An Annotated Checklist of the Spiders of Newfoundland J. R. PICKAVANCE1 and C. D. DONDALE2 1Biology Department, Memorial University, St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador A1B 3X9 Canada; [email protected]. 2Eastern Cereal and Oilseed Research Centre, K. W. Neatby Building, Central Experimental Farm, Ottawa Ontario K1A 0C6 Canada Pickavance, J. R., and C. D. Dondale. 2005. An annotated checklist of the spiders of Newfoundland. Canadian Field-Natu- ralist 119(2): 254-275. Since Hackman’s report in 1954 of 216 (adjusted from a total of 220 for apparent errors) spider species from Newfound- land, the total has grown by 68% to 363. An annotated checklist is presented. Of this total, 223 (c. 61%) are Nearctic, 119 (c. 33%) are Holarctic and 21 (c. 6%) are introduced. Comparisons are made with other Canadian spider faunas. The intro- duced species and the proportions of Linyphiidae, Lycosidae and Dictynidae are discussed. Key Words: Araneae, species distribution, introduced species, Newfoundland. Hackman’s (1954) list of Newfoundland (referring It is not altogether clear which species were brought solely to the insular portion of the province of that to Newfoundland by humans. The introduction of Palae- name) spiders was the first such report for any Canadi- arctic species by humans is relatively straightforward. an province. Since then lists for four more provinces The first documented European visitors were Vikings, and territories have been published: British Columbia briefly established at L’Anse aux Meadows around (West et al. 1984, 1988; Bennett 2001); Yukon (Dondale 1000 BP (Wallace 1991). Then since the late 15th cen- et al. 1997); Manitoba (Aitchison-Benell and Dondale tury European settlement and commercial traffic can 1990), and Quebec (Bélanger and Hutchinson 1992; explain the presence of Palaearctic species in New- Paquin et al. 2001, Paquin and Dupérré 2003). We have foundland. In addition, some Nearctic and Holarctic made use of additional unpublished data for Alberta and species may have been brought to the island by the traf- Saskatchewan (Buckle and Holmberg 2004*) and fic between Newfoundland and the maritime provinces, British Columbia (Bennett et al. 2004*). Labrador and the eastern seaboard of the United States. In 2002 the formal, political name of the province There were also approximately 5 000 years of aborig- formerly called Newfoundland was changed by Act of inal occupation of Newfoundland before the arrival of Federal Parliament to Newfoundland and Labrador. Europeans, with continual aboriginal traffic between Therefore since that date it has been proper to use Labrador and Newfoundland (Renouf 1999). This may Newfoundland to refer solely to the insular part of the account for the presence of some Holarctic and sub- province, and that is the practice adopted here. New- arctic-Nearctic species. foundland was entirely or almost entirely covered by By whatever means of arrival, 363 species are now ice in the most recent (Wisconsin) glaciation, which known from Newfoundland, an increase of 68% over reached its maximum extent probably around 24 000 Hackman’s (1954) report of 216 (adjusted total) spe- years BP (Dyke et al. 2002). The ice then underwent cies. a series of retreats until the coastal margins of New- Ecology of Newfoundland foundland were exposed around 12 000 BP (Shaw Newfoundland lies in the northwest Atlantic between 2003), after which time the ice continued to retreat and approximately 47°-52° north and 53°-59° west and lies leave the land exposed. The modern fauna was presum- within the general ecological region of the Boreal ably established by post-glacial immigration aided by Shield Ecozone. Eleven Ecoregions (encompassing some anthropogenic introductions. The presence or ab- 25 Ecodistricts) are distinguished in Newfoundland, sence of biological refugia during that glaciation has and full details of these are in Ecological Stratification long been debated. Such refugia could have been im- Working Group (1995). More general biogeographical portant contributors to the post-glacial colonisation, information can be found in South (1983). and evidence thought to indicate their existence in Newfoundland’s climate is influenced by the sur- Newfoundland has been presented from a variety of rounding Atlantic ocean in general and the cold Labra- taxa (e.g., Fernald 1924; Wynne-Edwards 1937; Bel- dor current to the east in particular. Climate varies land 1987; Hamilton and Langor 1987). Ballooning between the Ecoregions, from a low subarctic ecocli- from continental North America on the region’s prevail- mate in the Strait of Belle Isle Ecoregion on the North- ing westerly winds probably accounted for the post- ern Peninsula (mean annual temperature 2.5°C), through glacial arrival of most of Newfoundland’s spider species. the maritime high boreal ecoclimate of the Long Range 254 2005 PICKAVANCE AND DONDALE: SPIDERS of NEWFOUNDLAND 255 Mountains (mean annual temperature 4°C), the mar- spiders are rare. These consist of accounts of scattered, itime mid-boreal ecoclimate of Central Newfoundland small collections (e.g., Pickard-Cambridge 1881; Emer- (mean annual temperature 4.5°C), to the oceanic low ton 1914, 1915, 1927) or lists assembled for particular boreal ecoclimate of the South Avalon-Burin Oceanic purposes, e.g., Lindroth’s (1957) comparison of Euro- Barrens (mean annual temperature 5.5°C). The domi- pean and North American faunas. A number of col- nant vegetation is a mixture of Black Spruce (Picea lectors (e.g., Lloyd Hollett and Kevin Pardy) have mariana), White Spruce (Picea glauca), Balsam Fir deposited Newfoundland specimens in the CNC but (Abies balsamia), Tamarack (Larix decidua), lesser have not formally reported on their collections. Most amounts of birch (Betula), extensive peatlands, com- records of Newfoundland spiders occur in taxonomic munities of ericaceous shrubs, crowberry (Empetrum) works such as Gertsch and Ivie (1955), Ivie (1969), barrens, and mosses and lichens. At higher elevations Leech (1972), Dondale and Redner (1978, 1982, 1990), areas of semi-exposed bedrock are frequent. Platnick and Dondale (1992), Buckle and Roney (1995), Saaristo and Koponen (1998), and Miller (1999). Materials and Methods We have followed Platnick (2005) for familial place- Abbreviations ment for the sake of uniformity and consistency. We Throughout the text the following abbreviations may have followed Platnick (2005) for genera and species be employed: AB = Alberta; AMNH = American Mus- names, except that we follow Buckle et al. (2001) for eum of Natural History; BC = British Columbia; BL linyphiid nomenclature. For convenience families = Belcher Islands, Hudson Bay; CDD = C. D. Dondale; and species are in alphabetical order. CNC = Canadian National Collection of Insects and Species recorded by Hackman (1954) are indicat- Arachnids, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Ottawa; ed “[H]”. Included in such brackets is the name he GL = Greenland; GMNP = Gros Morne National Park, used if different from the name in Platnick (2005*) Newfoundland; FMNH = Finnish Museum of Natural and other relevant notes. History, Helsinki; HZ = Hazen Camp, Ellesmere Is- The designations of Nearctic, Holarctic, or Palae- land; JRP = J. R. Pickavance; MB = Manitoba; MCZ arctic listed for each species have been gleaned from = Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard; NF = various sources (e.g., Buckle et al. 2001; Dondale and Island of Newfoundland; PL = Peary Land, Greenland; Redner 1978, 1982, 1990; Dondale et al. 2003; Plat- QC = Quebec; SK = Saskatchewan; TNNP = Terra nick 2005*; Roberts 1993). Here we use these terms to Nova National Park, NF; YK = Yukon. mean the biogeographical origin of a species rather A note on Hackman’s species total than the present-day distribution. For example, Araneus We have reduced Hackman’s (1954) total of 220 by diadematus Clerck is listed as Holarctic by Platnick four to give a revised total of 216. Hackman (1954) (2005*), but is originally a Palaearctic species intro- listed some species on the basis of immature specimens, duced to North America (Dondale et al. 2003). There- some of which have not subsequently been confirmed. fore we refer to this and similar species as “Palaearctic; CDD examined the supposed juveniles of Tetragnatha introduced”. caudata Emerton and T. vermiformis Emerton and con- It has sometimes been difficult to decide whether a cluded that the specimens are of uncertain identity. species should be called Palaearctic introduced or truly These two species have therefore been removed from Holarctic. For example, Buckle et al. (2001) describe Hackman’s (1954) total. Hackman (1954) recorded Erigone dentipalpis (Wider in Reuss) as “Introduced?” three species of Dolomedes from Newfoundland: D. while Platnick (2005*) lists it as Holarctic. Pending fulviatronotatus Bishop, D. scapularis C. L. Koch and clarification we treat this and similar cases as intro- D. vittatus Walckenaer. Dolomedes fulviatronotatus is duced Palaearctic species. Spider introductions to North now D. striatus Giebel, and his D. vittatus was a mis- America were also dealt with by Lindroth (1957), but identified specimen of D. striatus. In addition, his because significant portions of his information about record of D. scapularis (junior synonym of D. triton spiders has been superceded by later work we have (Walckenaer)) cannot be confirmed because this species placed less emphasis on his records. A particularly is not in Hackman’s collection in FMNH, has not problematic species is Theridiosoma gemmosum (L. subsequently