Dispatch from the field: ecology of ground-web-building spiders with description of a new species (Araneae, Symphytognathidae)

By

Miller, Jeremy A.
Schilthuizen, Menno, 1965-
Burmester, Jennie
Van Der Graaf, Lot
Merckx, Vincent
Jocque, Merlijn
Kessler, Paul
Fayle, Tom
Breeschoten, Thijmen
Broeren, Regi
Bouman, Roderick
Chua, Wan-Ji
Feijen, Frida
Fermont, Tanita
Groen, Kevin
Groen, Marvin
Kil, Nicolaas
De Laat, Henrica
Moerland, Michelangelo
Moncoquet, Carole
Panjang, Elisa
Philip, Amelia
Roca-Eriksen, Rebecca
Rooduijn, Bastiaan
Van Santen, Marit
Swakman, Violet
Evans, Meaghan
Evans, Luke
Love, Kieran
Joscelyne, Sarah
Tober, Anya
Wilson, Hannah
Ambu, Laurentius
Goossens, Benoit

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2014-03-26

Original Publication

Biodiversity data journal

Volume

2

Pages

1--13

Subjects

Borneo , Crassignatha , disturbance , inundation , oil palm plantation , riparian forest , riverine forest , tropical field course

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia Pensoft Publishers [2013]-

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/BDJ.2.e1076
eLocator: e1076

 

Abstract

Crassignatha danaugirangensis sp. n. (Araneae: Symphytognathidae) was discovered during a tropical ecology field course held at the Danau Girang Field Centre in Sabah, Malaysia. A taxonomic description and accompanying ecological study were completed as course activities. To assess the ecology of this species, which belongs to the ground-web-building spider community, three habitat types were surveyed: riparian forest, recently inundated riverine forest, and oil palm plantation. Crassignatha danaugirangensis sp. n. is the most abundant ground-web-building spider species in riparian forest; it is rare or absent from the recently inundated forest and was not found in a nearby oil palm plantation. The availability of this taxonomic description may help facilitate the accumulation of data about this species and the role of inundated riverine forest in shaping invertebrate communities.