Larinioides cornutus Clerck 1757

Larinioides cornutus (Clerck, 1757)

Figs 6, 8 F, 9F, 10F, 13, 14, 30

Araneus cornutus Clerck 1757: 39, pl. 1, fig. 11 (D♀); Thaler 1974: 257, figs 3–4, 6, 8, 11 (♂♀).

Araneus sclopetarius Clerck 1757: 43, pl. 2, fig. 3 (D♂). Syn. n.

Aranea leuwenhoekii Scopoli 1763: 394 (D♀).

Aranea foliata Fourcroy 1785: 533 (D♀).

Aranea apoclisa Walckenaer 1802: 195 (in part).

Epeira marmorata Risso 1826: 169 (D).

Epeira lyrata Fischer-Waldheim 1830: pl. 7i –k (D).

Epeira tricolor Fischer-Waldheim 1830: pl. 7n–o (D).

Epeira apoclisa americana Walckenaer 1841: 61, 502 (D).

Epeira foliosa Walckenaer 1841: 66 (D♀).

Epeira arundinacea C.L. Koch 1844: 109, fig. 913 (D♂).

Epeira affinis Blackwall 1846: 77 (D♀).

Epeira strix Hentz 1847: 473, pl. 31, fig. 5 (D♀).

Epeira tectorum Bremi-Wolff 1849: 1 –16 (D♂♀).

Epeira vicaria Kulczyński 1885: 21, pl. 9, fig. 4 (D♀).

Epeira cornuta inermis Franganillo 1925: 33 (D).

Nuctenea cornuta: Levi 1974: 306, figs 61–62, 67–76, 94, 97–98, 110–111, 118–119, 126 (♂♀).

Larinioides cornutus: Roberts 1995: 321, fig., pl. 28, fig. 1 (♂♀); Dondale et al. 2003: 184, figs 395–401 (♂♀); Tanikawa 2007: 55, figs 86–88, 486–489 (♂♀).

For a complete list of all 99 taxonomic references see Platnick (2014). N.B. Some of these references may refer to the sibling species L. folium.

Misidentifications:

Araneus cornutus: Loksa 1972: 91, figs 81A–C, 82F, 83A–B (♂♀). Refers to L. folium. Araneus cornutus: Fage 1921: 176, figs 4A, D. Refers to L. folium. Araneus foliatus: Bakhvalov 1974: 110, figs 58, 62, 65 (♂♀). Refers to L. folium.

Material examined (selected localities): FINLAND: 1♂ 1♀ (10 July 1967): Lemland, Flaka Apalholm, M.I. Saaristo (ZMUT); 1♀ (8 June 1959): Korpo, Lohm, Gunkobb, A. Kleemola (ZMUT). RUSSIA: Krasnoyarsk Province: 1♂ (1874): Moyero River, 66°20’16”N, Czekanowski (ZISP). Yakutia: 1♂ 1♀ (16–22 August 1926): Vilyuisk Distict, environs of Ugolyak Village, 64°07’N 120°08’E, A. Grigoryev (ZISP). Maritime Province: 1♀ (1–20 July 1986): environs of Vladivostok, Spitnik Village, V. Tseitva (IBPN). Magadan Province: ♂♀ (1983–1986): upper Kolyma River, ca. 62°N, environs of Sibit-Tyellakh Village, “Aborigen” Field Station, Y.M. Marusik (IBPN). Kamchatka: 1♂ (22 August 1983): Commander Isls, Beringa Isl., Pogrebnaya Bay, V.F. Sevastyanov (IBPN). Chukotka: 1♂ 8♀♀ (20 August 1985): S part of Chaun Bay, “Chaun” Field Station, A.S. Ryabukhin (IBPN); 1♀ (28 July 1987): environs of Pevek, Apapelgino, G.A. Anufriev (IBPN); 2♀♀ (1987): 60 km NE of Markovo Town, Ubiyenko River, A.V. Kondratev (IBPN).

Diagnosis. The species habitus is similar to that of L. chabarovi and almost identical to L. folium. Larinioides cornutus can be distinguished from L. chabarovi by the copulatory organs. Unlike L. folium, it has a round outline of the epigynal median plate and reduced lateral lamellae (Fig. 30); its male palp lacks serration on the subterminal apophysis 2 (Fig. 13, 14, blue). The male palp of L. cornutus is similar to that in L. jalimovi, but lacks a long process at the base of subterminal apophysis 1 and a small spur on the internal side of the flat shield of embolus.

Description. Carapace, chelicerae and sternum uniformly brown. Abdomen dorsally with a brown folium and a pale cross (Figs 6 A, C). Legs yellow, darkly annulated.

Male. Total length 4.7–8.5. Carapace 2.1–4.2 long, 1.8–3.5 wide. Length of the first patella + tibia 3.0–6.0. Tibia II unmodified (Fig. 3 F), resembling other tibiae. Palp as in Figs 9 F, 10F, 13, 14: bulbus with a tapered terminal apophysis; blunt subterminal apophysis 1; slightly serrated subterminal apophysis 2; embolus with flat shield covering a thin tip; median apophysis with a flat, rounded lower part and a narrow upper one with blunt tip; conductor rounded.

Female. Total length 6.5–14.5. Carapace 2.4–5.0 long, 1.9–4.5 wide. Length of the first patella + tibia 2.6–5.8. Epigyne as Fig. 30, scapus short and straight; median plate rounded anteriorly; lateral lamellae laterally indistinct, anteriorly folded into triangular lobes covering copulatory openings; basal lamellae present.

Distribution. The species has a circum-Holarctic range and is found north to the tundra zone (Marusik et al. 2000). Levi (1974) assumed it was distributed across the Holarctic accidentally by humans. In our opinion, the occurrence of this species in the in remote areas of Chukotka and neighbouring Alaska indicates its natural dispersal without human influence.

Comments. With 99 taxonomic entries (Platnick 2014), it is one of the best known orb-weaving spiders. There are, however, some misidentifications (e.g. Loksa 1972, Bakhvalov 1974), which could lead to misinformation about its distribution and biology. A complete revision of all references is impossible, since most of them have an insufficient description and/or illustrations.