otiosus group

Phidippus regius C.L.Koch 1846

Phidippus otiosus (Hentz 1846)

Phidippus dianthus Edwards 2004

Phidippus californicus Peckham & Peckham 1901

Phidippus pius Scheffer 1906

Excerpts from Edwards, 2004:

"Five species are tentatively assigned to the group. The regius-otiosus pair is linked with P. dianthus and the californicus-pius pair by the females of some members of both groups having an iridescent clypeal band, which is almost unique to these species clusters (P. audax is another species with this state). All species (except P. dianthus, male unknown) lack a well-sclerotized distal paleal edge and they lack a marginal band.

...Other character states imply that this is an artificial group. Phidippus regius males have a cheliceral tubercle which only occurs elsewhere in P. audax. Phidippus californicus has a color form of females which resembles several species in the audax group, i.e., the presence of paired matte black patches on the dorsum of the abdomen. Phidippus pius has a dorsal color pattern very similar to P. cardinalis and P. clarus.

...this group is basal only to the audax and cardinalis groups (not to the entire rest of the genus), and possibly should be split up among these two groups."(1)

Represented by BugGuide Data maps unless otherwise noted.

For detailed geographic range and records, refer to Edwards, 2004(1)

Phidippus regius

Phidippus otiosus

Phidippus dianthus - Mexico(1)

Phidippus californicus