A further record of the spider Microctenonyx subitaneus (Araneae: Linyphiidae: Erigoninae) in Australia

WA Museum Records and Supplements | Updated 8 years ago

INTRODUCTION – Linyphiids are tiny to medium spiders (1 to 8 mm in body length) that construct sheet webs. Members of the subfamily Erigoninae are smallest (1 to 4 mm). They construct tiny sheet webs under stones, in moss or depressions in the soil (Main 1976; Raven et al. 2002a). Despite comprising a large proportion the European fauna, linyphiids represent only a small proportion of described Australian taxa. The Australian fauna comprises 20 genera and 35 described species (Raven et al. 2002b). Five introduced species have been recorded; Diplocephalus cristatus (Blackwall), Eperigone fradeorum (Berland), Erigone prominens Bösenberg and Strand, Microctenonyx subitaneus (O.P. Cambridge), and Ostearius melanopygius (O.P. Cambridge) (Austin et al. 1991; Hirst and Nicolson 1995; Raven et al. 2002c).