Arachnologische Mitteilungen 54

Arachnologische Mitteilungen / Arachnology Letters 54: 41-43 Karlsruhe, September 2017 The European spider fauna comprises almost 4600 species, of which 184 (4 %) are allochthonous in Europe (Nentwig 2015, Helsdingen 2016). Among them, Mermessus trilobatus was introduced from North America relatively recently (in the 1980s) into south-western Germany (Karlsruhe; Dum- pert & Platen 1985). Since 1990, new records of this species have gradually appeared from other areas of Europe, namely Switzerland (Hänggi 1990), Italy (1995: cited by Helsdingen & IJland 2007), Austria (Breuss 1999), Belgium (Aminal 2000), France (Blick 2000), the Netherlands (Helsdingen & IJland 2007), Great Britain (Harvey 2008), the Czech Republic (Dolanský et al. 2009), Poland (Rozwałka 2010, Rozwałka et al. 2013, 2017), Slovenia (Čandek et al. 2013), Hungary (Szinetár et al. 2014), Croatia (Republic of Croatia 2014) and Slovakia (Šestáková et al. 2017). This expansion into the east started within Germany (Arachnologische Gesellschaft 2016), and has already reached the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Poland and now Ukraine. The Ukrainian Carpathians repre- sent the eastern boundary for the spread of Mermessus triloba- tus on the Eurasian continent. Material and methods The collection locality of Mermessus trilobatus is Ukraine, Zakarpats’ka oblast’, Rakhiv rayon (district), the Svydivets’ mountain massif, f.n. Vorozheska (48°16’32’’N, 24°11’32’’E; 1495 m a.s.l.); at the bottom of the glacial cirque covered with subalpine green alder scrubs, Juniper thickets, Vaccinium heaths andmeadows; a mountain stream (soft water bryophyte springs; after 200 m it flows into Lake Vorozheska), between stones and in moss, collected by hand, 9.VIII.2016, 1 ) (Fig. 1, 2).There is moderate grazing of sheep within the area and it is generally hard to reach by tourists because of the steep slopes of the glacial cirque. Besides Mermessus trilobatus , a small number of other native species typical for this habitat were found: Agyneta rurestris (C.L. Koch, 1836) 1 ( , Diplocephalus helleri (L. Koch, 1869) 1 ( , Kaestneria torrentum (Kulczyński, 1882) 2 )) , Micrargus sp. 2 (( , Oedothorax retusus (Westring, 1851) 1 ( , Porrhomma convexum (Westring, 1851) 1 ( and Sittiflor ru- picola (C. L. Koch, 1837) 2 (( , 6 juv. Fragmentary data about the fauna of the Svydivets’moun- tain massif has been known since the middle of the twentieth century (Baum 1934, Balogh 1940, Balogh & Loksa 1947a, 1947b).The present study was conducted in glacial cirques of the Svydivets’ massif (once per month from V to VIII.2016) on the basis of standard collecting methods, such as Barber First record of the alien spider species Mermessus trilobatus (Araneae: Linyphiidae) in Ukraine Anna Hirna doi: 10.5431/aramit5409 Abstract. Mermessus trilobatus (Emerton, 1882) is recorded for the first time in Ukraine. Its presence represents the easternmost bound- ary of this species in Europe. One male was found in the glacial cirque of the mountain massif Svydivets’ in the Ukrainian Carpathians at an altitude of 1495 m. The locality is a mountain stream, the banks of which have been moderately grazed by sheep. Information on the distribution of this species in Central and Eastern Europe is given. Keywords: non-native species, Ukrainian Carpathians Zusammenfassung. Erstnachweis der neozoischen Spinnenart Mermessus trilobatus (Araneae: Linyphiidae) in der Ukraine. Mer- messus trilobatus (Emerton, 1882) wird erstmals für die Ukraine nachgewiesen. Es ist der östlichste Verbreitungspunkt der Art in Europa. Ein Männchen wurde in einem Kartal des Bergmassifs Svydivets in den Ukrainischen Karpaten in 1495 m Höhe gefangen. Der Fundort ist an einem Bergbach, dessen Uferbereiche extensiv mit Schafen beweidet wurden. Die Verbreitung der Art in Mittel- und Osteuropa wird diskutiert. Anna Hirna, Institute of Ecology of the Carpathians NAS of Ukraine, 4 Kozelnytska St., Lviv, 79026, Ukraine; E-mail: ahirna@i.ua submitted 1.3.2017, accepted 2.8.2017, online 16.8.2017 Fig. 1: Locality of Mermessus trilobatus