A new feature for the separation of Trochosa spinipalpis and T.ruricola males (Araneae, Lycosidae)

2006·2.3 MB·English

by  Martin Hepner

Arachnol.Mitt. 32:11-12 Nürnberg,Dezember2006
A new feature for the separation of Trochosaspinipalpisand T. terricolamales
(Araneae, Lycosidae)
Martin Hepner& Norbert Milasowszky
Abstract:A newfeature on thetip ofthe palp,which enablesthe separation ofmale Trochosaspinipalpis(F.O.
P.-Cambridge,1895)from T.terricolaJhoreW,1856,isdescribed.T.terricolaexhibitsahairlessstriponthetipofthe
palp,while 7!spinipalpislacksthisfeatureand has long hairsonthewholepalp.
Keywords:Europe,taxonomy,wolfspiders
Generally, morphological characters of the bul- Inthepresentstudy15malesof77spinipalpisand70
bus are used in determination keys to separate of77terricolawere examined.The tips ofthe palps
&
species ofmale lycosid spiders (e. g. HEIMER were studied under abinocular microscope.Three
NenTWIG 1991,Roberts 1995).Charactersused palps ofeach species were studied under a Philips
for separation ofthe five Central European Tro- XL 20 scanning electron microscope (SEM).The
chosa males include the pedipalp,tarsus I, the fang material was provided by C. Komposch (private
and the palpal claw (e.g. DAHL 1908, LOCKET & collection) and N. Milasowszky (private collec-
Millidge 1951, Engelhardt 1964, Tanaka tion).
1988, HEIMER & NENTWIG 1991, ROBERTS
1995).Thepresence/absenceofaclawatthetipof Materialexamined:
thepedipalp divides the five species into two main 77spinipalpis
groups.Thefirstgroup,possessingaclaw,contains C. Komposch: A, Carinthia, near Hüttenberg,
T.hispanica Simon, 1870, T. robusta(Simon, 1876) "Hörfeld-Moor”, 13.VI.1996, 15dd.
and T.ruricola(DeGeer, 1778).Thesecondgroup, 77terricola
without a claw, consists ofT. spinipalpis (F. O. R- N. Milasowszky: A, Lower Austria, Hundsheim,
Cambridge, 1895) and 77 terricola Thorell, 1856. "Königswarte", 29.IV.2003, 27d d; A, Lower
The main characters separating T. spinipalpis and Austria, Hundsheim, "Spitzerberg", 29.IX.2003,
77 terricola are the presence/absence ofa group of 23d d; A, Lower Austria, Lunz, "Rothwald",
stout spines (Fig. la, b) on the under surface of 2003, 3dd; A, Vienna, Botanical Garden ofthe
the palpal tibia and the shape ofthe palp (see also UniversityofVienna,2005,2d d A,Vienna, Lo-
;
Roberts 1995). Locket et al. (1974) noticed bau, "Heißlände", 1999, 15d d.
that: ’’Male specimens of T. spinipalpis are some-
times foundinwhichthe spinesonthepalpaltibia Ourexaminations revealedthatthepalpaltip ofT.
(Volume I, Text-fig. 134, D) are not as strongly terricolapossessesahairlessstrip(Fig.2b),whilethe
developedasusual,anddifficultyindistinguishing whole tip ofthe palp of77spinipalpisis coveredby
from 77 terricolacansometimesarise.”Insuchcases longhairs (Fig.2a).This newfeature in T.terricola
the authors indicated that the tip ofthe embolus canclearlybeseenunderthebinocularmicroscope
is aconfirmatorycharacterconcludingthat:”... in andthuswillhelptoseparatemalesof77spinipalpis
viewofEngelhardt’s findings for othercharacters, and 77terricola quicklyand reliably.
the distinction shouldbe usedwith caution.”
Acknowledgements
The authors thank Prof Dr. H. F. Paulus, University
MartinHEPNER&Dr.NorbertMILASOWSZKYDepartmentof ofVienna, for his support. Thanks are also due to C.
EvolutionaryBiology,UniversityofVienna,Althanstraße14,A- Komposchforkindlyprovidingmaterialof77spinipalpis.
1090Wien. E-Mail:[email protected], Further thanks are due to Dr. H. Krenn for technical
[email protected]
helpwith SEM.We are alsoverygratefultoJ.Plantfor
linguistichelp.
12 M.Hepner&N.Milosowszky
Fig.1:Tibiaoftheleftpedipalpof(a) T.spinipalpisvj\thagroupofstoutspinesand (b) 7!fe/r/co/r?withoutthisfeature,
prolateralview.Scale=200pm
Fig.2:Palpaltipof(a) T.spinipalpiscovered bylong hairsand (b) T.terricolawithadistincthairlessstrip.Scale= 100pm
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