Ghost‐busting: patch occupancy and habitat preferences of Ocyale ghost (Araneae: Lycosidae), a single site endemic in north‐western Madagascar

Abstract

AbstractMicroendemic species are of great conservation concern due to their vulnerability to stochastic events and environmental change. Therefore, understanding the basic ecology of such organisms is integral to future efforts to conserve them. Here, we present the first ecological study of the only known population of Ocyale ghost Jocque & Jocqué 2017 – the single species within this genus in Madagascar – located at a small lake shore in the north‐west of the island. We aimed to reveal spatial patterns of microhabitat selection and patch occupancy in relation to environmental covariates, including distance to lake edge, topography and sand coverage. We found microhabitat selection to be strong in our occupancy models, with plots closer to the lake edge and with a higher proportion of sand showing the highest estimated occupancy. We suggest decreases in prey availability and changes in the physical characteristics of the substrate in relation to the distance from lake shore and sand availability (important for burrowing and temperature regulation), respectively, as potential factors behind occupancy. We discuss our findings in the context of the proportional underrepresentation of invertebrates in conservation research, which threatens the persistence of endemic and microendemic invertebrates in the face of significant global and local environmental change.