Xysticus ulmi candidates?

[Heart-shaped World]

What do you reckon folks?
These were taken last year - June for the male, early August for the female. The male was in the sphagnum bog pools of an old woodland pond (has an isolated population of Downy Emeralds), the female was about five metres from the edge - so the habitat association looks good to me. Is there anything diagnostic or am I to return this year for a sample?





Any thoughts very much appreciated.

Darren.

[Venger]

Guess you're going to have to take a sample to confirm - you're going to have to check the palps and epigyne to get it 100% correct.
Habitat wise they fit X.ulmi and so do looks (but you cant give 100% from looks!)

[Meta menardi]

Originally Posted by Venger

Guess you're going to have to take a sample to confirm - you're going to have to check the palps and epigyne to get it 100% correct.
Habitat wise they fit X.ulmi and so do looks (but you cant give 100% from looks!)

I go with that. The wet habitat is very suggestive of X. ulmi. With photos like yours, if you get the right bits it should be possible to get an ID.

Did anyone else get the story about 18 months ago about the computer program that will diagnose any spider from a photo of the epigyne? Seems to have gone a bit quiet, after the gasps of wonder at the idea of such stunning simplicity.

[Heart-shaped World]

Thanks guys. Thought that would be the case - I look forward to June!

[No.9 Spider]

I wouldn't hazard a guess frm these 'photo's - as Venger says.
Nice pictures though. Do you have any others of the same specimens out of interest?

No.9 Spider

[Heart-shaped World]

Thanks No.9 Spider.
I do have some more but not showing palps or epigyne clearly.

Here's one ...

[Meta menardi]

Originally Posted by Heart-shaped World

Thanks No.9 Spider.
I do have some more but not showing palps or epigyne clearly.

Here's one ...

I love that photo, the grass is flowering, the spid is eating and so on. Does anyone want to comment on this spid apparently lurking on a grass infloresence, it seems a bit out of the norm for Xysticus sp

[Heart-shaped World]

Thanks Meta menardi, I have read of females of this species being seen high up on reeds guarding the egg sac/cocoon. There are no reeds at this pond, but that's what got me looking at the various candidates. (Xysticus audax is found on higher vegetation such as gorse and heather as well.)