Summary details for Sintula corniger (Blackwall, 1856)

Species Details

Species name
Sintula corniger (Blackwall, 1856)
Synonym
Sintula cornigera (Blackwall, 1856)
Taxonomy
Animalia :: Araneae :: Linyphiidae
habitat
acid & sedge peats

Distribution

The spider has a widespread but patchy and scattered distribution in Britain. It is apparently absent in large parts of the east Midlands, East Anglia and S. Wales. Globally this European species extends as far east as Azerbaijan (Platnick 1998). It is widespread in north-western and central Europe but has not been recorded from the Netherlands.

Habitat and ecology

S. corniger lives amongst moss and grass in wet swampy areas (Locket & Millidge 1953) and is also sometimes found in litter of woodlands. In North Wales the species is typically associated with damp areas in open, upland (above 250 m), coniferous woodland. Adults of both sexes are present in autumn and spring, females in most months of the year. Egg-sacs have been noted affixed within clumps of the moss Polytrichum commune in May.

Status

A local species which has apparently declined by about 40% in recent years, although some of this may be due to under-recording.

Threats

It is not obvious what threats the species faces given the range of generally wet habitats in which it is found, but drainage of wetlands for forestry and agriculture may have played a role.

Management and conservation

Drainage of wetland areas for forestry and agriculture where the species is known to occur should be prevented. More information on the ecological requirements of the species is needed before firm management guidelines can be provided. Text based on Dawson, I.K., Harvey, P.R., Merrett, P. & Russell-Smith, A.R. (in prep.).

Stats

First recorded
1854
Last recorded
2025
Total records
624
Total visits
607

Conservation status

Sintula corniger
SourceReporting categoryDesignationDate designatedComments
A Review of the scarce and threatened spiders (Araneae) of Great Britain: Species Status No. 22 (Sep 2017)Red data categories - spiders (not based on IUCN criteria)Spider Amber List42979
A Review of the scarce and threatened spiders (Araneae) of Great Britain: Species Status No. 22 (Sep 2017)Red listing based on 2001 IUCN guidelinesLeast concern42979Apparent decline may result in part from under-recording, particularly in the New Forest area, but targeted surveys are needed to establish this. Threats: It is not obvious what threats the species faces given the range of generally wet habitats in which it is found, but drainage of wetlands for forestry and agriculture may have played a role.
A Review of the scarce and threatened spiders (Araneae) of Great Britain: Species Status No. 22 (Sep 2017)Rare and scarce speciesNationally Scarce. Includes Red Listed taxa42979Threats: It is not obvious what threats the species faces given the range of generally wet habitats in which it is found, but drainage of wetlands for forestry and agriculture may have played a role.

Photos and media

Spatial distribution - hectad map

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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