Folia faunistica Slovaca 18 (1) 2013: 39–45 www.ffs.sk INVASIVE SPIDER ULOBORUS PLUMIPES LUCAS, 1846 (ARANEAE: UlOBORIDAE), NEW TO SlOVAKIA Martin Suvák Botanical Garden of P. J. Šafárik University, Mánesova 23, 043 52 Košice, Slovakia [[email protected]] Abstract: Uloborus plumipes Feather–legged spider Lucas, 1846 was found in- the Botanical Garden of the P. J. Šafárik University in Košice. Population of this- species, new to Slovak arachnofauna, was irregularly distributed in greenhous es of that place. Short information on spatial spread of this spider within spe cificKey environmentalwords Uloborus conditions plumipes there is presented in this paper. : , Araneae, botanical garden, greenhouses, Slovakia. INTRODUCTION U. Uloborus plumipes - plumipesalso from this point of view. SamplesU. should glomosus be compared with morphological details of both Lucas, 1846 is a 3–6 mm long cri (e.g. in Nentwig 2012) and bellate spider. It is characteristic especially with its (e.g. in Muma & GertschU. 1964).plumipes dense long hairs on first tibia and two large humps - on abdomen (females, Figs. 1, 2, 3). This spider Considering Europe, was registered spins horizontal web where it is usually hanging in the following countries (Lissner 2011): Aus upside down with front legs stretched out in front. tria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic,- U.In plumipescontrast to more common non–cribellate spiders Denmark, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, spinning webs with sticky droplets, the stickness of Hungary, Italy, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Po webs is achieved by dry fuzzy silk along land, Portugal, Russia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and visible threads. Switzerland. So far, this species is missing from the - check–list of Slovak spiders (Gajdoš et al. 1999), Its original area of distribution is believed to be in - though its occurrence is confirmed from nearly all tropical and subtropical Africa and Asia but, as a re - - countries neighbouring to Slovakia (with the excep sult of human activities, this spider is now known tion of Ukraine) to the date (Blick et al 2004, Liss also from regions with colder climate, where it com ner 2011). thFirst records were mentioned there in monly survives in heated indoor spaces with plants U. plumipes the late 20 century in Hungary (Szinetár 1992), (Machač 2009). According to Plattnick (2013), to Czech Republic (Kůrka 2006 – description of first the date, was registered in Africa, Asia,- record by M. Chochel in 1995),st Austria (Horak & Europe and South America (recent introduction to - Kropf 1999) and in the early 21 century in Poland Argentina). Somewhere it is mentioned the occur (Stankiewicz & KupryjanowiczU. plumipes 2002). rence of this species also in North Americaplumipes but ac cording to Muma & GertschUloborus (1964) glomosus most American- It is highly probable that is much more authors erroneously used the name for- common but it can be overlooked in some regions. It very similar species (Walcken- can usually reach high population densities. But on aer, 1842) until 1911. Blick et al. (2006) draw at the other hand, even in countries with long–term tention to the opposite cases of possible misidenti presence of this species, its populations can be low fications and European records should be checked in number somewhere (Machač 2009), or it may be Suvák M, 2013: Invasive spider Uloborus plumipes Lucas, 1846 (Araneae: Uloboridae), new to Slovakia. Folia faunistica Slovaca, 18 (1): 39–45. Received 4 December 2012 ~ Accepted 14 February 2013 ~ Published 31 May 2013 © Faunima, Bratislava, 2013 e–ISSN 1336–4529 ISSN 1335–7522 40 Suvák M: Uloborus plumipes (Araneae: Uloboridae), new to Slovakia - - - absent from some suitable sites completely (Kiel regular monitoring, though only predatory and horn 2008). Its occurrence should be checked es parasitic insects were discussed in detail so far (Su- pecially in botanical gardens and garden centres. vák 2011). Along with it, data on spiders were also- Possible role of this spider in biological control of collected during these examinations (total arach pests in greenhouses is sometimes considered (e.g. nofauna of greenhouses of BG PJŠU will be sum Klein et al. 1995, Machač 2009) but more data are U.marized plumipes in the future). Within these observations, needed from this point of view. a new strange looking spider species identified as- MATERIAL AND METHODS was found in greenhouses of BG PJŠU- - latterly. Specimens in ethanol (3 individuals of fe males) were deposited in collections of BG PJŠU. Se Botanical Garden of the Pavol Jozef Šafárik Univer ries of photographs were also taken with the use of sity in Košice (hereinafter BG PJŠU) is known by- Canon 20 D digital camera and Canon MP–E 65 mm application of biological control methods against 1–5 × macro lens. Special attention was paid to this- pests in greenhouses with tropical and subtropi species in relation to its spatial distribution here cal plants. Since 2006, no classical pesticides were- and behaviour. To check its potential prey spec- used in greenhouses accessible for visitors. As trum, contents of spider webs were inspected and a result, continual increase of phytophagous spe living individuals of different flying insects occur cies and their natural enemies were registered in ring within greenhouse space were collected into Figure 1. U. plumipes Examples of the variability in colour of the adult females (a – d) and the juveniles (e – f) of in BG PJŠU. Scale bars: 1 mm. Folia faunistica Slovaca 18 (1) 2013: 39–45 41 Figure 2. U. plumipes Detail of the female prosoma of . Scale bar: 1 mm. Figure 3. U. plumipes Ventral view of the female and detail of the area with epigyne. Scale bars: 1 mm. 42 Suvák M: Uloborus plumipes (Araneae: Uloboridae), new to Slovakia Figure 4. U. plumipes Examples of spider webs of : a) web with stabilimentum, b) without it but with lower proportion of visible white silk pattern. Scale bars: 1 mm. Figure 5. U. plumipes Nicolaia elatior Egg cocoons of : a) at the white iron pipe of greenhouse heating system, b) within vegetation (on ). Scale bars: 1 mm. Folia faunistica Slovaca 18 (1) 2013: 39–45 43 Coccoloba U. plumipes - diversifolia plastic vials and released near selected horizontal central part of tropical greenhouses on U.spider plumipes webs of . Such observations pro tree, cca 3 m above ground. Following vide also some preliminary data on possible role of search for other individuals within vegetation was- in biological control. unsuccessful. But examination of adjacent walls of RESULTS AND DiSCUSSION the greenhouse showed numerous and very varia U. plumipes ble individuals (Fig. 1) of this spider species. They were mostly juvenile females, adult ones were rarer in BG PJŠU was registered, for the first and no males were found. Their nets were usually time, on 28. 9. 2012 as 2 females with their nets in attached to iron framework of the greenhouse and/ Figure 6. U. plumipes Drosophila Coeno- sia attenuata Trialeurodes vaporariorum Examples of prey attackedEncyrtus by : a) sp. Fallén,Synacra 1823 (Diptera: paupera Drosophilidae), b) - Stein, 1903 (Diptera: Muscidae), c) Sciaridae (Diptera), d) (Westwood, 1856) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae), e) sp. (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae), f) Macek, 1995 (Hymenop tera: Diapriidae). Scale bars: 1 mm. 44 Suvák M: Uloborus plumipes (Araneae: Uloboridae), new to Slovakia - - or to heating system tubes along glass walls. Some to the date. Similar situation was reported from times the web stabilimentum could be seen (Fig. 4) other sites in Europe (e.g. Dawson 2001) but sup though most webs were without such conspicuous posed parthenogenesis in this species (e.g. Machač patterns even in the cases of adult females. Typical- 2009) was rejected in the work by Oxford (2011) flat egg sacs with horn–like projections were also- and usual absence of observations of males was foundU. near plumipes some nets (Fig. 5). Subsequent inspec- explained by their lower numbers and cryptic life tions of other greenhouses showed that individu style in comparison withU. females. plumipes - als of were mostly concentrated in a re As for prey spectrum of , it could be sup stricted part of indoor space, especially on southern - posed that all flying insects of smaller sizes are sides of two main neighbouring greenhouses. In - - potential prey for this spider species. In green other greenhouses, no individuals were found that - - houses of BG PJŠU, according to long–term obser time (September 2012). It is supposed that this spe vations (Suvák 2011), they are mostly represent cies was introduced to BG PJŠU with plant materi atives of Diptera (Dolichopodidae, Drosophilidae, al from external sources. It could be brought into - - Chironomidae, Muscidae, Psychodidae, Sciaridae), greenhouses probably with orchids (most of them - Hemiptera (Aleyrodidae, Aphididae), Hymenop imported from the Netherlands) arranged to spe - tera (Aphelinidae, Braconidae, Diapriidae, Encyrti cial exhibition just in the mentioned greenhouses - dae, Figitidae), Psocoptera (Ectopsocidae) and Thy in January – February 2012 and this spider could - U. plumipes sanoptera (Thripidae). But remnants of prey items gradually spread from these sites into other green - usually could not be identified in webs, unless spi houses. But it cannot be excluded that der attacks would be observed directly. Prey is could occur here unnoticed longer time before, de - usually rapidly covered by dense spider silk after spite the mentioned monitoring (Suvák 2011). - capturing and later, after influence of digestive en Two months later (November 2012), these spiders- zymes and sucking up by the spider, it is unidenti- were found also in other greenhouses of BG PJŠU,- fiable. Though sometimes motionless or very small even within vegetation. Usually more individu insects trapped in the net did not draw immedi als of different size were seen closely to one an ate spider‘s attention and such type of prey could other in some spots. Still no males were registered persist here some time untouched.