Dolomedes triton (Walckenaer, 1837) Discussion

sixspotted fishing spider

Comments on June 11, 2006 Observation

Brandi Fleshman
64.5917, -147.0708
1

Submitted: April 26, 2007 at 1:15:36 PM MST

Salcha Alaska, on surface of small pond. Gravid female (made eggsac next day). There were several immatures running around the area as well.

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David P. Shorthouse wrote on April 30, 2007 at 2:58:19 PM MST

Quoting Brandi Fleshman:I'm not sure but I think I recal D. triton being reported from somewhere in southeast Alaska in Dondale's book about the insects and arachnids of Canada and Alaska Quote End

I see a dot on the islands, just north of the BC/Alaska border in Dondale & Redner's 1990 manual, but nothing in the interior.

Brandi Fleshman wrote on April 27, 2007 at 10:41:42 PM MST

I'm not sure but I think I recal D. triton being reported from somewhere in southeast Alaska in Dondale's book about the insects and arachnids of Canada and Alaska (the one on lycosids, pisaurids and oxyopids). But, yeah, I've never heard of any reported from interior Alaska. I did observe one adult male and another female carrying an eggsac at this same pond last summer, but I did not take note of the dates. The pond is relatively new - it was dug ~ 10 yrs. ago when we bought the property, and consisted only of gravel for several years before much inhabited it. There aren't any other ponds very close by either; I was wondering if these spider disperse by balooning?

David P. Shorthouse wrote on April 26, 2007 at 2:00:44 PM MST

This might very well be the northeastern-most record for D. triton. None of the maps I have seen show any collections that far northeast. The furthest north I have seen on a map is ~Tulita, NWT (http://maps.google.com/maps?q=64.95,-125.83).