Summary details for Trichoncus saxicola (O.P.-Cambridge, 1861)

Species Details

Species name: Trichoncus saxicola (O.P.-Cambridge, 1861)
Synonym: Trichoncus saxicolus (O.P.-Cambridge)
Taxonomy: Animalia :: Araneae :: Linyphiidae
habitat: tall sward & scrub

Distribution

The species is restricted to southern England except for a single female taken in 1976 on Ailsa Craig at the southernmost point of the Clyde Estuary, Scotland (Hogg 1995). It is widespread in northern and central Europe, but in Scandinavia only recorded from Sweden.

Habitat and ecology

T. saxicola occurs mainly on fairly tall calcareous grassland, especially near the coast, in grassy areas on heathland and shingle, and on heathland in Cornwall (Lizard Peninsula) and the New Forest. Females have been found from April to July with a peak of both sexes in June.

Status

The spider is fairly widespread on calcareous grassland in the south, but rather local and never particularly common. There has been a significant decline in occupied 10-km squares.

Threats

The loss of calcareous grassland to agriculture.

Management and conservation

This species appears to favour relatively lightly-grazed grassland, but it would be necessary to control growth of scrub. Text based on Dawson, I.K., Harvey, P.R., Merrett, P. & Russell-Smith, A.R. (in prep.).

Stats

First recorded: 1900
Last recorded: 2025
Total records: 234
Total visits: 217

Conservation status

Trichoncus saxicola

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	The most recent record for this species is from Kent in 2009. Since 1993 has been found at only seven locations and has shown a very substantial decline in AOO. However, a few of the historic sites have yet to be resurveyed and so it may be more widespread than indicated by the records. Therefore VU is proposed rather than EN. Threats: The loss of calcareous grassland to agriculture.

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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