cover (greater than 40% bare ground) and high levels of insolation at the ground surface.

Photos and media

No photos or media files available

Spatial distribution - hectad map

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Thresholds:

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Rejected records are excluded from this map. Unverified records are included.

Temporal distribution - records by year

Records that span more than one year are not included in this chart.