Neriene montana

(Clerck, 1757)

Old World Dome Sheetweaver

Neriene montana is a small sheetweb-weaving in the Linyphiidae, formerly known as Linyphia montana. It has a holarctic distribution spanning northern Europe, Russia, Central Asia, and Japan. The constructs distinctive hammock-shaped webs and is commonly found in vegetation, under logs, and on tree trunks. It is one of the more frequently observed linyphiid spiders, with over 3,400 records on iNaturalist.

Neriene montana by (c) Barry Walter, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Barry Walter. Used under a CC-BY license.Neriene montana by (c) Drepanostoma, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Drepanostoma. Used under a CC-BY license.Neriene montana (Linyphiidae) - (male subadult), Elst (Gld), the Netherlands by This image is created by user B. Schoenmakers at Waarneming.nl, a source of nature observations in the Netherlands. . Used under a CC BY 3.0 license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Neriene montana: //nɛˈriː.niː.e mɒnˈtɑː.nə//

These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.

Identification

Distinguished from similar Neriene by the combination of small size (4–7 mm), - legs with prominent annulations, and the abdominal pattern of a brown with pale speckles and indentations on a pale background. The and male provide definitive identification but require microscopic examination. specimens cannot be reliably identified to species.

Images

Habitat

Builds webs among bushes or low vegetation, on tree trunks, and under logs. Occupies a variety of wooded and semi-open including forest clearings, parklands, and montane areas.

Distribution

Holarctic: northern Europe, Caucasus, Russia (European to Far East), Central Asia, and Japan. Present in Flanders, Belgium.

Behavior

Constructs a hammock-shaped (dome) sheet web, positioned beneath which the rests while waiting for . Web architecture is characteristic of the .

Ecological Role

of small flying and crawling captured in its sheet web. Serves as for larger and vertebrates.

Human Relevance

No documented economic or medical significance. Occasionally encountered by naturalists and arachnologists due to its widespread distribution.

Similar Taxa

  • Other Neriene speciesSimilar body plan and web architecture; distinguished by leg annulation pattern, abdominal markings, and genitalic structures

More Details

Taxonomic History

Transferred from Linyphia to Neriene; older literature references this as Linyphia montana

Observation Frequency

Well-documented with over 3,400 observations on iNaturalist as of 2024

Tags

Sources and further reading