Development and reproduction in the range-expanding spider, Zoropsis spinimana (Araneae, Zoropsidae)

TY - JOUR

T1 - Development and reproduction in the range-expanding spider, Zoropsis spinimana (Araneae, Zoropsidae)

AU - Fei, Minghui

AU - Maijer, Selena

AU - Conti, Erminia

AU - Harvey, Jeffrey A.

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2026 (British Arachnological Society). All rights reserved.

PY - 2026/4/21

Y1 - 2026/4/21

N2 - Abstract – Several species of spiders have greatly expanded their ranges in Europe over the past several decades and have become very common and apparent in their new habitats. Here, we examined development, mating, and reproduction in the false wolf spider, Zoropsis spinimana, a large, cribellate spider that is native to the Mediterranean region. This species is rapidly expanding its range northwards into central and northern Europe, especially in urban and suburban areas, where it occasionally enters homes during the winter. At a constant temperature of 22°C, both sexes took ∼7–8 months to complete development from hatching to adulthood. Virgin adult female spiders weighed ∼300 mg, around 30% heavier than males. No courtship was observed because males simply mounted females; mating was achieved by the male lifting the abdomen of the female with one palp and then inserting it into her epigyne. Mated females produced 1–3 (rarely 4) egg sacs over the course of their lifetime, with each egg sac typically containing 50–150 eggs. Newly hatched offspring were large and precocious, and were able to disperse from the egg sac within a few hours. We discuss trait expression in Z. spinimana and how climate-immigrant species may benefit from a synanthropic lifestyle.

AB - Abstract – Several species of spiders have greatly expanded their ranges in Europe over the past several decades and have become very common and apparent in their new habitats. Here, we examined development, mating, and reproduction in the false wolf spider, Zoropsis spinimana, a large, cribellate spider that is native to the Mediterranean region. This species is rapidly expanding its range northwards into central and northern Europe, especially in urban and suburban areas, where it occasionally enters homes during the winter. At a constant temperature of 22°C, both sexes took ∼7–8 months to complete development from hatching to adulthood. Virgin adult female spiders weighed ∼300 mg, around 30% heavier than males. No courtship was observed because males simply mounted females; mating was achieved by the male lifting the abdomen of the female with one palp and then inserting it into her epigyne. Mated females produced 1–3 (rarely 4) egg sacs over the course of their lifetime, with each egg sac typically containing 50–150 eggs. Newly hatched offspring were large and precocious, and were able to disperse from the egg sac within a few hours. We discuss trait expression in Z. spinimana and how climate-immigrant species may benefit from a synanthropic lifestyle.

KW - climate change

KW - false wolf spider

KW - fecundity

KW - growth

KW - synanthropic

U2 - 10.13156/arac.2026.20.4.15

DO - 10.13156/arac.2026.20.4.15

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:105042772765

SN - 2050-9928

VL - 20

SP - 585

EP - 591

JO - Arachnology

JF - Arachnology

IS - 4

ER -