Bergmanns's size cline in New Zealand marine spray zone spiders (Araneae: Anyphaenidae: Amaurobioides)

Research on marine spray zone spiders (Amaurobioides) around New Zealand reveals a significant Bergmann's size cline, where spider body length and mass increase with cooler temperatures and higher latitudes. This pattern, observed in both the North Island and northern South Island populations, suggests an underlying genetic component influencing size variation. The study used Templeton-Crandall-Sing (TCS) analysis of mitochondrial ND1 gene data to identify 13 haplotypes in the northern group, distinct from the southern Amaurobioides maritima species. Independent contrast analyses and regressions confirmed the relationship between body size, mass, latitude, and temperature, providing evidence for adaptive responses to environmental conditions.

OPELL, B. D. (2010). Bergmanns’s size cline in New Zealand marine spray zone spiders (Araneae: Anyphaenidae: Amaurobioides). Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 101(1), 78–92. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1095-8312.2010.01480.x