Wolf Spider - Trochosa ruricola

Yes, although I did not dissect it (as if that would help me much), this would appear to be T. ruricola. The more distinct lanceolate mark on the abdomen also seems to support this.

-K

… Kevin Pfeiffer, 9 February, 2010 - 3:54pm

Moved

Moved from Trochosa.
Thanks John.

… tom murray, 2 February, 2010 - 3:50pm

Probably T. ruricola

I would be willing to call this Trochosa ruricola, based partly on Kevin's ID to that species of another specimen of yours from nearby New Hampshire; and also on the criteria outlined in this paper by Prentice (note the wide, unbroken submarginal band on the carapace in your specimen):

http://www.americanarachnology.org/JoA_free/JoA_v29_n3/arac_29_03_427.pdf

I'm assuming the criteria apply to Trochosa species in your area, of course. Also, T. ruricola, a European import, has displaced or outnumbers T. terricola in some areas in the east.

… John Sloan, 1 February, 2010 - 4:36pm

Nice

I hope you saved this specimen. I was just reading that eastern T. terricola have three retromarginal teeth, whereas those out west have only two. Might be interesting to examine this one for that (as well as a species ID). If you just found it, though, at this time of year it's possible it's only a subadult.

BTW, was the circular shelter more of a shallow depression in the dirt than a tunnel or hole?

… John Sloan, 29 November, 2009 - 4:47pm

Shallow depression

That's right, just a shallow depression with a ring of dirt around it, not a hole.
I'll feed her a few bugs, and hopefully I'll end up with a mature female.

… tom murray, 29 November, 2009 - 5:07pm

Interesting!

I found an adult female lycosid with egg sac in a shallow depression last July, in the middle of my lawn under a piece of lichen. I took some pictures, but I don't think it was Trochosa (though it looked similar). I believe I still have the spider, preserved. If I can find it I'll try and do an ID. In the meantime, I'll post a habitus picture or two. They show mainly the spider; the depression is mostly hidden behind her egg sac. It was a small depression, about what you'd get if you poked your finger 1/2 inch into the soil.

… John Sloan, 29 November, 2009 - 6:57pm

I now believe the spider was probably Alopecosa aculeata.

… John Sloan, 1 April, 2012 - 2:26pm

Some pictures

Here are some photos of that spider:

… John Sloan, 29 November, 2009 - 7:21pm

Nice pictures

Too bad I didn't have my camera with me when I found the spider, so I didn't get a shot of the depression. It was similar to how I've seen some queen carpenter ants in the fall, that build a circular "nest" under the bark. Only thing, this was under a log in the dirt.

… tom murray, 29 November, 2009 - 8:18pm