Mystery spider - Syspira

Moved

Moved from Spiders.

… marshal hedin, 17 December, 2009 - 10:26am

Thanks so much

for identifying this spider to family and genus! It's much appreciated!

… Lynn Monroe, 17 December, 2009 - 10:22pm

Wow!

That genus seems so obvious now. I hadn't even ventured into that family. Thanks, Marshal! SONA lists 4 species in Syspira, all from southern Cali and western Texas.

… Mandy Howe, 17 December, 2009 - 1:46pm

Moved

Moved from ID Request.

… v belov, 16 December, 2009 - 8:34am

Interesting beast

The eye pattern seems close to Gnaphosidae (ground spiders); however, the rest of the critter doesn't look very ground-spider-like (except maybe for the genus Drassodes--but even that doesn't seem to be an exceptionally close match).

As a total amateur, I'll be interested in seeing the spider experts do their thing on this one :)

… Ken Wolgemuth, 4 December, 2009 - 12:39pm

You are correct that the eyes are not right

for a Lycosid. There are similar spiders in the Tropical Wolf Spiders, Ctenidae, maybe even Ctenus, but we don't know that family very well.

… john and jane balaban, 4 December, 2009 - 12:34pm

Thinking aloud again...

I think that Ctenids have an eye pattern that makes it seem like there are three rows of eyes. The anterior lateral eyes (ALE) are so incredibly close to the posterior lateral eyes (PLE) that it makes the anterior median eyes (AME) seem all alone in their own separate row. I'm not really seeing that arrangement in this spider (?). The habitus resembles Ctenidae, though...? A Ctenid with an uncommon eye pattern, maybe? Or also...

I wonder if this cool spider could be something more like a Tengellid? I am not experienced with them, but this eye arrangement fits, along with the notched trochanters that I think I am seeing, and the carapace shape. We'd have to see more of this specimen, of course...(palps would be the key). Tengellidae has 5 genera, 26 species. Lauricius holds its legs like a crab spider (laterigrade; legs are twisted at the trochanter and directed outward from the body)...so I think we can count that genus out? Also, that genus and Anachemmis have patterned abdomens, whereas the other three genera have concolorous ones. Those remaining three genera are Titiotus, Socalchemmis, and Liocranoides. The latter of which can be crossed off since their range is the Appalachian Mountains.

So...if Tengellidae is correct (I could be WAY off), that would mean our choices of genera are: Titiotus or Socalchemmis, approx 20 species. *phew...I'm out of breath*

And thanks to SONA for this info, of course. :)

… Mandy Howe, 4 December, 2009 - 8:47pm

Tengellidae possibly

I asked Dr. Cushing if she would look at these spider images and see if it can be identified to family via a photograph.

She wrote back that "Mandy Howe who responded on the website was correct--looks like a Tengellidae to me. But I won't say for certain since the eye pattern is pretty generic. But the two eye rows comined with the laterigrade arrangement of the legs and the large size points to Tengellidae."

… Lynn Monroe, 16 December, 2009 - 10:02am

Thanks, Lynn!

Glad to hear an update. I keep thinking about your spider, but other things keep popping up and I never did get back to it. Sorry about that. It was good to here that an expert took a look and thought possibly Tengellidae. Good for my ID ego, too! (haha!)

I am curious what the other spider people think about this one, and where to place it.

… Mandy Howe, 16 December, 2009 - 7:09pm

Thank you, Ken, John, Jane and Mandy,

Thanks for all your suggestions about the possible identity of this mystery spider. We are starting to follow them up. Your help is much appreciated!

… Lynn Monroe, 5 December, 2009 - 5:56pm