Summary details for Clubiona frisia Wunderlich & Schütt, 1995

Species Details

Species name
Clubiona frisia Wunderlich & Schütt, 1995
Synonyms
Clubiona similis sensu auct. Brit. nec L. Koch, 1866, Clubiona similis L. Koch, 1866
Taxonomy
Animalia :: Araneae :: Clubionidae
habitat
short sward & bare ground

Distribution

British records are all from the east and south-east coasts of England from Norfolk to Kent. The species is mainly coastal in distribution, whereas C. similis, with which it was formerly confused, is a Central European and more upland species.

Habitat and ecology

Coastal sand dunes. The spider occurs in marram tussocks on sand dunes. Adults have been recorded in May and June and again in September and October.

Status

Recorded from only five hectads since 1992, with no evidence of decline but always at risk from leisure use of its dune habitat, the construction of coastal defences and other infrastructure development.

Threats

Public pressure can cause damage to the fragile dune vegetation, destroying it by too much trampling or by climbing in the steeper dunes. Possibly holiday development has destroyed some habitat, and this is always a threat to coastal dunes which lack statutory protection. Sand dunes are popular sites for golf courses (Sandwich Dunes now supports three) and the associated buildings, roads and re-profiling and reseeding of the dunes cause damage to the natural ecosystem. Several sites where it occurs, such as Minsmere, are nature reserves. Sea level rise is a potential future threat to existing sites.

Management and conservation

Ensure dune habitats are managed to reduce damage caused by recreational pressures and holiday development. Text based on Dawson, I.K., Harvey, P.R., Merrett, P. & Russell-Smith, A.R. (in prep.).

Stats

First recorded
1800
Last recorded
2024
Total records
57
Total visits
54

Conservation status

Clubiona frisia
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 guidelinesNear Threatened01/09/2017Level of decline uncertain, though sea level rise is a potential threat to this coastal sand dune species. Threats: Public pressure can cause damage to the fragile dune vegetation, destroying it by too much trampling or by climbing in the steeper dunes. Possibly holiday development has destroyed some habitat, and this is always a threat to coastal dunes which lack statutory protection. Sand dunes are popular sites for golf courses (Sandwich Dunes now supports three) and the associated buildings, roads and re-profiling and reseeding of the dunes cause damage to the natural ecosystem. Several sites where it occurs, such as Minsmere, are nature reserves. Sea level rise is a potential future threat to existing sites.

Photos and media

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.

Temporal distribution - records by week