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Linyphia triangularis

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Linyphia triangularis
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Infraorder: Araneomorphae
Family: Linyphiidae
Genus: Linyphia
Species:
L. triangularis
Binomial name
Linyphia triangularis

Linyphia triangularis is a European species of spider in the family Linyphiidae first described by Carl Alexander Clerck in his 1758 Svenska Spindlar.

Description

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Linyphia triangularis grows up to 6 millimetres (0.24 in) long. The carapace is pale brown with darker markings along the edges and down the centre line; the opisthosoma has a coarsely serrate brown band against a white background, with further brown markings along the sides. The legs are greyish brown, and bear many long spines.[1]

Distribution

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Linyphia triangularis is abundant throughout Europe.[1] It has been introduced to the U.S. state of Maine, having been first reported there on 28 August 1983 at Stover Corner.[2] It has been recorded from at least 15 of the state's 16 counties,[2] and is now abundant within Acadia National Park and some other coastal parts of the state.[3][4]

Ecology

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Mating behaviour

Linyphia triangularis lives in a wide range of habitats, where it may be found among low bushes and vegetation. It spins a horizontal sheet-web, and rests on the underside of the web for its prey.[5] Adults are active in the late summer and autumn.[1][5] The prey are snared by "barrage lines" above the web, and fall onto the horizontal sheet, where they are killed by L. triangularis, but are not wrapped in silk.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Dick Jones (1983). Country Life Guide to the Spiders of Britain and Europe. Country Life Books. pp. 290–291. ISBN 0-600-35614-0.
  2. ^ a b Daniel T. Jennings; Kefyn M. Catley & Frank Graham Jr. (2002). "Linyphia triangularis, a Palearctic spider (Araneae, Linyphiidae) new to North America" (PDF). Journal of Arachnology. 30 (1): 455–460. doi:10.1636/0161-8202(2002)030[0455:ltapsa]2.0.co;2. S2CID 86175928.
  3. ^ Jeremy D. Houser (2007). The invasion of Linyphia triangularis (Araneae: Linyphiidae) in Maine: ecological and behavioral interactions with native species (Thesis). University of Massachusetts Amherst.
  4. ^ Jeremy D. Houser; Daniel T. Jennings & Elizabeth M. Jakob (2005). "Predation by Argyrodes trigonum on Linyphia triangularis, an invasive sheet-web weaver in coastal Maine". Journal of Arachnology. 33 (1): 193–195. doi:10.1636/s03-15. JSTOR 3706391. S2CID 86190083.
  5. ^ a b D. Marriott. "Summary for Linyphia triangularis (Araneae)". Spider and Harvestman Recording Scheme website. Retrieved September 23, 2013.
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