Summary details for Walckenaeria antica (Wider, 1834)

Distribution

W. antica is widespread in Britain. A Palaearctic species, it is widely distributed throughout north-western and central Europe.

Habitat and ecology

W. antica appears to prefer sites exposed to the sun in open places or dry woodland litter, whereas W. alticeps prefers moist litter or shaded sphagnum bogs. However Rushton has shown that W. antica, being more eurytopic than W. alticeps, can utilise the wetter habitats more usually associated with the latter species if it is absent (Rushton 1991). It is a common aeronaut. Adults may be found throughout the year with most females in the spring and summer with a small peak again in the autumn. Adult males have mostly been found between April and June and again during the autumn in October.

Status

Common. There remains some uncertainty over the Status: of W. antica and the closely related W. alticeps because of confusion over the separation of the species (Kronestedt 1980). Although there is a slight difference in average size there is some overlap and separation of the two species requires very careful consideration of the genitalia, in the female by examination of the adnexae in the excised vulva. Original author of profile: D.R. Nellist Text based on Harvey, P.R., Nellist, D.R. & Telfer, M.G. (eds) 2002. Provisional atlas of British spiders (Arachnida, Araneae), Volumes 1 & 2. Huntingdon: Biological Records Centre.