Water spider Argyroneta aquatica (Clerck, 1757) (Aranea: Dictynidae) in the Samara region

The diving bell spider or water spider Argyroneta aquatica (Clerck, 1757) is the only spider species in the world that lives in the water column. From the territory of the Samara region, the spider was known only from two isolated finds – from the Kinelsky and Stavroposky districts. The purpose of this work is to analyze data on the water spider in the Samara region, on its habitats and factors limiting its distribution and abundance. Our work presents new spider finds made in reservoirs (rivers, lakes, and swamps) in Bolshechernigovsky, Kinelsky, Bogatovsky and Isaklinsky districts of the Samara Region, as well as an analysis of the distribution of Argyroneta aquatica (Clerck, 1757) in adjacent regions. The authors analyzed the traditional methods of collecting aquatic invertebrates, and, in particular, the methods of collecting Argyroneta aquatica, and proposed the author’s eco-friendly method of trapping aquatic invertebrates living among macrophyte thickets. The authors have identified factors limiting the occurrence of the silver spider: the presence of submerged macrophytes, the absence of a fast current, the presence of heated shallow water areas, the habitat of aquatic gastropods in the reservoir, as well as compliance with the quality of water in habitats not lower than “satisfactorily clean”. The authors believe that the conservation status of A. aquatica in the regional Red List of the Samara region should be changed from category 3 – rare species to category 4 – undetermined species. The paper presents the author’s photographs of the habitats of the silver spider and shells of gastropods used by the spider as wintering chambers.