Castianeira longipalpa? - Castianeira longipalpa

Image added

Totally forgot - I got a shot of the eyes too, showing the shape of the PMEs. According to the Micaria info page:

According to SONA
- all gnaphosids (Micaria) have irregularly shaped PMEs, Castianeira are round

Btw, it looks like the yellowish hairs on the carapace are feathery. Reminds me of Agelenids.

… Kyron Basu, 9 October, 2012 - 1:30pm

Castianeira longipalpa

Nice ones! When you get some great voucher shots like this it's good to put them on the info page. (see what I've done) I can't remember why the ventral spination on tibias I and II are important in this species. That info should also be added to the info page.

(By the way... it's nice to have you back too Kevin!)

… Lynette Elliott, 9 October, 2012 - 9:02am

Tibia spination

I don't know if the spination matters for the species, though I gathered from the Micaria info page that it was important for the genus:

Kaston's how to know the spiders tells the difference between Castianeira and Micaria as
- The well marked thoracic groove in Castianeira.
- Tibiae I & II have two or three pairs of ventral spines in Castianeira

… Kyron Basu, 9 October, 2012 - 1:24pm

It's good to have images like this (particularly when Rod has given his blessing), as the epigynum diverges somewhat in appearance from Paquin's drawing, and without having seen numerous specimens it can be difficult to know how much variation is possible.

-K

… Kevin Pfeiffer, 9 October, 2012 - 5:36am

ID confirmed by Rod Crawford

"The first one is clearly C. longipalpa by the epigynum."

Moved from Spiders.

… Kyron Basu, 8 October, 2012 - 11:04pm