Records by time  
Zodariidae 0-19001901-19501951-20002001+
Zodarion germanicum Zodarion germanicum (C. L. Koch, 1837) Not endangered 168× 137× 307×
Zodarion italicum Zodarion italicum (Canestrini, 1868) Not endangered 15× 17×
Zodarion ohridense Zodarion ohridense Wunderlich, 1973
Zodarion rubidum Zodarion rubidum Simon, 1914 Not endangered 21× 106× 127×

Bibliography

 © Oto Zimmermann
Predators should be selected to maximize their fitness by catching the most profitable prey. As predators grow in size, they often shift their preferences to larger prey during the course of development. Alike generalist predators, specialized predators should also shift to larger prey within the pool of focal prey. Here, we have studied the natural diet of a specialized ant‐eating spider Zodarion rubidum by means of molecular methods. We tested the hypothesis of a trophic shift during postembryonic ontogenesis and if there is a difference in the diet between sexes due to sexual dimorphism. In addition, a feeding trial was performed to estimate the time at which prey DNA can be detected. The diet of all stages consisted solely of ants (nine genera), thus confirming their strict ant specialization. There was no shift in prey size or prey type during ontogenetic development, but the diversity of prey declined with age. In adult males, very few prey were detected. The feeding trial showed that prey DNA can be detected inside the spider’s gut up  to 2 weeks after feeding.

 © Oto Zimmermann

Spiders of the Brdy Protected Landscape Area were studied. Material obtained from pitfall traps exposed during the years 2016–2017 at 15 different representative localities included a total of 4027 individuals belonging to 154 species of spiders. Cold tolerant species (e.g. Bathyphantes similis and Pocadicnemis carpatica) as well as thermophilic species (e.g. Lathys humilis and Zodarion germanicum) were recorded. The West European species Palliduphantes ericaeus reaches here the easternmost border of its  distribution, on the contrary the East European species Walckenaeria simplex has in this territory the western limit of its areal. A quarter of the recorded spider species is closely related to the original and natural habitats. Together with the published data and data from arachnological databases, the occurrence of 220 species of spiders is currently listed for the Brdy PLA, representing about 25 % of the total fauna of the Czech Republic. The results documented presence of interesting arachnofauna and confirm a high natural value of the given area.



 © Oto Zimmermann
Zodarion ohridense Wunderlich, 1973 was found to be introduced in an abandoned stone quarry near Kolín in the Czech Republic. The Central European species of Zodarion are discussed.

 © Oto Zimmermann
Pavouci České republiky; Skálovka Hermanova Zelotes hermani (Chyzer, 1897) – nový druh v ČR; Erigone cristatopalpus Simon, 1884; Mravčík ohridský (Zodarion ohridense Wunderlich, 1973) (Araneae: Zodariidae) – nový druh pro Českou republiku; Něco málo ze ZOO Praha: Modisimus culicinus (Simon, 1893); Kamenožrout zelený III; Významné nálezy pavouků z ČR II./ Remarkable records of spiders from Czech Republic II.; Skákavka ryšavonohá Ballus rufipes (Simon, 1868) (Araneae: Salticidae) – nový druh pro Slovenskou republiku; Inventarizace 2015; Co se skrývá v kokonech?; 114. seminář České arachnologické společnosti – Olomouc; 20th International Congress of Arachnology; Kroniky; Sedmdesáté narozeniny Antonína Kůrky; Bucharova mísa plná pavouků; Náš táta pavouk; Česká arachnologická bibliografie; Britská bibliografie – The Newsletter 136 a 137; Nové knihy;

 © Oto Zimmermann

The invertebrates of the Macocha Abyss, Moravian Karst, Czech Republic, were collected in 2007–2008 and 222 species were identified in total. The relative abundance of individual taxa of land snails, harvestmen, pseudoscorpions, spiders, millipedes, centipedes, terrestrial isopods, beetles, and ants was evaluated. The cold-adapted mountain and subterranean species inhabit the bottom and lower part of the abyss, whereas the sun-exposed rocky margins were inhabited by thermophilous species. Macocha harbors several threatened species that are absent or very rare in the surrounding habitats. In the forest landscape, the Macocha Abyss represents a natural habitat with a distinct microclimatic gradient, and is an excellent refuge area for psychrophilous as well as thermophilous species, which significantly contributes to maintenance of landscape biodiversity.



 © Ondřej Machač
There has been considerable recent interest in the biology of spiders that specialise on ants as prey, but previous studies have tended to envisage the level of adaptation as being to ants as a group. In this paper, we provide evidence that Zodarion germanicum is a spider that has dietary and venom adaptations by which it targets a particular subset of ants, the subfamily Formicinae. We reared spiders from first instar in the laboratory on three different diets: formicine ants only, myrmicine ants only and mixed (both formicine and myrmicine ants). Fitnessrelated life-history parameters were determined, and we found that the spiders on the formicine-only diet lived longer and grew at a faster rate. Lipid, carbon and nitrogen compositions of ants were analysed, but we found no evidence of formicines differing from myrmicines in macro-nutrient content. This suggests that effects on longevity and growth depended on more specific nutrients or on compounds the prey uses for defence. We investigated how efficient Zodarion germanicum was at paralysing different ants and our findings suggest that the spider’s venom is especially effective against formicines.


 © Oto Zimmermann

While the majority of the Central European landscape would be covered by forests without human influence, rocky areas form isolated, islet-like, natural, non-forest habitats. The surface of some of these non-forested areas is composed of bare bedrock or products of its erosional breakdown (without a soil layer) such as gravel, sand banks, sand dunes, scree slopes and rock outcrop habitats. These habitats harbour specialized  spider species that depend on their specific substratum and microclimate (Růžička 2000). Out of these habitats, rock walls (and scree slopes) form one of the most distinct ecological gradients of any terrestrial ecosystem (Larson et al. 1989, Růžička et al. 1995). They provide habitats with extremely warm and cold microclimatic conditions in close proximity. They also belong to habitats almost unknown until now due to the technical and practical problems of sampling.

Sandstones can form extensive systems of rocks, sometimes with a broad spectrum of meso- and microhabitats due to their very dynamic relief. Sandstone rocks are characterised by a marked contrast between forested plateau and bare vertical rock walls (Balatka and Sládek 1984). Upper margins of rocks are dry, vertical rock walls can be sun-exposed, dry and bare, or shady and humid and hence covered by mosses. Spaces with an extremely cold climate can occur in deep gorges. The aim of this study is to evaluate available data on the species composition of spider assemblages in sandstone rocks, including new data about spiders on rock walls in the Bohemian Switzerland (České Švýcarsko) National Park.



 © Ondřej Machač
Within-species variation in body size of males and females of an ant-eating spider Zodarion rubidum was studied by analysing 15 populations across Europe. The relationship between the body size of both sexes was allometric with female-biased sexual size dimorphism. Body size of males did not change with latitude or temperature, while that of females changed significantly with temperature. Larger females were found in regions with higher temperature which is presumably a result of an optimal climate: higher temperature and longer season provide higher prey availability which accelerates the growth rate of females, leading to a larger body size. As female size varied more than male size, a sexual size dimorphism cline was observed in Zodarion rubidum. Larger sexual size dimorphism was found in warmer regions. These results thus suggest that environmental conditions (temperature) influence intraspecific variation in sexual size dimorphism in Zodarion rubidum.


 © Ondřej Machač
Based on morphological characters, two species of the genus Zodarion, Z. hamatum and Zodarion italicum, were placed into the italicum group. The aim of this study was to evaluate similarity of these two species in respect of various aspects of their natural history and karyotypes. Both species had similar phenological patterns, being univoltine, but some specimens reached adulthood the same year before winter. Both representatives had nocturnal activity and were able to capture various ant species. Zodarion hamatum seems to be specialized on Myrmicinae ants, and Zodarion italicum on Formicinae ants. Zodarion hamatum showed more agile predatory behaviour than Zodarion italicum presumably due to specialization on Myrmicinae ants, which have lower population density. Both species are generalized mimics of bicoloured (orange-dark brown) ants, such as Lasius emarginatus; they performed similar courtship and mating. The two study species exhibited contrasting reproductive strategies. Zodarion hamatum spiders had higher fecundity than Zodarion italicum as a result of larger body size but Zodarion italicum had larger eggs than Z. hamatum. This is presumably an adaptation to different availability of prey ants. Both species had the same diploid chromosome number, sex chromosome system and pattern of X chromosome heteropycnosis in testes. Results support a very close relationship between these two Zodarion species.


Gallery

Statistics

By month


By altitude


By collecting method (450 used records)
Zemní pastMalesFemalesJuvenilesRecords
Zodarion germanicum (C. L. Koch, 1837) 524 197 649 202
Zodarion italicum (Canestrini, 1868) 74 64 0 12
Zodarion ohridense Wunderlich, 1973 1 0 0 1
Zodarion rubidum Simon, 1914 363 150 1 72
NeurčenoMalesFemalesJuvenilesRecords
Zodarion germanicum (C. L. Koch, 1837) 79 18 0 66
Zodarion italicum (Canestrini, 1868) 1 0 0 1
Zodarion rubidum Simon, 1914 1 1 0 20
Individuální sběrMalesFemalesJuvenilesRecords
Zodarion germanicum (C. L. Koch, 1837) 17 15 5 30
Zodarion italicum (Canestrini, 1868) 3 3 0 2
Zodarion rubidum Simon, 1914 8 19 5 21
ProsevMalesFemalesJuvenilesRecords
Zodarion germanicum (C. L. Koch, 1837) 18 3 3 8
Zodarion rubidum Simon, 1914 1 3 37 8
PozorováníMalesFemalesJuvenilesRecords
Zodarion rubidum Simon, 1914 7 8 0 4
SmykMalesFemalesJuvenilesRecords
Zodarion germanicum (C. L. Koch, 1837) 1 0 0 1
Zodarion italicum (Canestrini, 1868) 6 4 0 2
 MalesFemalesJuvenilesRecords

By biotope (451 used records)
NeurčenoMalesFemalesJuvenilesRecords
Zodarion germanicum (C. L. Koch, 1837) 267 133 18 154
Zodarion italicum (Canestrini, 1868) 75 67 0 14
Zodarion rubidum Simon, 1914 307 136 4 76
Lesostepní doubravyMalesFemalesJuvenilesRecords
Zodarion germanicum (C. L. Koch, 1837) 72 17 12 24
Suché doubravyMalesFemalesJuvenilesRecords
Zodarion germanicum (C. L. Koch, 1837) 27 9 4 20
Skalní stepi na vápenciMalesFemalesJuvenilesRecords
Zodarion germanicum (C. L. Koch, 1837) 18 12 20 18
Zodarion italicum (Canestrini, 1868) 1 0 0 1
Suché loukyMalesFemalesJuvenilesRecords
Zodarion germanicum (C. L. Koch, 1837) 6 1 0 6
Zodarion rubidum Simon, 1914 3 7 4 9
Lesní okrajeMalesFemalesJuvenilesRecords
Zodarion germanicum (C. L. Koch, 1837) 80 7 1 15
Kamenité suti nižších polohMalesFemalesJuvenilesRecords
Zodarion germanicum (C. L. Koch, 1837) 9 6 2 12
Stinné skály nižších polohMalesFemalesJuvenilesRecords
Zodarion germanicum (C. L. Koch, 1837) 6 4 3 8
Zodarion rubidum Simon, 1914 1 0 0 1
KamenolomyMalesFemalesJuvenilesRecords
Zodarion germanicum (C. L. Koch, 1837) 1 0 0 1
Zodarion ohridense Wunderlich, 1973 1 0 0 1
Zodarion rubidum Simon, 1914 3 3 0 5
Těžebny písku a jiných nezpevněných horninMalesFemalesJuvenilesRecords
Zodarion rubidum Simon, 1914 10 9 0 6
Xerotermní travinobylinná společenstvaMalesFemalesJuvenilesRecords
Zodarion germanicum (C. L. Koch, 1837) 3 4 3 4
Zodarion italicum (Canestrini, 1868) 2 3 0 1
Zodarion rubidum Simon, 1914 2 0 0 1
Haldy a výsypkyMalesFemalesJuvenilesRecords
Zodarion germanicum (C. L. Koch, 1837) 0 0 589 4
Zodarion rubidum Simon, 1914 5 2 0 2
PísčinyMalesFemalesJuvenilesRecords
Zodarion rubidum Simon, 1914 5 2 0 5
Výsadby jehličnanůMalesFemalesJuvenilesRecords
Zodarion germanicum (C. L. Koch, 1837) 3 4 0 5
Okraje silnicMalesFemalesJuvenilesRecords
Zodarion germanicum (C. L. Koch, 1837) 41 14 5 3
Zodarion rubidum Simon, 1914 10 0 0 2
RuderályMalesFemalesJuvenilesRecords
Zodarion germanicum (C. L. Koch, 1837) 2 0 0 1
Zodarion rubidum Simon, 1914 5 8 0 4
Železniční náspyMalesFemalesJuvenilesRecords
Zodarion rubidum Simon, 1914 1 1 35 5
Reliktní bory na skaláchMalesFemalesJuvenilesRecords
Zodarion germanicum (C. L. Koch, 1837) 6 2 0 4
Rašelinné boryMalesFemalesJuvenilesRecords
Zodarion germanicum (C. L. Koch, 1837) 4 1 0 4
Suché křovinyMalesFemalesJuvenilesRecords
Zodarion germanicum (C. L. Koch, 1837) 4 0 0 3
Zodarion italicum (Canestrini, 1868) 6 1 0 1
Travnaté stepiMalesFemalesJuvenilesRecords
Zodarion rubidum Simon, 1914 5 2 0 3
Výsadby listnáčůMalesFemalesJuvenilesRecords
Zodarion germanicum (C. L. Koch, 1837) 56 11 0 3
Suťové a roklinové lesyMalesFemalesJuvenilesRecords
Zodarion germanicum (C. L. Koch, 1837) 6 2 0 3
PasekyMalesFemalesJuvenilesRecords
Zodarion germanicum (C. L. Koch, 1837) 3 0 0 2
Vřesoviště nižších polohMalesFemalesJuvenilesRecords
Zodarion rubidum Simon, 1914 11 6 0 2
DubohabřinyMalesFemalesJuvenilesRecords
Zodarion germanicum (C. L. Koch, 1837) 13 4 0 2
Suché lesní lemyMalesFemalesJuvenilesRecords
Zodarion germanicum (C. L. Koch, 1837) 2 0 0 2
Nízké xerofilní křovinyMalesFemalesJuvenilesRecords
Zodarion rubidum Simon, 1914 10 2 0 2
Lužní lesy nížinMalesFemalesJuvenilesRecords
Zodarion germanicum (C. L. Koch, 1837) 2 0 0 2
Ostatní poleMalesFemalesJuvenilesRecords
Zodarion rubidum Simon, 1914 1 0 0 1
Bylinné porosty břehůMalesFemalesJuvenilesRecords
Zodarion rubidum Simon, 1914 0 0 0 1
Skály a sutě v horáchMalesFemalesJuvenilesRecords
Zodarion germanicum (C. L. Koch, 1837) 0 1 0 1
ZahradyMalesFemalesJuvenilesRecords
Zodarion rubidum Simon, 1914 2 3 0 1
Bučiny nižších polohMalesFemalesJuvenilesRecords
Zodarion germanicum (C. L. Koch, 1837) 1 0 0 1
Porosty borůvekMalesFemalesJuvenilesRecords
Zodarion germanicum (C. L. Koch, 1837) 0 0 0 1
Acidofilní boryMalesFemalesJuvenilesRecords
Zodarion germanicum (C. L. Koch, 1837) 1 0 0 1
Přirozené lesyMalesFemalesJuvenilesRecords
Zodarion germanicum (C. L. Koch, 1837) 1 0 0 1
MokřadyMalesFemalesJuvenilesRecords
Zodarion germanicum (C. L. Koch, 1837) 1 0 0 1
Stojaté a pomalu tekoucí vodyMalesFemalesJuvenilesRecords
Zodarion germanicum (C. L. Koch, 1837) 4 1 0 1
 MalesFemalesJuvenilesRecords