Dicranopalpus ramosus sensu stricto

Dicranopalpus ramosus sensu stricto

Description

Body length 3-6mm, long legs, forked pedipalps. Often rests in a distinctive pose with the legs directed to the sides. Dicranopalpus ramosus was recorded as a single species until a paper was published in 2015 which detailed another species of the same genus, Dicranopalpus caudatus (Wijnhoven and Prieto, 2015). Recording Dicranopalpus ramosus as sensu stricto requires microscopic examination of males. It is not currently clear if D. ramosus and D. caudatas females can be reliably separated. 

Identification difficulty
Recording advice

Recording Dicranopalpus ramosus as sensu stricto rather than sensu lato or agg. requires microscopic examination of the features detailed in Wijnhoven and Prieto, 2015.

Habitat

An arboreal species found in urban areas, grassland and hedgerows, on trees but also on walls, fence posts, etc. 

When to see it

Summer-Autumn

UK Status

Widespread and common. 

VC55 Status

Common in Leicestershire and Rutland but rarely identified to species level. 

Leicestershire & Rutland Map

MAP KEY:

Yellow squares = NBN records (all known data)
Coloured circles = NatureSpot records: 2025+ | 2020-2024 | pre-2020

UK Map

Additional images

All NatureSpot records