Summary details for Centromerus albidus Simon, 1929

Species Details

Species name
Centromerus albidus Simon, 1929
Synonym
Centromerus quercicola Miller, 1958
Taxonomy
Animalia :: Araneae :: Linyphiidae
habitat
shaded woodland floor

Distribution

The species has been recorded from Box Hill and White Downs, Surrey, and Stockbridge, Hampshire, all since 1962. It has also been reported from Spain, France, Romania and Slovakia.

Habitat and ecology

C. albidus occurs in beech litter in beech woods. Adult males have been found between August and November and females between August and April.

Status

No records since before 1980, though the spider occurred in numbers at its Surrey sites. Area of occupancy very restricted. Recorded from three locations prior to 1992 but no records since.

Threats

The loss of established beech woods. In past years, foresters have clear-felled ancient beech woods on the North Downs and used a nurse crop of conifers in the replanting, a practice which could be detrimental to the ancient woodland fauna and flora, including this spider.

Management and conservation

Small group fellings with no conifer nurse crop should ameliorate the effects of previous management of the beech wood ecosystem. Survey work to establish the current status of this species is required. Text based on Dawson, I.K., Harvey, P.R., Merrett, P. & Russell-Smith, A.R. (in prep.).

Stats

First recorded
1800
Last recorded
2021
Total records
20
Total visits
20

Conservation status

Centromerus albidus
SourceReporting categoryDesignationDate designatedComments
A Review of the scarce and threatened spiders (Araneae) of Great Britain: Species Status No. 22 (Sep 2017)Rare and scarce speciesNationally Rare. Includes Red Listed taxa01/09/2017
A Review of the scarce and threatened spiders (Araneae) of Great Britain: Species Status No. 22 (Sep 2017)Red listing based on 2001 IUCN guidelinesCritically Endangered (possibly extinct)01/09/2017Formerly recorded from ancient beech woods at three locations in Surrey and Hampshire, but has not been found at any of these since 1969. Threats: The loss of established beech woods. In past years, foresters have clear-felled ancient beech woods on the North Downs and used a nurse crop of conifers in the replanting, a practice which could be detrimental to the ancient woodland fauna and flora, including this spider.

Photos and media

Spatial distribution - hectad map

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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.

Temporal distribution - records by week