Trochosa terricola

Trochosa terricola is known as the ground wolf spider,[3] is a wolf spider which is common and widespread in western and central Europe.[1] It has been recorded as prey for the pompilid wasp.

Trochosa terricola
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Infraorder: Araneomorphae
Family: Lycosidae
Genus: Trochosa
Species:
T. terricola
Binomial name
Trochosa terricola
(Thorell, 1856)[1]
Synonyms[2]
  • Lycosa terricola (Westring, 1861)
  • Lycosa agretyca (Blackwall, 1861)
  • Trochosa trabalis (Ohlert, 1867)
  • Lycosa lugubris (Menge, 1879)
  • Lycosa pratensis (Emerton, 1885)
  • Trochosa dybowskii (Kulczyński, 1885)
  • Trochosina terricola (Simon, 1885)
  • Lycosa orophila (Chamberlin & Gertsch, 1929)
  • Allohogna pratensis (Roewer, 1955)
  • Piratessa dybowskii (Roewer, 1955)

Description

Male Trochosa terricola are 7–9 mm in length while females are 7–14 mm.[4] Similar in appearance to other Trochosa species, the female T. terricola has a reddish abdomen while the male has darkened front legs. The two short lines which are visible on carapace are a diagnostic feature of Trochosa wolf spiders. The light cardiac mark separates it from Trochosa ruricola which has a dark cardiac mark.[5]

Habitat

T. terricola is found in woodland, grassland, heathland and industrial sites and is often encountered under stones and logs, but overall it shows a preference for drier, heath-like conditions, although has been found in pitfall traps in areas of bog and marsh. Unlike the related T. ruricola it can be common in upland areas.[1]

Biology

Adults, both males and females, have been recorded from March to November, with a peak from spring to mid-summer,[1] although in warmer areas in can be active throughout the year.[3] This spider generally appears more sluggish than the Pardosa wolf spiders with which it is sympatric.[3] T. terricola is normally most active at night.[4] It has been recorded as a prey item of the pompilid wasps Priocnemis perturbator and Anoplius viaticus[6]

A spider wasp Anoplius viaticus with captured Trochosa terricola

Distribution

Holarctic,[2] in Europe it is found throughout the continent and Great Britain and Ireland but is absent from Iceland.[4]

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References
  1. "Summary for Trochosa terricola (Araneae)". British Arachnological Society. Retrieved 3 September 2016.
  2. "Taxon details Trochosa terricola Thorell, 1856". World Spider Catalog. Natural History Museum Bern. Retrieved 2016-09-03.
  3. "Trochosa terricola". Stefan Sollfors, Eurospiders.com. Retrieved 3 September 2016.
  4. "Trochosa terricola Thorell, 1856". Nentwig W, Blick T, Gloor D, Hänggi A, Kropf C: Spiders of Europe. www.araneae.unibe.ch. Retrieved 3 September 2016.
  5. "Trochosa terricola". NatureSpot. Retrieved 3 September 2016.
  6. Edwards, R. & Telfer, M.G., eds. 2002. Provisional atlas of the aculeate Hymenoptera of Britain and Ireland. Part 4. Huntingdon: Biological Records Centre.
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