Seasonal Variation in Whole-Body Elemental Concentrations and Excreta Production of a Riparian Orb-Weaving Spider (Larinioides cornutus)

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  Seasonal Variation in Whole-Body Elemental Concentrations and Excreta Production of a Riparian Orb-Weaving Spider (Larinioides cornutus) ABSTRACT Predators influence nutrient cycling by assimilating elements from their prey and returning nutrients to ecosystems via excretion and discarded prey remains. However, seasonal variation in the contribution of predators to nutrient cycling remains poorly understood, particularly for terrestrial arthropod predators such as spiders. We examined temporal variation in whole-body elemental concentrations, excreta C and N concentrations, and cumulative excreta output in a riparian orb-weaving spider ( Larinioides cornutus ) across the growing season of 2024. Adult females were collected across seven sampling periods spanning mid-June to early October, and whole-body concentrations of macronutrients (carbon [C], nitrogen [N], phosphorus [P]) and multiple trace elements were quantified. Whole-body N and P concentrations, and several trace elemen...

Two rare wetland spider species new to Slovakia: Larinia elegans Spassky, 1939 and Tetragnatha reimoseri (Roșca, 1939) (Araneae, Araneidae, Tetragnathidae)

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Two rare wetland spider species new to Slovakia: Larinia elegans Spassky, 1939 and Tetragnatha reimoseri (Roșca, 1939) (Araneae, Araneidae, Tetragnathidae)

Abstract

We report the first Slovak records of Larinia elegans Spassky, 1939 and Tetragnatha reimoseri (Roșca, 1939) based on adult females and a juvenile from wetland habitats in western and southern Slovakia. These findings extend the known Central European ranges for both species. The finding of T. reimoseri adds a new locality within its fragmented European distribution, whereas the record of L. elegans contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of its overall distribution. Diagnostic characters, photographs of specimens, and habitat details are provided to support identification and future monitoring efforts.

Purgat P, Šestáková A, Korenko S, Gajdoš P (2025) Two rare wetland spider species new to Slovakia: Larinia elegans Spassky, 1939 and Tetragnatha reimoseri (Roșca, 1939) (Araneae, Araneidae, Tetragnathidae). Check List 21(6): 1160-1170. https://doi.org/10.15560/21.6.1160