An inventory of the spider species of Barcelonnette (France), with taxonomic notes on Piniphantes agnellus n. comb. (Araneae, Linyphiidae)

Abstract

We present an inventory of the spider species of the municipality of Barcelonnette (Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, France), based on the material collected during the “Explor'Nature Barcelonnette” event, organised by the Mercantour National Park, from 30th June to 2nd July 2017. We report a total of 120 species, representing 83 genera and 25 families. For each species we provide faunistic/taxonomical remarks and detailed information about sampling localities, distribution, preferred habitat. Most of the species have a Palearctic distribution, followed by European and Holarctic chorotypes. We recorded a small percentage of endemic species, including rare elements occurring only in high-alpine habitats, such as Drassodex simoniHerve, Roberts & Murphy, 2009 and Vesubia jugorum (Simon, 1881). Twenty-six species are recorded for the first time in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence Department. Two species, Chrysso nordica (Chamberlin & Ivie, 1947) and Urozelotes trifidusTuneva, 2003, are recorded for the first time in France. The sampling carried out in wet grasslands provided the highest number of species, followed by riparian habitats and shrublands. In addition, we provide a revision of the taxonomic position of Piniphantes agnellus (Maurer & Thaler, 1988) n. comb., including the first description of the male and illustrations of the palp morphology. Remarks on the ecology of the species and new drawings of the female genitalia are also given. Although the biological diversity of the study area is largely unknown, this faunal inventory enhances the knowledge of the biological richness of the area of Barcelonnette.