Spiders of North Carolina

Arachnids of North Carolina

Order:
Scientific Name: Common Name:		Family (Alpha):

Leiobunum calcar - No Common Name Sclerosomatidae Members:			NC Records	BugGuide Account	Public View

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Distribution Records
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Vetting Levels

Adult phenology:
High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft.
Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft.
Piedmont (Pd)
Coastal Plain (CP)

Click on graph to enlarge

synonym

taxonomic_comments

Approximately 30 species in this genus have been identified as occurring in North America north of Mexico (Cokendolpher and Lee, 1993; Ingianni et al., 2011), with 16 recorded in North Carolina. However, the validity of several of these species is suspect, with several that will probably be determined to be synonyms of other species, e.g., davisi, speciosum, and zimmermani in North Carolina Burns et al., 2012; Shultz, 2018). According to Shultz (2018), moreover, recent phylogenetic studies indicate both that more species are waiting to be described and that the name Leiobunum may eventually be restricted to European species, requiring new generic names for most, if not all, of our species.

species_comment

Belongs to the Leiobunum Calcar Species Group as described by Ingianni et al. (2011), based on both male and female reproductive structures; further confirmed by genetic analysis (Burns et al., 2012). Other North Carolina species in this group include nigropalpi, euserratipalpe, and hoffmani.

id_comments

Males are light brown to golden yellow brown, with the dorsal surface finely granulate (Ingianni et al., 2011). The ocularium is reddish-brown bordered by a dark circumocular band. The abdomen is light brown with a faint saddle; the posterior is usually pointed. Palps and legs are generally dark brown to blackish. Females are highly variable in color.

total_length

6-7 mm, males; 7-9 mm, females (Shultz, 2018)

structural_features

The palps of the males are greatly inflated and have a distinctive large conical spur projecting ventrolaterally from the femur. These features of the palps distinguish this species from all others in this genus except for hoffmani, which also has robust, dark palpi with large spurs on the femur (Ingianni et al., 2011). In the northwest corner of North Carolina, where these two species overlap, identification of both males and females requires microscopic examination of the reproductive structures and other key characters. Females in general are best identified by their reproductive structures (see key in Ingianni et al.).

silk_web

fld_guide_descriptions

online_photos

BugGuide, The Harvestmen of Maryland

prey

predators

behavior

distribution_reference

Davis (1934)

technical_reference

Ingianni et al. (2011); Shultz (2018)

adult_id

1 identifiable by photo 2 identifiable by photo of specific features and/or supplementary info 3 identifiable from specimen only

abundance

distribution_comments

Probably confined to the Mountains in North Carolina

checklist_mt_high
>=4,000 ft.

Regular	Frequent	Infrequent	Occasional	Seldom	Frequency Regular – almost always observed on given visit; >=90% chance of observation Frequent – usually observed on a given visit; >=50%<90% chance of observation Infrequent – observed less than 50% of visits; >=25%<50% chance of observation Occasional – observed on only on a small minority of visits; >=10%<25% chance of observation Seldom – not usually seen on visits; <10% chance of observation These terms refer to visits to appropriate habitats made at appropriate times of the year, making use of common sampling/observation methods. Under those conditions, Frequency refers to the chance of observing at least one individual on a given visit made anywhere within a particular region, or over multiple visits to a single site.

checklist_mt_low
<4,000 ft.

Regular	Frequent	Infrequent	Occasional	Seldom

checklist_pd
Piedmont

Regular	Frequent	Infrequent	Occasional	Seldom

checklist_cp
Coastal Plain

Regular	Frequent	Infrequent	Occasional	Seldom

habitat

Recorded at both high and low elevations in the Mountains. Habitats are mostly unrecorded but several records come from the Spruce-fir zone, including at Mt. Mitchell, Grandfather Mountain, Clingman's Dome, and Richland Balsam. Habitats at lower elevations may include cove forests.

observation_methods

Active diurnally and can be found by direct search of likely habitats

state_protection

Arachnids are not protected under state law, although permits are needed to collect them in State Parks and other public and private nature preserves

NHP_ranks

[GNR] [S3S4]

NHP_status

status_comments

Not enough is yet known about its distribution, habitat associations, abundance, and population trends in North Carolina to accurately assess the conservation needs of this species.

Photo Gallery for Leiobunum calcar No common name
	Recorded by: Steve Hall, Bo Sullivan, Jim Petranka, Becky Elkin Yancey Co. Comment: Several males observed at moth sheets and on buildings	Recorded by: Steve Hall, Bo Sullivan, Jim Petranka, Becky Elkin Yancey Co. Comment: Several males observed at moth sheets and on buildings
	Recorded by: Steve Hall, Bo Sullivan, Jim Petranka, Becky Elkin Yancey Co. Comment: Several males observed at moth sheets and on buildings	Recorded by: Ken Kneidel Yancey Co. Comment: Photo verified by J. Shultz (via iNaturalist)
	Recorded by: Ken Kneidel Yancey Co. Comment: Photo verified by J. Shultz (via iNaturalist)

Photo Gallery for Leiobunum calcar No common name