Page 1 of 3

Documentation of terrestrial diversity in British Columbia Web Description

Estimates suggest there are about 35,000 species of insects in BC, and thousands of additional species of (, ticks, mites, and so on) and other terrestrial , but probably less than half have so far been recorded. This project is designed to document selected parts of the terrestrial arthropod fauna of the province, emphasizing species that are rare or threatened or that come from threatened habitats (in consultation with the Conservation Data Centre), those that are introduced or invasive, those that are in need of taxonomic clarification (including undescribed species), those that are endemic to BC or have much of their geographical range in BC, those that occur in poorly sampled parts of BC, those that illuminate historical changes in the province's biogeography. Priority is also given to projects that contribute information to the development of new exhibits in the RBCM. All parts of this project contribute significant material and information to RBCM collections. The project clarifies , natural history, and historical biogeography and publishes annotated species lists, faunistic studies, identification keys, revisions and descriptions of new species.

Rationale/Full description: Estimates suggest there are about 35,000 species of insects in BC, and thousands of additional species of arachnids (spiders, ticks, mites, and so on) and other terrestrial arthropods, but probably less than half have so far been recorded. This project is designed to document the terrestrial arthropod fauna of the province, emphasizing species that are rare or threatened or that come from threatened habitats (in consultation with the Conservation Data Centre), those that are introduced or invasive, those that are in need of taxonomic clarification (including undescribed species), those that are endemic to BC or have much of their geographical range in BC, those that occur in poorly sampled parts of BC, those that illuminate historical changes in the province's biogeography. Priority is also given to projects that contribute information to the development of new exhibits in the RBCM. All parts of this project contribute significant material and information to RBCM collections.

The project clarifies taxonomy, natural history and historical biogeography and publishes annotated species lists, faunistic studies, identification keys, genus revisions and descriptions of new species. Products range from articles in popular magazines to peer-reviewed papers in scientific journals, from technical reports to books of various sorts, from public presentations to internet articles.

Collection emphasis for the coming years will be on conducting a comprehensive survey of the fauna of British Columbia, similar to the survey work undertaken for dragonflies in years past. Estimates suggest there are over 1,000 species of spiders (Araneae) in BC; about 750 have so far been recorded and many habitats in the province have never been sampled. Our long-term goal is to document the spider fauna of the province: species, distributions, habitat preferences, and phenology. High elevation sites in particular have, to-date, been poorly sampled for all arthropods except Lepidoptera, so access to these regions allows for broad, generalized collections that benefit arthropod research in many taxonomic areas.

CRA327 ORCS 23500-20

Page 2 of 3

Manuscripts being prepared in 2012-13: new species of spider in the genus Apostenus (with Robb Bennett, RBCM research associate) and phantom crane flies (with Rob Cannings (RBCM) and Andrew Fassbender and Greg Courtney (Iowa State University).

Collections Manager: Claudia Copley, Senior Collections Manager, Entomology

Other participants:

• Robb Bennett, PhD: Royal BC Museum Research Associate; retired Seed Pest Management Officer, BC Ministry of Forests, Victoria, BC • Rob Cannings, PhD: Curator of Entomology, Royal BC Museum • Syd Cannings, Royal BC Museum Research Associate, Endangered Species Biologist, NatureServe Yukon, Whitehorse, YT • Darren Copley, Royal BC Museum volunteer • Greg Courtney, PhD: Professor, Department of Entomology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA • Andrew Fassbender, graduate student, Department of Entomology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA • Andrew Harcombe, Wildlife Biologist, Nature Conservancy of Canada, Victoria, BC • Jennifer Heron, Invertebrates at Risk Specialist, BC Ministry of Environment, Vancouver, BC • Parks Canada staff • Leah Ramsay, Royal BC Museum Research Associate; Program Zoologist, BC Conservation Data Centre, BC Ministry of Environment, Victoria, BC • Geoff Scudder, PhD: Royal BC Museum Research Associate:, Professor Emeritus, Department of Zoology, University of BC, Vancouver, BC

Schedule: Short-term (year)

Apr-Jun: Collection curation and database work. Work on manuscripts. Field trip targeting the Lillooet region. Collections concerned with documenting the range of Canada’s two native species of pholcid spiders, only known to occur in rock outcrops in dry regions of the BC southern Interior. Distributional data for these species are needed because they are being considered for COSEWIC status reports. While targeting these particular taxa, we will also make other collections of invertebrates. A Royal BC Museum research associate (Robb Bennett) and a volunteer (Darren Copley), will be participating in this collection trip. Approximately 500 new specimens, both in ethanol and pinned, will be collected on this trip.

Jul-Sep: Collection curation and database work. Travel to the mid-Rockies region of eastern BC targeting potentially rare and at-risk invertebrates, as well as documenting distributional data for the spider fauna of BC. Robb Bennett (RBCM research associate) and Darren Copley (RBCM volunteer) will participate in this field trip. Approximately 1500 new specimens, both in ethanol and pinned, will be collected. We are hoping to have in-kind support through Parks Canada. Have applied to attend the Bee Course (Sep 10- 20) at the Southwestern Research Station in Portal, Arizona. This course is designed to teach biologists about the systematics and biology of bees.

Oct-Dec: Collection curation and databasing. Submit manuscript on new spider genus Apostenus (Araneae: ). Attend annual meeting of Entomological Society of BC in October.

CRA327 ORCS 23500-20

Page 3 of 3

Jan-Mar: Collection curation and databasing. Submit manuscript on Phantom Crane Flies (Ptychopteridae: Diptera).

Schedule: Long-term

Long-range plans for spider surveys not yet devised.

Community outreach: None scheduled at this time.

Planned publications and other products Descriptions and results of projects are updated periodically on RBCM Entomology web pages to give the public an opportunity to explore and appreciate the research undertaken at the museum.

R.A. Cannings and C.R. Copley (with A. Fassbender and G. Courtney). The Phantom Crane Flies (Diptera: Ptychopteridae) of British Columbia: new species, status, distribution and identification. To be submitted to the Journal of the Entomological Society of British Columbia.

Bennett, R.G. and Copley, C.R. The spider genus Apostenus (Araneae: Liocranidae). Journal of the Entomological Society of British Columbia.

Ideally a number of books will result from the comprehensive surveys being undertaken by RBCM staff and research associates. Examples include an “Introduction to” –type publication about spiders for a general audience, as well as a more academic volume similar to the Guide d'identification des Araignées du Québec by Pierre Paquin and Nadine Dupérré.

CRA327 ORCS 23500-20