Trapdoor Spider - Ummidia

Definitely Mygalomorphae!!

This is a male trapdoor spider, genus Ummidia, family Ctenizidae. It's possibly an undescribed species (our lab has collected these "white-spotted" males from Croatan, too, and we cannot put a name on it). The genus is widespread throughout the USA, Mexico, and into Central America; there are only a dozen or so species described, but some estimates suggest that there may be ten times that number! Cool find!

… Brent E Hendrixson, 17 October, 2005 - 6:10pm

trapdoor spider, Mygalomorphae

Lynette, what you have is an adult male trapdoor spider! Very Nice Find!
PLEASE contact Brent Hendrixson at Eastern Carolina University (I'll give you his email privately). He would probably love to see it! Keep it in alcohol if it's toast. (I'll bet a bundle it is, judging from its mellowness.)
I have emailed this link to him, too.
Kari J McWest, Canyon, Texas

… Kari J McWest, 17 October, 2005 - 5:44pm

Spider

I should submerge it completely in alcohol?

… Lynette Elliott, 17 October, 2005 - 7:43pm

Absolutely!

All spiders and scorpions, all arachnids and acari, should be preserved in 70-80% alcohol (isopropyl or ethanol) completely submerged with a secure cap/lid/stopper to prevent evaporation. Ants, too. Large specimens, probably like yours, should be injected with alcohol to prevent rotting.

Pinning and drying these critters shrivels them, and worse, makes them rot. Insects can be pinned because their exoskeleton is better suited for pinning. Plus, alcohol can damage the delicate wing structures needed for identification.

Kari J McWest, Canyon, Texas

… Kari J McWest, 18 October, 2005 - 6:37am