Oxyopes sertatus
| Oxyopes sertatus | |
|---|---|
| female from Okinawa | |
| male from Okinawa | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Araneomorphae |
| Family: | Oxyopidae |
| Genus: | Oxyopes |
| Species: | O. sertatus
|
| Binomial name | |
| Oxyopes sertatus L. Koch, 1878
| |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Oxyopes sertatus is a species of lynx spider in the family Oxyopidae.[1] It is native to East Asia, where it is distributed across India, Nepal, China, Taiwan, Korea, and Japan.[1]
Taxonomy
The species was first described by Ludwig Carl Christian Koch in 1878 based on specimens from Japan.[1][2] The holotype, an immature female, is deposited in the Natural History Museum, London.[1][3]
In 1924, Ralph V. Chamberlin described Argiope aequior from specimens collected in China, but this was later determined to be a synonym of O. sertatus by Song Daxiang in 1988.[1][4]
Distribution
O. sertatus has a wide distribution across East Asia, with records from India, Nepal, China, Taiwan, Korea, and Japan.[1] The species was first reported from India in 2020, extending its known range westward.[5]
Description
O. sertatus exhibits sexual dimorphism, with females being larger than males.[6] Based on the original description by Bösenberg and Strand (1906), females range from 7–11 mm in total length, while males are approximately 9 mm.[6]
The carapace is pale brownish, sometimes appearing greenish in life, with the eye region situated on a yellowish field with pale yellow hairs.[6] Behind each of the six upper eyes is a deep black spot that is usually larger than the eyes themselves.[6] The abdomen is yellowish-white with a broad brownish or gray-brown cardiac stripe that often extends to the spinnerets.[6] Diagonal dark stripes extend from the sides toward the center of the abdomen.[6]
The legs are brownish-yellow with strong, long spines, particularly prominent on the tibiae and metatarsi.[6]
Biological control
O. sertatus has been studied extensively for its role as a biological control agent of agricultural pests. In 1961, Izumi Kayashima conducted a notable field experiment in Japan, releasing 45,000 individuals of O. sertatus into a Cryptomeria forest to control the gall midge Contarinia inouyei.[7] The study demonstrated a 53% reduction in damage caused by the pest, highlighting the species' potential as a biocontrol agent.[7]
References
- ^ a b c d e f "Oxyopes sertatus L. Koch, 1878". World Spider Catalog. Retrieved 29 August 2025.
- ^ Koch, L. (1878). "Japanesische Arachniden und Myriapoden". Verhandlungen der Kaiserlich-Königlichen Zoologisch-Botanischen Gesellschaft in Wien. 27 (1877): 735–798.
- ^ Lo, Y.Y.; Cheng, R.C.; Lin, C.P. (2021). "Species delimitation and taxonomic revision of Oxyopes (Araneae: Oxyopidae) of Taiwan, with description of two new species". Zootaxa. 4927 (1): 58–86. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.4927.1.4.
- ^ Song, D.X. (1988). "A revision of the Chinese spiders described by Chamberlin". Sinozoologia. 6: 123–136.
- ^ Palita, S.K.; De, K.; Choudhury, S.R.; Das, S.K. (2020). "First report of the lynx spider Oxyopes sertatus L. Koch, 1878 (Araneae: Oxyopidae) from India". Serket. 17 (2): 136–138.
- ^ a b c d e f g Bösenberg, W.; Strand, E. (1906). "Japanische Spinnen". Abhandlungen der Senckenbergischen Naturforschenden Gesellschaft. 30: 93–422.
- ^ a b Kayashima, I. (1961). "Study on the lynx-spider Oxyopes sertatus L. Koch for biological control of Contarinia inouyei". Review of Applied Entomology. 51: 413.