't" ( 'I.., •. .tti:,'t/.
15 Dec. 1987
. '
PROGRESS REPORT·
.. · ,:g~~];RS (ARANEAE) OF THE MOOSEHORN NA:l?IBNAL WIL,DLIFE REFUGE,
·WASHINGTON COUNTY, MA:iNE
by
D,ANIEL T. JEl\TNINGS
NORTHEASTERN FOREST EXPERI1'1El{T STAXION
USDA BUILDING,· UN;IVERSITY OF MAINE·
ORONO, }1AINE 04469
..,~ Jennings: 2
This report summarizes my identifications of spiders for graduate
student Matthew Vander Haegen, College of Forest Resources, Department
of Wildlife, University of Maine, Orono. The information and data
contained herein supplement Northeastern Forest Experiment Station Study
NE 4151-76 entitled, "Biotic Inventories of Ground-Inhabiting
Invertebrates of Northeastern Spruce-Fir Forests." These collections
provide new and additional information concerning the araneofauna of
northeastern spruce-fir forests that have experienced epidemic
populations of the spruce budworm, Choristoneura fumiferana (Clemens).
They also provide baseline data for comparison with other spruce-fir
sites currently under investigation by the Spruce-Fir Research
Cooperative.
During the summer of 1987, spiders were field-collected on the
Moosehorn National Wildlife Refuge, (MNWR) Calais, Washington County,
Maine, by M. Vander Haegen and A. Narahara as part of an investigation
entitled, "Bioenergetic Aspects of Habitat Use by Woodcock during the
Breeding Season." The collections came from two principal sources: 1)
vegetation plot data, and 2) miscellaneous habitats. Two additional
collections were made off of the MNWR and are summarized in the
Appendix. Jennings: 3
METHODS
2 Spiders were collected by hand from the litter-duff layer of 1 m vegetation plots established at several localities on the Refuge. At each plot, litter composition was identified and the litter hand sorted.
A dilute formalin solution was then poured over the plot to extract earthworms. All captured spiders were placed in 4-dram neoprene-stoppered vials containing 75-80% ethanol. (A few screw-capped bottles were also used but should be avoided for future collections because they do not retain alcohol.) Each vial was labeled with: date, locality, plot number, habitat, and collector. Detailed information was taken by the investigators (Vander Haegen and Narahara) at each vegetation plot and included forest type, soil pH, leaf litter (type), percent ground cover, tree and shrub counts (by species), canopy closure, etc. These data provide general and specific microhabitat information for the collected species.
Similar information, but not as detailed, was recorded for the miscellaneous collections of spiders from various localities and habitats on the MN1'1R.
In the laboratory, I sorted and identi£ied the spiders with the aid of a Wildtm MS stereomicroscope. Species determinations were made chiefly after Kaston (1981). Other consulted sources included Opell and
Beatty (1976) for the Hahniidae; Leech (1972) for the Amaurobiidae;
Chamberlin and Gertsch (1958) for the Dictynidae; Levi (1957) for species of Theridion; Dondale and Redner (1982) for the Clubionidae;
Dondale and Redner (1978) for the Philodromidae and Thomisidae; and
Kaston (1973) for species of Metaphidippus. Jennings: 4
For the most part, only sexually mature spiders were identified to species; juveniles and penultimate stages were identified to family or generic level depending on stage of development (spiderlings) and reliable characters. (Spider species descriptions and identification keys are based chiefly on the genitalia which are not fully developed until maturity.) After sorting and identification, all specimens were stored in 2- and 4-dram neoprene-stoppered vials containing 75% ethanol.
Locality-habitat-collector and identification labels were placed inside each vial. Duplicate labels were made when more than one species was collected per plot. Jennings: 5
RESULTS
Eighty-two spiders of 14 families, 34 genera, and at least 36 species were c.ollec.ted from 37 vegetation plots, various localities,
MN1'ffi. (Table 1).· [Note: plots are listed in numerical order; missing plot numbers are not necessarily indicative of negative (0 spider) values - because, "either no spiders were found or" no spiders were c.ollec.ted due to time constraints" (Vander Haegen, pers. comm).] Most
(66%) of the species were represented by sexually mature spiders; however, few genera were represented by more than one species
(exceptions included species of Theridion and Walc.kenaeria.
As expected, individuals were distributed unevenly among life stages, i.e., juveniles and penultimate stages comprised 58% of all specimens, and sexually mature males and females comprised about 42%.
Interestingly, more females Cr= 26) than males Cr= 8) were c.ollec.ted; this differs from pitfall-trap collections where males often predominate.
The missing plot data (i.e., where spiders were present but not collected) preclude detailed quantitative analyses at this time.
However, some analyses and comparisons could be made using available 2 data - e.g., spider densities/m of plot area; spider-litter associations, etc.. Additional collections in 1988 and 1989 would strengthen these comparisons. J ertni.ngs ! · 6
0£ 6 families, 9 genera, and at least 9 ., species were
miscellaneous habitats, MNWR (Table Mbst (55%) 0£
the ·m}-sce~~n,~{5us-'-collected species were represented s.~xually mature
the genera were represented by more· one syecies.
· Mm;;:"~ fE!nta.l'es . (I: = 4) were collected than males ( I: = ~·. ·bu:p ~.9.:1iJ.alled .·· / ·;"·~-.. \·; -\~ t_ ~},._ <· ' . . :"'- ': juv:ert¥e-:-penultimate stages ( I: = 4) .
. -:r, .Jennings: 7
CONCLUSIONS
The spiders collected during this study on the Moosehorn National
Wildlife Refuge provide new and additional information about the araneofauna associated with northeastern spruce-fir forests. Several species (e'. g., selistes florens, Walckenaeria auranticeps, Maso sundevallii, Euryopis Theridion aurantium, and others) previously have not been recorded from spruce-fir forests in north-central Maine (Jennings et al. 1988) or in west-central Maine
(Hilburn and Jennings 1988); however, other species (e.g., Callobius bennetti, Amaurobius borealis, Cicurina brevis were common to all spruce-fir sites studied.
These collections also provide geographic distributional data for all species, including some new State and County records. And, the detailed microhabitat data are especially valuable for determining habitat associations and possible habitat preferences. Jennings: 8
RECOMMENDATIONS
1. Additional collections from vegetation plots in 1988 and 1989 would
provide temporal and spatial replication. Such replications are
needed for detailed quantitative analyses.
2. No doubt additional collecting and sampling methods (pitfall traps,
Berlese fummels) would yield additional species; however, their use
may not be compatible with available resources and overall study
objectives. [Pitfall traps, once deployed, should be changed
weekly which requires minimal time and effort (< 5 min./trap).
However, considerable time and efforts are required to sort, count,
and identify trap contents.]
3. Specimens from this years' collection and any subsequent
collections should be deposited in an appropriate museum (U.S.
Museum of Natural History, Washington, DC). Specimens will be
retained in NEFES' laboratory until such time. " Jennings: 9
4. If additional spiders are collected in 1988 and 1989 (and
especially· from vegetation plots), the investigators should
consider publishing a brief paper, separate from Vander Haegen 1 s
thesis. Such publication is justified because: a) so little is
knmm about the spider fauna of Maine I s spruce-fir forests; b) the
data provide an inventory of natural resources of a National
Wildlife Refuge; c) the data include potential natural enemies of
the spruce budworm and other associated pests; d) forest
litter-habitat associated data are exemplified for all species; and
e) new State, County, and easternmost (U.S.) distribution records
are indicated for many species. Authorship should be shared among
investigators (Vander Haegen, Narahara, Jennings) with lead
responsibility assigned later. Jennings: 10
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
T:li:J1;'Word processing skills 0£ Janet J. Melvin a:r~. g'reatly ap#'r:'eci'~t~d.
J. ....
.., .,t---
~< ·.-•• Jennings: 11
LITERATURE CITED
Chamberlin, R. V., and W. J. Gertsch. 1958. The spider family
Dictynidae in America north of Mexico. Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist.
Bull., 116. 152 pp.
Dondale, C. D., and J. H. Redner. 1978. The crab spiders of Canada and
Alaska (Araneae: Philodromidae and thomisidae). Canadian Dep.
Agric. Publ., 1663. 255 pp.
Dondale, C. D., and J. H. Redner. 1982. The sac of Canada and
Alaska (Araneae: Clubionidae and Anyphaenidae). Canadian Dep.
Agric. Publ., 1724. 194 pp.
Hilburn, Daniel J., and Daniel T. Jennings. 1988. Terricolous spiders
(Araneae) of insecticide-treated spruce-fir forests in west-central
Maine. The Great Lakes Entomologist (in press).
Jennings, Daniel T., Mark W. Houseweart, Charles D. Dondale, and James
H. Redner. 1988. Spiders ) associated with strip-clearcut
and dense spruce-fir forests of Maine. J. Aranchol. (in press).
Kaston, B. J. 1973. Four new species of Metaphidippus, with notes on
related jumping spiders from the eastern and central United States.
Amer. Microsc. Soc. Trans.j 92:
Y>Bston, B. J. 1981. Spiders of Connecticut. Bull. Connecticut State
Geol. Nat. Hist. Surv., 70. 1020 pp. Jennings: 12
Leech, R. 1972. A revision 0£ the nearctic Amau:cobiidae (Arachnida:
!1:atie,ida) . Mem. Entomol. . Soc. · Canada, 84. 18 2 pp ..
.W. l957. The spidel;' genera Enoplognatha, Theridion, and
.Paidisca America iiort:h. .of Mexico. Amer. Mus. Nat. 13:is.t. Bull.,
112: 5:...'.123.
Opell:, B. D. and J. A. Beatty. 1976. The nearctic. Ha.hrii:i.da.e
(~:rac.b.nida: Araneae). Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool., 147(9): 393-433. Jennings: 13
2 Table L Collections of spiders from 1 m plots, Moosehorn Nat'l Wildlife
Refuge, Calais, Washington County, Maine, 1987.
Date No. of
Plot No. collected specimens FAMILY, Genus, species No./life stage
38 24 June '87 3 CLUBIONIDAE
Clubiona sp. 1 juv.
Phrurotimpus sp. 1 juv.
THERIDIIDAE
Theridion sp . 1 penult. M
40 25 June 1 87 3 .ARANEIDAE
Neoscona sp. 1 penult. M
LYCOSIDAE
Pirata sp. 1 antepenult.
M, 1 juv.
42 28 Apr 1 87 2 AGELENIDAE
Cicurina brevis (Em.) 1 F
LINYPHIIDAE
Lepthyphantes zebra (Em.)
45 1 May '87 2 ERIGONIDAE
Walckenaeria direc.ta (O.P.-C) 1 F
Undet. l .M
46 1 May '87 2 ERIGONIDAE
Undet. 1 juv.
THOMISIDAE
Xysticus Sp. 1 juv.
47 3 '87 4 ARANEIDAE Mangora sp. 1 .M Jennings: 14
Table 1. (continued)
Date No. of
Plot No. collected specimens FAMILY, Genus, species No./life stage
ERIGONIDAE
Hypselistes florens ( 0. P. -Camb. ) 1 M
SALTICIDAE
Habrocestum sp. 1 juv.
sp. 1 juv.
48 2 May '87 1 ERIGONIDAE
Undet. 1 juv.
49 3 May '87 1 AGELENIDAE
sp. 1 juv.
50 3 May '87 2 ERIGONIDAE
Undet. 1
TETRAGNATIDAE
sp. 1 juv.
" near plot 3 I 87 1 ERIGONIDAE
50" Undet. 1 juv.
52 7 May '87 3 ARANEIDAE
Neoscona sp. 1 penult. M
ERIGONIDAE
Undet. 1 juv.
THOMISIDAE
Xysticus Keys. lM
53 8 May r37 2 ARANEIDAE
Araneus sp. 1 juv. Jennings: 15 i
Table 1. (continued)
Date No. of
Plot No. collected Genus
LINYPHIIDAE
Prolinyphia marginata 1 penult. F
(C.L. Koch)
54 10 Hay 1 87 3 AMAUROBIIDAE
Callobius bennetti (Blkw.) 1 F
GN.APHOSIDAE
Zelotes fratris Chamb. 1 M
LINYPHIIDAE
Undet. 1 juv.
55 11 May '87 2 AMAUROBIIDAE
Undet. l juv.
LYCOSIDAE
Pirata sp. 1 juv.
56 11 May 1 87 3 AMAUROBIIDAE
Amaurobius borealis Em. 1 F
CLUBIONIDAE
Phrurotimpus alarius (Hentz) l F
LYCOSIDAE
sp. l juv.
57 13 May '87 4 DICTYNIDAE Dictyna sp. 1 juv.
ERIGONIDAE
Undet. 2 juv.
THERIDIIDAE
Undet. l juv. Jennings: 16 .f
Table 1. (continued)
Date No. of
Plot No. collected Genus
58 13 May '87 1 CLUBIONIDAE
Agroec.a ornata Banks 1 F
60 14 May I 87 1 Af1AIJROBIIDAE
Amaurobius borealis Em. 1 F
61 14 May '87 2 ERIGONIDAE
Walc.kenaeria (Em.) 1 M
THOMISIDAE
Xystic.us sp. 1 juv.
62 15 May '87 2 Af1AIJROBIIDAE
Undet. 1 juv.
HARNIIDAE
Antistea brunnea (Em.) 1 F
72 20 May '87 1 GNAPHOSIDAE
Callilepis sp. 1 penult. M
73 20 May '87 1 AGELENIDAE
Cic.urina sp. 1 juv.
74 21 May '87 3 AGELENIDAE
Wadotes sp. 1 juv.
Af1AIJROBIIDAE
Amaurobius borealis Em. 1 M
THERIDIIDAE
Undet. spiderling 1 juv.
75 21 May '87 4 AGELENIDAE
Cic.urina sp. 1 juv. Jennings: 17
Table 1. (continued)
Date No. of
Plot No. collected specimens FAMILY, Genus, species No./life stage
ERIGONIDAE
(O.P.-C.) l F
Maso sundevallii (Westring) 1 F
THOMISIDAE
Xysticus sp. 1 juv.
77A 3 June r 87 1 THERIDIIDAE
Theridion sp. 1 penult. M
77B 26 May '87 1 THERIDIIDAE
Undet. l juv.
78 26 }fay '87 1 THOMISIDAE
Xysticus .=.=..=.:2:=.::.~ Keys. 1 F
80 27 }fay '87 3 AHAUROBIIDAE Amaurobius borealis Em. 1 F
Amaurobius sp. l juv.
Undet. 1 juv.
81 27 }fay '87 1 THOMISIDAE
Xysticus sp. 1 juv.
85 3 June 1 87 2 ARANEIDAE
;.:___;;c:;;:c:.:2..:....;...;.;_ placida (Hentz) l F THERIDIIDAE
Theridion sexpunctatum Em. 1 F
90 6 June '87 4 AG ELENI DAE Cicurina brevis (Em.) 1 F
HAHNIIDAE
Undet. 1 juv. Jennings! 18
Table 1. (continued)
Date No. of
Plot No. collected Genus
LYCOSIDAE
Trochosa sp. 1 juv.
THOMISIDAE
Ozyptila sp. 1 juv.
95 11 June·' 87 4 ERIGONIDAE
Diplocephalus cuneatus Em. 1 F
Tunagyna debilis (Banks) 1 F
LINYPHIIDAE
Lepthyphantes zebra (Em.) 1 F
LYCOSIDAE
Trochosa sp. 1 juv.
96 11 June 1 87 2 THERIDIIDAE
Euryopis argentea Em. lM
Theridion aurantium Em. 1 F
97 13 June 1 87 2 AGELENIDAE
Cicurina brevis (Em.) 1 F
CLTIBIONIDAE
Phrurotimpus alarius (Hentz) 1 F
98 13 June 1 87 1 THERIDIIDAE
Ctenium riparius (Keys.) 1 F
99 15 June 1 87 3 AGELENIDAE
Cicurina sp. 1 juv.
CLUBIONIDAE
Phrurotimpus alarius (Hentz) 1 F ...... , -~
Jennings: 19
Table. l. (p.ontinue;;d)
Date No. of
Plot.
, Metap:hid:tppus_ Ka:s-ti:m 1 M ----6:....C..
100 4 DICTI1UDAE.
Dj.~t:yna ~.c-- Em. 1 F ERIGONIDAE
(W,estJ;:'ing) 1 M
THERIDlID.AE
(Keys:) l F
Th:eridion sp. 1 juv.
': ;;.- .. Jennings: 20 J
Table 2. Miscellaneous collections of spiders, Moosehorn Nat 1 l Wildlife Refuge,
Calais, Washington County, Maine, 1987.
Date No./
Genus life
11 June 1 87 in monitor box ARANEIDAE
(spruce/fir) (Hentz) 1 F
15 June t 87 in data CLUBIONID.AE
Castianera sp. 1 juv.
unknown CLUBIONIDAE
Phrurotimpus alarius (Hentz) 1 F
7 May '87 in headqts. GN.A.PHOSIDAE
Zelotes fratris Chamb. 1 F
15 June 1 87 on gravel LYCOSIDAE
Barn Meadow Rd. Lycosa frondicola Em. 1 F
(next to spruce/fir)
28 Apr 1 87 gravel near LYCOSIDAE
"woodcock shack" Pardosa sp. 1 juv.
25 Apr 1 87 gravel road, PHILODROMIDAE
Upper Goodall Heath Philodromus sp. grp.) 1 penult 11
(regenerating
hardwd stand)
14 May '87 Barn Meadow I PHILODROMIDAE
in road near (Clerck) 1 M
grassy area
1 May '87 in vehicle THOMISIDAE
Coriarachne sp. 1 juv. Jennings: 21 J
APPENDIX
.. Tire £01:l:.qwing s_pide-:rs .collected at localities other than the
. . . - Mq:61$~no:tn Nati·onal Wildlife.Re:f:uge. They. are .l,:tstedby .locality, date . . '::,· . collected, hab._:itat, colleg,tlii;t, ,iand specimen ident:i,ty.
MAINE, Grand Lake Stream
l?JJ'.i.ay 19.87. Roadside
herbaceous.
A, Nar9-:4ara ,;.,~'
~: Eri.s marginata (Walck.) l M
Ghatha:in
30 Maff·l987. Monomoy NWR, .1.. ·· .• . I"'• 1 -~ on gtasti beach (on dune.}~.
So.uth l'i31and of Monomoy Re:f:uge ',· ._,,. ::~.'' A. , Nara.hara
I\HILODROMIDAE
;f'· ·_,~ ··'·;~~~t·