Summary details for Dipoena erythropus (Simon, 1881)

Species Details

Species name: Dipoena erythropus (Simon, 1881)
Synonym: Dipoena proxima (O.P.-Cambridge, 1895)
Taxonomy: Animalia :: Araneae :: Theridiidae
habitat: tall sward & scrub

Distribution

In Britain D. erythropus has only been found in southern England. There are old records from near Tonbridge in West Kent and the Lizard in Cornwall, and several specimens were found in 1971 at Thursley Common, Surrey. More recently recorded at Farnham Heath, Surrey and Portland, Dorset. It is patchily distributed in northern and central Europe, but is probably rare throughout this range.

Habitat and ecology

D. erythropus has been recorded from gorse on heathlands, and beaten from ancient oaks on old heathland. Adults have been found in June: the species may have a short period of maturity, contributing to its apparent rarity.

Status

Population restricted to a very small number of sites, and very few since 1992. Only small numbers of spiders ever found in Britain. The change in the number of hectads with records before 1992 and after that date suggests a decline in area of occupancy, but with such small numbers the degree of uncertainty is high.

Threats

The reclamation of heathland for agriculture and also accidental fires.

Management and conservation

Research into the exact habitat requirements of this species is required in order to define a management strategy. Text based on Dawson, I.K., Harvey, P.R., Merrett, P. & Russell-Smith, A.R. (in prep.).

Stats

First recorded: 1885
Last recorded: 2021
Total records: 19
Total visits: 18

Conservation status

Dipoena erythropus

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	The heathland habitat of this species is vulnerable to accidental fires and hence there is a risk to the small population currently known. Threats: The reclamation of heathland for agriculture and also accidental fires.

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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