Barronopsis stephaniae, Stocks, Ian Christopher, 2009

Stocks, Ian Christopher, 2009, Systematics and natural history of Barronopsis (Araneae: Agelenidae), with description of a new species, Zootaxa 2270, pp. 1-38 : 35-37

Barronopsis stephaniae new species

Figs. 4 , 7 –10, 17, 32–41, 53, 60–63, 68

Types. Male holotype, 1 male paratype, 11 female paratypes from Hunting Island State Park, Beaufort County, South Carolina, 26 September 1998 (collected I. C. Stocks), in AMNH.

Etymology. Named for my wife, Stephanie Stocks, who is an inspiration, supporter, friend and able field assistant. Noun in the genitive case.

Diagnosis. From all species except B. barrowsi , specimens of B. stephaniae can be distinguished by pale sternal stripe on dark background and webs usually on, or in contact with, ground and, in males, embolic tight coils with continuous margins, forming a complete cylinder, less than 2 full loose coils, and an ejaculatory duct with a 180° bend in the tegulum, and, in females, copulatory duct tightly twisted, with region of twist not evidently enlarged ( Figs. 60–61 ). Barronopsis stephaniae males are distinguished from B. barrowsi males by an embolic tip that is not rounded (50´) or bifid (>100´) ( Figs. 37–41 ). The embolic tip is supported by lamellae appearing as tapering pleats. Female B. stephaniae and B. barrowsi are apparently morphologically indistinguishable.

Description. ( Tab. 2–5). Male: n=25, including holotype. TW 1.44–2.05 (1.85± 0.15), CW 0.80–1.06 (0.94± 0.07), DSL 2.01–2.89 (2.57± 0.24), ITL 1.60–2.36 (2.13± 0.18). Male holotype: TW 1.82, CW 0.95, DSL 2.62, ITL 2.24.

Female: n=79, including allotype. TW 1.29–2.28 (1.78± 0.18), CW 0.68–1.25 (0.96± 0.10), DSL 1.75– 3.27 (2.50± 0.25), ITL 1.10–2.09 (1.67± 0.18). Female allotype: DSL 2.62, CW 0.99, TW 1.82, ITL 1.75.

Distribution. Central South Carolina to north Florida, east to central Georgia. A number of females were collected without associated males, but are assumed to B. stephaniae based on distribution: SC: Charleston County, Westvaco Nature Trail; Colleton County, and Dorchester County, (locality data lost for last two records). A single female collected at Payne’s Prairie, Alachua County, Florida, is sufficiently close to the range of B. barrowsi to be of questionable identity. Only females collected in association with male B. stephaniae were included in the measurements.

Natural history. This species is very common in the coastal old-growth pine communities of South Carolina as well as in pine communities further inland in the Piedmont. At Hunting Island State Park (Beaufort County, SC) in a pine forest with a relatively open understory containing small palms, grass clumps, and forbs, many webs were applied directly to the straw layer, with retreats either built in a natural cavity formed by a “tent” of pine needles lodged against a fallen twig or among stems at the base of a clump of grass or other forbs. With some variation, these patterns are found throughout the range of B. stephaniae . Some Florida populations (e.g., Marion County, Rainbow Springs State Park) are common in moist deciduous woodlands, especially in association with palms. Individuals were frequently collected from the ground or very low on palms stems among palm straw accumulations. Barronopsis stephaniae may occur sympatrically with B. jeffersi (which build webs above ground). Specimens of B. stephaniae have been collected from landscaping pine straw surrounding the University of Georgia Institute of Ecology (Athens, Georgia) in association with B. texana , collected from wooden fences and ornamental bushes, and with several species of ground-dwelling amaurobioids (e.g., Metaltella sp.).

Material examined. United States. FLORIDA: Gilchrist County, 19.3 km S Santa Fe River (Stocks), 30 October 1999: 1 male, 3 females. Jefferson County, Big Bend Horticultural Laboratory, pit fall trap near pond, 6 January 1969: 2 males (FS). Marion County, Rainbow Springs Camp Ground (Stocks), 19 December 1998: 1 males, 15 females. GEORGIA: Clarke County, State Botanical Gardens, near Athens (Stocks), 3 October 1998: 4 males, 1 female. Athens, University of Georgia, Athens campus at Ecology Laboratory (Stocks), 3 October 1998: 1 males, 4 females. Clinch County, Unites States highway 94, 14.5 km S Georgia highway 94/ 89 junction. (Stocks), 19 December 1998: 1 male, 7 females. Spalding County, (Howell), 12 February 1972: 1 male ( CAS). Thomas County, Bar ‘M’ Ranch (Stocks), 30 October 1998: 4 male, 4 females. SOUTH CAROLINA: Beaufort County, Hunting Island State Park (Stocks), 11 April 1998: 14 females. Hunting Island State Park (Stocks), 13 May 1998: 11 females. Hunting Island State Park (Stocks), 26 September 1998: 4 males, 5 females. Charleston County, Westvaco Nature Trail, near Edisto (Stocks), 11 May 1998: 1 female. Colleton County, near bridge S:15:28 on interstate-95 south (Stocks), 25 September 1998: 1 male, 1 female. Dorchester County, rest area on interstate-75 north (Stocks), 25 September 1999: 3 male, 3 females. Rest area on interstate-75 north (Stocks), 13 May 1998: 3 females.

Figures

FIGURE 4. Barronopsis stephaniae female. Dorchester County, South Carolina. Scale bar = 0.5 mm. FIGURE 5. Barronopsis texana, female, ventral view. Knox County, Tennessee. Scale bar = 0.75 mm.

FIGURES 60 – 61. Barronopsis stephaniae, female copulatory organs. Beaufort County, South Carolina. 60, ventral view; 61, dorsal view. Scale bar = 0.2 mm. at—atrium, bs—spermatheca base, cd—copulatory duct, fd—fertilization duct, hs—spermatheca head, sbd 1 — spermatheca blind duct 1.

FIGURES 37 – 39. Barronopsis stephaniae left palpus. Dorchester County, South Carolina. 37, prolateral view; 38, retrolateral view; 39, ventral view. Scale bar = 0.2 mm. bf—basal flange, c—conductor, etc—embolic tight coils, mamedian apophysis, RTA—retrolateral tibial apophysis, sd—sperm duct, ta—tegular apophysis.