eaneubauer's Journal

I encounter many wild Lycosids. Every now and then I see behavior that just amazes me. Although I was brought up being told that anthropomorphizing any animal behavior was unscientific, it benefits any animal to be able to read the thoughts of another whether predator or prey. There's no reason to assume this doesn't apply to "lower" animals as it would be equally beneficial to them. Perhaps it's simply an attribute of life.

The conflicted Rabidosa rabida: Just yesterday I was pulling out Johnson grass. As I looked ahead to the next plant, I noticed a somewhat mangled grasshopper lying on a leaf blade near the stalk. I looked closer and there was an adult female spider which had perceived me as a potential threat and moved a small distance down the stalk. She moved uncertainly and turned back and forth a couple of times, clearly unsure whether she should return to her juicy meal or head to greater safety. I backed off, and she returned to her meal almost immediately. Later when the remains were small enough to carry, I saw her carrying it away at a sloth-like pace. I had thought wolf spiders only had two speeds, stop and fast. She was apparently trying to avoid attention, and mine in particular.

The caring mother: Before dawn two days ago I came across another Rabidosa rabida with her mass of spiderlings. She had parked herself on a small, mowed tuft of KR bluestem. A small number of her offspring had gotten off and were exploring. I watched for a while, and saw they were getting on and off her back by running up and down her legs. This confirmed what I had already suspected. Those that were on the grass were running up and down both sides of each blade. Presumably there were things to eat, but they were too small to see. This would be normal foraging behavior for the rest of their lives, including running up to the top of 6' Johnson grass stalks.

Link to presentation slide show:

https://eaneubauer.ipower.com/Williamson_County_Wolf_Spiders.pdf

If you have minimal equipment:

1. a view from directly above
2. get as close as possible, details are important
3. crop photo as much as possible
4. additional details such as pedipalps, face, and legs from side showing their underside may help depending on species
5. using the flash helps if lighting is poor

If you have better equipment or accessories:

1. get the spider in a plastic of glass container (they don't climb walls well)
2. underside views with spider in clear bottomed container or clear plastic bag
3. light is your friend but direct sunlight often results in harsh shadows

Here's what I'll be testing out in the coming year (ventral views required!):

P. milvina group in Texas key:

1. black sternum
   _2. relatively short-snouted, lack of distinction between outer carapace band, outer band may be delineated
   by distribution of pale hairs. Pardosa milvina
   _2. abdomen usually with distinct 4-spot abdomen pattern, carapace submarginal band distinct with more or
   less continuous, irregular, dark stripe, male with small pale mark near back of carapace: Pardosa saxatilis

2. pale yellow sternum
   _3. carapace submarginal band distinct with more or less continuous dark stripe; abdomen with
   outlined cardiac mark, medial band composed of large pale eye spots; Pardosa pauxilla
   _3. carapace submarginal band bright with few or no dark marks
   _____4. abdomen with yellow medial band, sometimes composed of large eyespots, lateral band black
   with white spots: Pardosa delicatula
   _____4. carapace submarginal band may have a pair of dark tick marks, abdomen without yellow medial
   band: Pardosa atlantica

Key probably most effective for juveniles and females. P. littoralis is excluded. It has a different appearance and can usually be separated
by its brackish habitat where it rarely co-mingles with the other species.

https://eaneubauer.ipower.com/Wolf%20Spider%20Research%20in%20the%20Field%20revised%20300.pdf

In the last several months I've thought about how I collect data in the field. The first part was improving ventral views by getting more light on the subject, eliminating reflections on a glass bottom, and using a container with inward sloping sides so the subject wasn't as inclined to try climbing the walls. The latest step involved improvements on dorsal views. I took photos of spiders in a pint Tupperware container, a gallon ice cream tub, and a gray mixing bowl. Having bright outdoor lighting and holding the subject and camera still were extremely important in all cases.

https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/158038840
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/158038846

The mixing bowl handled the spiders best. They walked up the side until they started to slip and then held their position. It was fairly easy to get close for a a direct dorsal photo, and the spiders were posed in a fairly flat, natural pose. However, gray was a poor choice and caused harsher shadows. Next attempt with compare the gray bowl with a white one. Fortunately the 3-bowl set I bought at Wamart included both. Ultimately, a bowl with white walls and a gray center may be best. Placing one or more 3/4" diameter stickers on the bottom will allow the spiders length to be easily scaled.

@pfau_tarleton

Hogna 'incognita' is a formally undescribed species found primarily in parts of Texas and Oklahoma. It's similar to Hogna antelucana and baltimoriana, and has been found co-mingled with those species in Texas and Oklahoma respectively. Entire known range based on iNat observations extends from a little southwest of San Antonio, TX, to the north, northeast, and then east to Memphis, TN. It appears to be best adapted to clay soils like Texas blackland and may be less active in colder temperatures than the two similar species. Links to presentation materials for Hogna 'incognita' in comparison to Hogna antelucana follow:

https://eaneubauer.ipower.com/lycosid/Hogna_presentation.pdf

Slide show updated for 2024 presentation:

https://eaneubauer.ipower.com/Hiding_in_Plain_Sight_2024_300dpi.pdf

Only the first document has ventral series for developing antelucana and 'incognita' juveniles if you're looking for that.

Last updated 2/9/24

I've started compiling some county level ranges for various genera. iNat observation numbers are included so you can check my evidence. You could refer to those observations as my "range vouchers". I'll update these files periodically and add others. These are primarily worksheets which ultimately will be used to fill in a map of Texas counties.

https://eaneubauer.ipower.com/lycosid/Rabidosa_TX_County.rtf
https://eaneubauer.ipower.com/lycosid/Hogna_TX_County_I.rtf
https://eaneubauer.ipower.com/lycosid/Arctosa_TX_County.rtf

Hogna_TX_County_I doesn't include carolinesis, coloradensis or the lenta group species because field identification of these species is not advanced enough to reliably identify typical iNat observations.

Sample county level range map of Arctosa littoralis in Texas based on iNaturalist observations prepared 10/15/22:

https://eaneubauer.ipower.com/lycosid/ArctosalittoralisTXrange101522.jpg

Updated 1/27/23.