Hi, Jane and John-

I am wondering about this specimen's identification as X. elegans (I just found a similar specimen). Looking at the images you link to, there are differences (as best one can see): all legs darkly pigmented, the center chevron one sees here not visible or indistinct.

It does not seem to match the description in Kaston (he mentions neither the light-colored chevron nor the dark pigmentation of the femurs I and II. On the other hand, he does write: "carapace is dark brown on sides; pale in the middle third. In front of the thoracic furrow this pale middle third usually has a white V-shaped area." But that is for X. fraternus.

Unfortunately, until I can get hold of a microscope (or someone who has one), I won't know for sure -- at least about the specimen I found.

distinct types here:
The one we see as elegans:


and the one with the clear chevron which may be fraternus:


but note that on Jeff mentions that he feels all the species identifications may be wrong. With 67 NA species we (J&J)clearly can't claim to have sufficient knowledge to help here.

Yes, that large number is certainly a bit "off-putting". And no guarantees that I'll be able to shed any light (or at least too soon to tell), as examination of the pedipalps seems sometimes to be more art than science.

Thanks for the links above!

-K