ZESZYTY NAUKOWE UNIWERSYTETU SZCZECIŃSKIEGO NR 676 ACTA BIOLOGICA 18 2011

ROBERT ROZWAŁKA*1 SYLWIA ŁYSIAK**2

FIRST RECORD OF THE IMPROPHANTES GENICULATUS (KULCZYŃSKI, 1898) (ARANEAE, ) IN POLAND

Abstract

Improphantes geniculatus (Kulczyński 1898) is a rare steppe species, known from a few locations in Central Europe and from Southern part of Russia. Authors give information about a fi rst location of I. geniculatus in Poland, affi rmed which is in “Góry Pieprzowe” Reserve near Sandomierz.

Keywords: Improphantes geniculatus, spider species, Poland

Itroduction The Improphantes Saaristo & Tanasevitch, 1996, contains 16 described species, from which 6 is found in Europe (Van Helsdingen 2008, Platnick 2011). In Poland 3 species of genus Improphantes had been noted. These were I. complicatus (Emerton 1882), I. decolor (Westring 1861) and I. nitidus (Thorell 1875) (Blick et al. 2004). It in comprising the material gathered on terrain of reserve “Góry Pieprzowe” near Sandomierz it was affi rmed was the occurrence Improphantes geniculatus (Kulczyński 1898) – this species that had never been noted in Poland before.

1* Department of Zoology, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, Akademicka 19, 20-033 Lublin, Poland; e-mail: [email protected]. 2** ul. Mickiewicza 51/5; 27-600 Sandomierz; e-mail: [email protected]. 132 Robert Rozwałka, Sylwia Łysiak

Materials 2♂: 2.11–14.12.2008, pitfall traps in the dry xerothermic grass associations with Stipa capillata in the “Góry Pieprzowe” Reserve near Sandomierz (50º41’08’’N; 21º47’16’’E), Barber traps, leg. S. Łysiak, det. et coll. R. Rozwałka.

Taxonomical position:

Lepthyphantes geniculatus: Kulczyński, 1898: (Description: ♂&♀): p. 85–86, pl. 2. fi g. 57–58. Lepthyphantes g.: Miller & Valesová, 1964: (D:♂): p. 182, pl. I, fi g. 1–3. Lepthyphantes wiehlei: Broen, 1965: (D:♂): p. 81–83, fi g. 1–6. Lepthyphantes g.: Broen, 1966: (D:♀): p. 177–79, , fi g. 1–3a, 4a, 5–7. Lepthyphantes g.: Miller, 1971: p. 228, pl. LXI, fi g. 25 (♂), pl. LXII, fi g. 25 –26 (♀). Lepthyphantes g.: Heimer & Nentwig, 1991: p. 192, fi g. 523.1 (♂), p. 194, fi g. 253.2 (♀). Imrophantes geniculatus: Saaristo & Tanasevitch, 1996: p. 177 (transferred from genus Lepthyphantes). I. g. Esyunin & Efi mik, 1999: (D: ♂& ♀): p. 230, fi g. 12–19.

Description (♂): Total length: 2.35–2.45; Carapace length 1.00–1.05; width 0.85 –0.90. Carapace light yellow-brown (light honey) with dark grey edge, pedipalps, legs, chelierae and maxillae light honey. Sternum yellow-grey to grey. Abdomen olivaceous-grey, one dorsal pattern. Chetotaxy: F I: 0–1–0–0; F II–IV: 0–0–0–0; Ti I: 2–1–2–0; Ti II: 2–0–1–0; Ti III-IV: 2–0–0–0; Mt: I–IV: 1–0–0–0. Patella of pedipalps dorsal pointed, with long bristles (Figs. 1a, 1c). Basodorsal part of cymbium with a large process (Figs 1a, 1b, 1e). In the middle part of pracym- bium with a two high sclerotized large tooth (Fig. 1e). Lamella characteristica as shown in fi g. 1d. Females not examined, detailed description published in Kulczyński (1898: p. 85, pl. 2 fi g. 58); Broen (1966, p. 177–180, fi g. 1–3a, 4a, 5–7) and Esyunin & Efi mik (1999: p. 230, fi g. 12–14). First record of the Improphantes Geniculatus... 133

1a 1b

1c 1d

mm

se

ta lc

Fig. 1a-e: Male palp of Improphantes geniculatus (KULCZYē SKI ):

1a-b - total view; 1c - patella of pedipalps; tpc 1d - upper part of cymbium; 1e - paracymbium

- process of cymbium lc - lamella characteristica, mm - median membrane, 1e se - serrate area of embolus, ta - terminal apophysis, tpc - tooth of paracymbium.

General distribution According to Esyunin & Efi mik (1999) the native area of Improphantes geniculatus had included steppe terrain of South-Eastern Europe but as a result of human settling it divided into 2 separate areas: Southern Russia and Middle Europe. In Southern part of Russia I. geniculatus is found at Samara, Orenburg 134 Robert Rozwałka, Sylwia Łysiak and Chelyabinsk regions (Esyunin & Efi mik 1999). The known locations of this species are in Middle Europe on territories of (Staudt 2011), Czech Republic (Buchar & Růžička 2002), Austria (Kulczyński 1898, Malicky 1972) and Hungary (Kovàcs et al. 2007). On whole so far got to know area I. geniculatus is considered as a rare species and it’s known only from few localities and specimens (ref. cit.).

Discussion Probably the reason that this species is being found so rarely is its fenology. Dispersed data (Bauman 1996, Broen 1965, 1966, Esyunin & Efi mik 1999, Miller & Valesová 1964, Moritz 1973) state that fully-grown specimens of I. geniculatus are found in late autumn, winter, and early spring. The specimens caught at “Góry Pieprzowe” Reserve confi rm the data (2.11–14.12.2008). However, in Europe quite the number of species with similar fenology is known by now (eg. Anguliphantes angulipalpis (Westring), Bolyphantes crucifer (Menge), Troxochrus nasutus (Westring) yet they are more likely to be found and caught. Presumably the present disjunctive areas and local occurrence of I. geniculatus is not only a result of human settling, suggested of Esyunin & Efi mik (1999), probably have also a relict character connected with warm interglacial of Eemian stage.

References

Baumann T., Sacher P., Teichman B. 1996. Neue Funde von Lepthyphantes geniculatus in Sachsen-Anhalt (Araneae: Linyphiidae). Arachnol. Mitt., 11: 49–51. Blick T., Bosmans R., Buchar J., Gajdoš P., Hänggi A., van Helsdingen P., Růžička V., Staręga W. & Thaler K., 2004. Checkliste der Spinnen Mitteleuropas. Checklist of the spiders of Central Europe. (Arachnida: Araneae). Version 1. Dezember 2004: http://www.arages.de/checklist.html#2004_Araneae. Broen B. 1965. Eine neue Art der Gattung Lepthyphantes aus Deutschland (Arach., Araneae) [L. wiehlei n. sp. = L. geniculatus]. Senckenbergiana biol., 46 (1): 81–83. Broen B. 1966. Zum Vorkommen von Lepthyphantes geniculatus in Deutschland (Arach. Araneae). Senckenbergiana biol., 47(3): 177–180. Buchar J., Růžička V. 2002. Catalogue of spiders of the Czech Republic. Praha, 351 pp. First record of the Improphantes Geniculatus... 135

Esyunin S.L., Efi mik V.E. 1999. Remarks on the Ural spider fauna, 9. New data on the Ural species of the genus Lepthyphantes Menge, 1866 (s.l.) (Aranei: Linyphiidae). Arthropoda Selecta, 7: 227–232. Gajdoš P., Svatoň J., Sloboda K. 1999. Catalogue of Slovakian spiders. Bratislava, 337 pp. Van Helsdingen P. 2007. Fauna Europaea: Araneae: Fauna Europaea version 1.3, http:// www.faunaeur.org. Kovács P., Szinetár C., Gergely B. 2007. Győr-Moson-Sopron mégeyeben napjainking végzett arachnológiai kutátasok összegzése, azok rövid ismertetése. In: VIII Magyar Pókász Találkozó, 2007. Szeptember 21–23. Dunasziget-Serfenyősziget, 20–21. Kulczyński W. 1898. Symbola ad faunam aranearum Austriae inferioris cognoscendam. Rozpr. Spraw. Wydz. Mat. Przyrod. Akad. Umiej., Kraków, 36: 1–114. Miller F. 1971. Pavouci-Araneida. Klíc zvíreny CSSR, Praha, 4: 51–306. Malicky H. 1972. Vergleichende Barberfallenuntersuchungen auf der Apetloner Hutweiden und im Wiener Neustädter Steinfeld: Spinnen (Araneae). Wiss. Arb. Burgenland, 48: 109–123. Miller F., Valesová E. 1964. Zur Spinnenfauna der Kalksteinsteppen des Radotíner Tales in Mittelböhmen. Cas. csl. Spol. ent., 61: 180–188. Moritz M. 1973. Neue und seltene Spinnen (Araneae) und Weberknechte (Opiliones) aus der DDR. Dt. Ent. Z. N.F., 20(1/3): 173–210. Nentwig W., Hänggi A., Kropf C., Blick T. 2003. Spinnen Mitteleuropas/Central European Spiders. An internet identifi cation key. http://www.araneae.unibe.ch/, Version of 8.12.2003. Platnick N.I. 2011. The World Spider Catalog, Version 12.0. American Museum of Natural History, http://research.amnh.org/entomology/spiders/catalog/index.html. Sacher P. 2001. Beiträge zur Wirbellosenfauna des NSG “Harslebener Berge und Steinholz” im Nordharzvorland/Sachsen-Anhalt. Teil 1: Webspinnen (Arachnida: Araneae). Abh. Ber. Mus. Heineanum, 5: 105–124. Saaristo M.I., Tanasevitch A.V. 1996. Redelimination of the subfamily Micronetinae Hull, 1920 and the genus Lepthyphantes Menge, 1866 with descriptions of some new genera (Aranei, Linyphiidae). Ber. nat.-med. Verein, 83: 163–186. Staudt A. 2011. Nachweiskarten der Spinnen Deutschlands. Version. 12.02.2011. internet site: http://www.spiderling.de/arages/.