Summary details for Gentle Groove-head Spider (Tapinocyba mitis (O.P.-Cambridge, 1882))

Species Details

Species name: Tapinocyba mitis (O.P.-Cambridge, 1882)
Common name: Gentle Groove-head Spider
Taxonomy: Animalia :: Araneae :: Linyphiidae
habitat: tall sward & scrub

Distribution

The species is confined to a small part of south-central England. Otherwise, it appears to have been recorded only from Latvia, France, Spain, Bulgaria and Russia.

Habitat and ecology

T. mitis occurs among deep litter and moss under pine, and on open dry heathland, appearing in small numbers in the first few years after fire, but not reaching reasonable numbers until after about 8 years, and probably most numerous in mature heather. It is adult from October to June, but the main activity period is in February and March.

Status

UK Biodiversity Action Plan priority species. It was frequent in heathland areas in the New Forest, Dorset and West Sussex, but appears to have declined massively and since 1992 has only been recorded from one 10-km square. However, as the spider is likely to still occur in at least some of its former heathland sites it is not thought to be critically endangered. Area of occupancy has apparently declined from 16 hectads before 1992 to just one since that date.

Threats

Conversion of heathland to other land-use in south-central England.

Management and conservation

Protect existing heathland from development pressures from agriculture, forestry and building. Maintain some mature heather and pine on heathland. Text based on Dawson, I.K., Harvey, P.R., Merrett, P. & Russell-Smith, A.R. (in prep.).

Stats

First recorded: 1944
Last recorded: 2023
Total records: 62
Total visits: 62

Conservation status

Tapinocyba mitis

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	Endangered	42979	This species appears to have declined massively and has been recorded from only one hectad since 1993. However, at least part of this decline may be because of fewer heathland surveys, and the spider may still occur in some of its former sites, so CR is not thought justified. Recent and ongoing surveys of some of these sites have only found it at one, so some decline appears genuine, and EN is proposed. Like other heathland species, it remains vulnerable to destruction of hearthland and to lack of, or inappropriate, habitat management. Threats: Conversion of heathland to other land-use in south-central England.
Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006 - Species of Principal Importance in England (section 41)	Biodiversity Lists - England	England NERC S.41	39753
UK list of Priority Habitats and Species	Biodiversity Action Plan UK list of priority species	Priority Species	39322	not on former UK BAP list

Photos and media

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Spatial distribution - hectad map

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Thresholds:

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Temporal distribution - records by year

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