Species Details
- Species name
- Maro lepidus Casemir, 1961
- Taxonomy
- Animalia :: Araneae :: Linyphiidae
- acid & sedge peats
Distribution
The species has been recorded from Mid-west Yorkshire, Westmorland, Caernarvonshire, Denbighshire, and most recently Cardiganshire, Radnor and Caithness. It is also known from Belgium, Scandinavia, Germany, Switzerland, Austria and the Czech Republic.Habitat and ecology
The spider has been found among Sphagnum in raised bogs; among wet grass and Juncus by a stream; in a sedge marsh surrounded by Sphagnum; and in rank Molinia grassland. Adults of both sexes have been taken between September and December, and males in April.Status
Evidence suggests a major decline since the 1970s. Recorded from just three locations since 1992. Major decline of 78% (or 67%) in area of occupancy from 9 hectads prior to 1992 to 3 hectads after that date.Threats
Commercial peat-cutting has destroyed most of the major peat-mosses in north-west England and degraded the remainder. Rusland Moss is drying out, pine is invading, and there are further drainage proposals along one side of the surviving bog.Management and conservation
Where sites are adversely affected by drainage, pine invasion needs to be controlled and water levels raised as far as possible. Text based on Dawson, I.K., Harvey, P.R., Merrett, P. & Russell-Smith, A.R. (in prep.).Stats
- First recorded
- 1946
- Last recorded
- 2023
- Total records
- 92
- Total visits
- 88
Conservation status
Maro lepidus
| 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 | Endangered | 01/09/2017 | This peatland species has been found at five locations since 1993 and has shown a steep decline in AOO. The most recent record was from Sutherland in 2011. The main threats are peat extraction, drainage and afforestation. Commercial peat-cutting has destroyed most of the major peat-mosses in north-west England and degraded the remainder. Rusland Moss is drying out, pine is invading, and there are further drainage proposals along one side of the surviving bog. |
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
Records that span more than one year are not included in this chart.
Temporal distribution - records by week
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