Sitticus caricis

Key Details

Taxonomic Groups: Invertebrate > spider (Araneae) > Spider
Red List Status: Least Concern (Not Relevant) [LC(nr)]
D5 Status: Included in the baseline Red List Index for England (Wilkins, Wilson & Brown, 2022)
Section 41 Status: (not listed)
Taxa Included Synonym: (none)
UKSI Recommended Name: Attulus caricis
UKSI Recommended Authority: (Westring, 1861)
UKSI Recommended Qualifier: (none specified)
Red List Citation: Harvey et al., 2017
Notes on taxonomy/listing: (none)

Criteria

Question 1: Does species need conservation or recovery in England?
Response: Yes
Justification: No evidence of recent, overall decline although apparently lost from several fen sites in E England (including Wicken), where it remains particularly vulnerable to desiccation.
Question 2: Does recovery/ conservation depend on species-specific actions?
Response: Yes
Justification: Fragmented habitat and apparently absent/lost from some suitable sites
Question 3: At a landscape scale, would the species benefit from untargeted habitat management to increase habitat mosaics, structural diversity, or particular successional stages?
Response: No
Justification: This species would not benefit from untargeted management

Species Assessment

Current step on the Species Recovery Curve (SRC): 2. Biological status assessment exists
Recovery potential/expectation: Low - Combination or other (detail in comments)
National Monitoring Resource: Opportunistic - insufficient
Species Comments: Recovery potential likely restricted by climate change and other hydrological challenges to its lowland raised bog and fen habitat.

Key Actions

Key Action 1

Proposed Action: Targeted survey of all recorded sites and similar near-by habitat using standardised methodology to assess current status (and establish baseline for national monitoring programme)

Action targets: 2. Biological status assessment exists

Action type: Status survey/review

Duration: 2 years

Scale of Implementation: ≤ 10 sites

High priority sites:

Comments:

Key Action 2

Proposed Action: Autecological research to establish microhabitat requirements at apparently contrasting sites and inform management

Action targets: 4. Autecology and pressures understood

Action type: Scientific research

Duration: 3-5 years

Scale of Implementation: ≤ 5 sites

High priority sites: e.g. Redgrave & Lopham Fen, Suffolk; Bloxworth, Dorset; Fenn's & Whixall Mosses, Shropshire

Comments: Focus on reliable but contrasting sites in terms of both habitat and geography

Key Action 3

Proposed Action: Provide targeted advice to project/land managers of peatland management/restoration/re-creation restoration projects (including palludiculture) in relevant areas, on the species location/s and habitat/management requirements (informed by actions 1 and 2) to avoid damage to current resource and maximise new colonisation opportunities.

Action targets: 5. Remedial action identified

Action type: Advice & support

Duration: 3-5 years

Scale of Implementation: ≤ 50 sites

High priority sites:

Comments: A liaison action for BAS, NE and site managers.

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Acknowledgment:
Data used on this website are adapted from Threatened species recovery actions 2025 baseline (JP065): Technical report and spreadsheet user guide (Natural England, 2025). Available here.