Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
D. louisianus Roddy, 1957 = D. serratichelis (Roewer, 1928) (Levy, 2004: 12).
(1)Numbers
7 species in Bug Guide's range (North America north of Mexico)
Identification
Typically have brownish, grayish, or reddish coloring.
Range
D. neglectus: Alaska to Nova Scotia, south to Arizona and West Virginia.
D. mirus: Alberta and high mountains of Colorado.
D. gosiutus: Alberta to Connecticut, south to Arizona and Mississippi.
D. saccatus: British Columbia to Massachusetts, south to Baja California (Mexico), Oaxaca (Mexico), and Missouri.
D. auriculoides: Wisconsin to Massachusetts, south to Arkansas and Tennessee.
D. serratichelis: Louisiana east to Florida.
D. angulus: California.
Habitat
Cryptic, ground-dwelling wanderers that have been commonly collected via pitfall traps or rock flipping. Also found under bark.
Remarks
Some male species of Herpyllus have palps that are very similar to male D. gosiutus, so be careful. Check for the presence of a retrolateral tibial apophysis, which Herpyllus has but D. gosiutus does not.
Females of the Litopyllus genus have epigynes that are nearly indistinguishable from the epigynes of Drassodes, so be careful there as well. Check for the presence of deeply notched trochanters, which Drassodes has but Litopyllus does not:
Print References
Platnick & Shadab, 1976. A revision of the spider genera
Drassodes and
Tivodrassus (Araneae, Gnaphosidae) in North America. American Museum Novitates, no. 2593.
(2)
Platnick & Dondale, 1992. Insects and Arachnids of Canada Part 19: The ground spiders of Canada and Alaska : Araneae: Gnaphosidae. Canadian Government Publishing Centre, Ottawa, 1992.
(3)
