Summary details for Lynx Spider (Oxyopes heterophthalmus Latreille, 1804)

Species Details

Species name: Oxyopes heterophthalmus Latreille, 1804
Common name: Lynx Spider
Synonym: Oxyopes lineatus Blackwall
Taxonomy: Animalia :: Araneae :: Oxyopidae
habitat: tall sward & scrub

Distribution

The species is found on a number of heathland sites in Surrey. There are old records (1858 1909 and 1910) from the New Forest near Lyndhurst and Brockenhurst, South Hampshire. It is widespread in central and southern Europe.

Habitat and ecology

Oxyopes is found on mature dry heathland, usually near the top of heather and seemingly with a preference for south-facing slopes. Adults occur in late May and June.

Status

The spider is abundant on a few small heathland areas in west Surrey. Denton (1999d) comments on its local abundance on north Surrey Tertiary heaths, but its rarity on the Lower Greensand heaths to the south. The species has not been found in the New Forest for over ninety years.

Threats

Fire and loss of heathland habitat. Because of the increased fire risk that mature heather presents, heaths are often managed to avoid this phase, even on nature reserves. However, at Chobham Common, lack of management has resulted in birch and pine invasion. Accidental fires are also too frequent an occurrence on parts of this common, causing replacement of heath by Molinia caerulea. In parts of the New Forest, grazing by livestock prevents the heather developing into tall mature plants, but there are still areas of apparently suitable structure.

Management and conservation

Management: needs to be geared to ensuring good representation of heather in the mature phase. Thus, if burning is to be used, small portions of the site should be treated in rotation on a cycle of about twenty years. If grazing is the favoured option, it should be at a low intensity and rotational. Text based on Dawson, I.K., Harvey, P.R., Merrett, P. & Russell-Smith, A.R. (in prep.).

Stats

First recorded: 1855
Last recorded: 2024
Total records: 188
Total visits: 183

Conservation status

Oxyopes heterophthalmus

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	42979
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	42979	While this species qualifies for EN on the basis of a restricted distribution and decline, most of the heathland sites at which it remains are protected, so the decline is likely to have slowed and VU is regarded as appropriate. However, the particular stage of heather it prefers is threatened by management prescriptions to reduce fire-rtisk (and is also vulnerbale to accidental fires), and at some sites insufficient management has resulted in habitat decline. Threats: Fire and loss of heathland habitat. Because of the increased fire risk that mature heather presents, heaths are often managed to avoid this phase, even on nature reserves. However, at Chobham Common, lack of management has resulted in birch and pine invasion. Accidental fires are also too frequent an occurrence on parts of this common, causing replacement of heath by Molinia caerulea. In parts of the New Forest, grazing by livestock prevents the heather developing into tall mature plants, but there are still areas of apparently suitable structure.

Photos and media

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Spatial distribution - hectad map

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Temporal distribution - records by year

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