Green Orbweaver - Araneus bonsallae

Sure would be nice if we coul

Sure would be nice if we could collect a few of these specimens so as to have a solid point of reference.

… Kevin Pfeiffer, 29 May, 2011 - 12:54am

I'll do my best to . . .

find this one again. If I find it, I'll send it to you.

… Rich Hoyer, 30 May, 2011 - 4:48pm

Yes it would

especially since Levi says some descriptions are from fresh specimens and some are from old soggy ones. Add to that he just guesses what carroll & raui might have looked like because the specimens in alcohol basically have no pattern or coloring at all. I've been working on an article to help me sort out the details on these. You can see it here.

… Lynette Elliott, 29 May, 2011 - 9:37am

Moved

Moved from holding bin for green Araneus. Ok, so it figures after I moved this I did find something. If you look at Levi's drawings on page 525 you'll see clear evidence of an anterior transverse marking... I assume it's lighter in color by the drawing, though the description doesn't seem to mention it. See anterior marking similar here on an A. cingulatus.

Then when you look at pg. 529 at the drawing of cingulatus one image is very washed out and the other shows no anterior transverse mark. Perhaps it's just a variable marking? Levi also talks about the legs. Bonsallae having green legs with distal articles reddish. Cingulatus legs light green with distal ends of first legs brownish. I guess we have to also consider these drawings were made from specimens kept a year in alcohol. =[

… Lynette Elliott, 28 May, 2011 - 11:18am

As we read the descriptions in Levi again

we can only conclude that these images and the one referenced by Lynette are bonsallae. Central black patch is described for bonsallae among other descriptions that fit, and cingulatus is specifically described as having no black pigment on the abdomen.
We would add Jason's to that group.

… john and jane balaban, 27 May, 2011 - 8:54pm

Araneus bonsallae

well that's exciting. How many times have we read that pamphlet!? I'm going to read parts again to confirm your thoughts and then I'll move them. Great job!

Ok so do you understand this:
A. bonsallae Levi, 1973: 524, f. 265-294, 453-454 (removed f from S of A. bispinosus, Dm, S).

What does removed f from S mean? Removed female from Synonym? Oh I think I get it. Pg. 502 says that one specimen (bispinosus) of the Chamberlin collection was marked bonsallae and all the bispinosus of that collection actually were montereyensis.

… Lynette Elliott, 28 May, 2011 - 10:46am

Moved

Moved from Spiders.

… john and jane balaban, 27 May, 2011 - 9:07am

Green Araneus

Compare with

… Lynette Elliott, 27 May, 2011 - 8:40am

What do you think of comparing my images . . .

with this spider? http://www.whatsthatbug.com/2008/08/25/orb-weaver-araneus-cingulatus/

… Rich Hoyer, 27 May, 2011 - 4:47pm

Nevermind.

I see that they are referencing Bugguide; so my reasoning appears to be circular. :/

… Rich Hoyer, 27 May, 2011 - 5:18pm