bolas spider (sp?) - Mastophora timuqua

Bolas spider ID

After these photographs appeared on BG, I got a call from Mark Stowe of the University of Florida. He was or is a research scientist who has worked with Levi, and even has a Mastophora named after him...
M. stowei.
He was sure that this was M. tumuqua, having seen them in or near Florida.
He was so sure, that he stopped here on his way north to hunt for it.
After dark we searched the area where I found it, using headlamps, and nearly got arrested. But we couldn't find the critter.

Stan Gilliam

… stan gilliam, 18 July, 2011 - 2:33pm

Thanks, Stan!

Very cool, and it squashes my suspicions that it was a different species. Thanks for the neat story... I love the ones where the naturalists nearly get arrested (so funny). :-)

… Mandy Howe, 19 July, 2011 - 9:22am

Thanks, Stan, for a great sto

Thanks, Stan, for a great story!

… Kevin Pfeiffer, 18 July, 2011 - 3:04pm

Moved

Moved from Bolas Spiders. Nice work Kevin. I don't know how you found that PDF, but I'm sure glad you did. I completely agree with your ID. Now we can work on the rest of the ones at genus level.

… Lynette Elliott, 11 October, 2010 - 3:25pm

Wish I could take credit for it. The Bulletin is in the Biodiversity Heritage Library, but I'm pretty sure that until recently this volume was not available.

Those are really nice images.

P.S. -- Yes, Stan, you could add close-up details of the head region.

… Kevin Pfeiffer, 12 October, 2010 - 12:41am

timuqua?

My money is on Mastophora timuqua Levi, 2003, based on shape of abdomen, lack of dorsal pattern, coloration of carapace, distribution.

We'll see if Lynette agrees.

Would be really nice if you could collect the specimen. (Okay, I'll stop mentioning this.) :-)

(Beautiful images, BTW; thanks for the added dorsal view.)

-K

… Kevin Pfeiffer, 11 October, 2010 - 1:44pm

What about M. apalachicola?

Was reading about Mastophora (to learn about the spider on pg. 177 of Howell & Jenkins) and Stan's seems more like M. apalachicola to me.

(all from Levi 2003 for apalachicola)-->
-pair of forks on carapace are the lightest brown color of the carapace
-femora and patellae with brown bands; tips of legs yellow-white
-adbomen with pair of black spots
-venter with white square containing 3 pairs of black dots (thought this was most noticeable on Stan's venter shot... that character isn't mentioned for timuqua)

What do you guys think? I'm also thinking that Howell & Jenkins might be M. apalachicola, as well (that image doesn't fit M. bisaccata). I know Levi lists apalachicola's range as South Carolina to northern Florida, but that's based on only 3 specimens. I'm sure it can also be found in North Carolina where Stan found this one.

… Mandy Howe, 16 July, 2011 - 11:53am

What about M. apalachicola?

I'm still inclined to guess timuqua. I have found over the years that ommission of a feature doesn't mean it's not there. I don't know why Levi mentions some features for one species and not other species. I have come across this while reading his other works... like the small Araneus. It's very frustrating for us... when we are looking for every detail that can rule out another species based on some field mark. Anyway, here are the reasons that I still lean toward timuqua:
1. The shape of the abdomen matches better.
2. The carapace is more hidden.. which probably is related to the shape of the abdomen. I suppose both of these could be explained by comparing a more gravid individual to a less gravid one.
3. I think the carapace 'horns' match better. They seem to be shorter in relation to the carapace than the ones found on apalachicola.
4. The range matches on the map very well.

I'll have to get back to you on the image from Howell and Jenkins. I have somehow misplaced my copy.... just used it this morning too!

… Lynette Elliott, 16 July, 2011 - 1:27pm

Good point

...about the fact that some people mention some characters for certain species and not for others.

I see what you mean. Maybe timuqua fits a bit better in shape and horn length. I do think these are all so rare (and so few have been collected) that the range for them is a bit inconsequential, but who knows.

It also seems like the copulatory opening of Stan's is a lot more "open" than it shows for timuqua (other species in that revision seem to match better in that area)... but maybe after mating or having laid eggs, the opening(s) get larger?

I guess we can never know either way, though (without epigyne shots, at least; even then, it would have to be dissected and cleared to see much in this genus, I think). I should have just let it be. (I think I'm trying too hard with minimal information.) I'm being counterproductive, lol.

… Mandy Howe, 18 July, 2011 - 7:19am

I'm being counterproductive

On the contrary... that's how we learn new things. And like you say we really don't know for sure..

… Lynette Elliott, 18 July, 2011 - 9:02am

Levi

I've gotten as far as 4 in the female keys...

They are not that easily found (should you want to consider collecting it for us, Stan).

A straight-on dorsal view would be nice to have.

-Kevin

… Kevin Pfeiffer, 11 October, 2010 - 11:56am

I'm wondering

if this might be Mastophora bisaccata. I'd like to see the PDF revision by Levi from 2003.

… Lynette Elliott, 11 October, 2010 - 9:33am

Looks like it was just added.

Looks like it was just added...
http://ia341033.us.archive.org/2/items/bulletinofmuseum157harv/

… Kevin Pfeiffer, 11 October, 2010 - 11:32am

You have to go out after dark

You have to go out after dark to see them at work, fishing for moths (as I recall).

(Having spent almost a year in Durham and not seeing any of these, I'm, of course, jealous.)

… Kevin Pfeiffer, 10 October, 2010 - 2:18pm

Moved

Moved from ID Request. Yes, and these are superb images. Hopefully we can figure out species on this one.

… Lynette Elliott, 10 October, 2010 - 12:16pm