Summary details for Diplocephalus protuberans (O.P.-Cambridge, 1875)

Species Details

Species name: Diplocephalus protuberans (O.P.-Cambridge, 1875)
Taxonomy: Animalia :: Araneae :: Linyphiidae
habitat: running water

Distribution

Mainly restricted to northern England, especially the Pennines, with a few scattered records in Wales and southern Scotland; also recently discovered in East Sussex, North Hampshire and Somerset.

Habitat and ecology

The spider is found in wet places, among moss, grass or rushes, often near streams or on moorland. A single female was sieved from loose leaf litter in fairly deep shade on a gravel bed in the channel of the River Rother near Selborne, and a male was collected from leaf litter beside a wooded gill stream in Hastings Country Park. The streams in the Hanger woodlands of north-east Hampshire and the gill streams of Hastings and the Weald are known to have a number of other species more typical of the north and west of Britain. D. protuberans is possibly adult most of the year.

Status

Local and never numerous. Area of occupancy limited, recorded from seven hectads since 1992 and showing a decline of 50% in hectads with spider records both before and after that date. Trend analysis of the continuing decline in area of occupancy over the period 1976 to 2005 indicates a reduction in population size of 42% over a ten year period.

Threats

Drainage of wetlands for agriculture and forestry and engineering works on riverine channels are potential threats to this species.

Management and conservation

Ensure water table is maintained in wetlands. Text based on Dawson, I.K., Harvey, P.R., Merrett, P. & Russell-Smith, A.R. (in prep.).

Stats

First recorded: 1900
Last recorded: 2024
Total records: 57
Total visits: 57

Conservation status

Diplocephalus protuberans

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	Vulnerable	01/09/2017	Found at only seven locations since 1993 and it has exhibited a substantial reduction in AOO. Despite its previous stronghold being in northern England, five of the recently found locations were in Wales and southern England. The main threats to this wetland and wooded valley species are likely to be land drainage and river engineering. Maintaining tree cover may be important at some locations. Threats: Drainage of wetlands for agriculture and forestry and engineering works on riverine channels are potential threats to this species.

Photos and media

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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

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