Runcinia grammica

Distribution

This species is found in Europe and Asia.

Runcina grammica has reportedly been sighted in various areas of Southeastern Spain and Southwestern Portugal. They are also known to inhabit Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Caucasus, Italy, India, South Africa, St. Helena, Turkey, France, and in the Carpathian Basin. They are among the most common species of spiders in Portugal. They are one of the many species preserved at the Mountain Zebra National Park, in South Africa.

Life style

The species generally lives in peat bogs, fens, and meadows, although it has also been known to inhabit urban areas They usually mature to adulthood in the summer. They have short, broad bodies, which are covered in hair and spines. They have clear muscular corrugation on their sides, and, on small raised bumps on their heads, eight small eyes. Males are usually 2.5–3.5mm in length, females 4-6mm. They are predators, and eat various species of insects.

Unlike many spiders, they do not spin a web of any kind. Instead, they prowl on the ground, as well as climbing plants and flowers, to find their prey. They can move forwards, backwards, and sideways.

References

References

1. "Runcinia grammica (C. L. Koch, 1837)". Natural History Museum Bern.
2. (12 January 2010). "Runcinia grammica".
3. "Archived copy".
4. [http://www.commanster.eu/commanster/Habitat/grass3Zb.html Meadows – Thomisidae]. Commanster.eu. Retrieved 22 October 2011.
5. [http://us.mirror.gbif.org/species/14490080 Data Use Agreement – GBIF Portal]. Us.mirror.gbif.org (22 February 2007). Retrieved 22 October 2011.
6. [http://www.ennor.org/catalogue.php Portugal Spider Catalogue] {{Webarchive. link. (22 May 2011 . Ennor.org. Retrieved 22 October 2011.)
7. "Archived copy".
8. [http://caucasus-spiders.info/wp-content/themes/spiders/spidermap.php?region=1&country=all&primkey=129 Runcinia grammica (C. L. Koch, 1837)]. Caucasus-spiders.info. Retrieved 22 October 2011.
9. [http://www.comune.pisa.it/apsn/Insetti/rg.htm Runcinia grammica]. Comune.pisa.it. Retrieved 22 October 2011.
10. [http://www.catalogueoflife.org/annual-checklist/2008/show_species_details.php?record_id=5617251&showlsid=urn:lsid:catalogueoflife.org:taxon:d9b42932-29c1-102b-9a4a-00304854f820:ac2008 2008 Annual Checklist : Runcinia grammica (C. L. Koch, 1837)]. Catalogue of Life (5 January 2008). Retrieved 22 October 2011.
11. "Runcinia grammica (C.L. Koch, 1837) - Thomise rayé".
12. "Archived copy".
13. "Archived copy".
14. Records of the Zoological Survey of India, Volume 103, Issues 1–2, published 2004, page 124
15. [http://naturdata.com/Runcinia-grammica-13599.htm Runcinia grammica – Ecologia, Taxonomia, Morfologia, Distribution]. Naturdata.com. Retrieved 22 October 2011.
16. "Archived copy".
17. [http://zipcodezoo.com/Animals/R/Runcinia%5Fgrammica/ Runcinia grammica]. Zipcodezoo.com. Retrieved 22 October 2011.