Barronopsis

Stocks, Ian Christopher, 2009, Systematics and natural history of Barronopsis (Araneae: Agelenidae), with description of a new species, Zootaxa 2270, pp. 1-38 : 16-17

Key to Barronopsis species

1 Males ............................................................................................................................................................................. 2

- Females ......................................................................................................................................................................... 7

2 Number of loose embolic coils <2 ( Figs. 32–33, 35–39 ); tight embolic coils with smooth edges, appearing as a complete cylinder; sperm duct with a 180° bend visible in retrolateral view through the tegulum ( Fig. 40); pale sternal stripe present; CW <1.08 ( Tab. 5); webs on ground or low on herbs and grasses....................................................... 3

- Number of loose embolic coils>2 ( Figs. 20–21, 23, 43 ); tight embolic coils with free edges, apparently stacked bowls; sperm duct undulating ( Fig. 25); no pale sternal stripe (vague pale spot in jeffersi ); CW> 1.08 ( Tab. 5); aerial webs on trees, bushes, houses, buildings or handrails .................................................................................................. 4

3 Embolus tapered to tip, lamellae folded over distally ( Figs. 33–35 , 37–39 ), appearing pleated, no kink or membranous flare before tip. Central South Carolina, Georgia, North and Central Florida ...................................... stephaniae

- Lamellae folded into tube distally; embolus tip with slight kink, slightly swollen and bifid (best viewed at 400´; Figs. 45–46, 49–50). Swelling seen as distal median notch bordered by one free lateral extension, one attached lateral extension, giving a “pipe bowl” appearance. Very small “flare” of membrane before a slight apical bend in embolus. South Florida, extreme northeast coastal Florida, southeast coastal Georgia, Cuba......................... barrowsi

4 Embolus distinctly thread-like distally, lamellae continuous to tip ..................................................................... arturoi

- Embolus not thread-like distally, either with subdistally truncated membranous section, or tapered lamellae with pleated appearance ( Figs. 20–21, 23, 43–44 , 47 –48).................................................................................................... 5

5 Embolus not abruptly truncated, with lower and upper lamellae merged and twisted distally, forming a trough-like tube narrowing to a blunt tip ( Figs. 43–44 ). Eembolus tip with smoothly curved 90° elbow subapically .... floridensis

- Embolus abruptly truncated distally, with upper lamella and intervening membrane lobe-like. Lower lamella and membranes supporting embolus tip, through which the sperm duct is visible, no sub-apical elbow ........................... 6

6 Embolus tip bifid, appearing “fork-like” ( Fig. 47) .............................................................................................. jeffersi

- Embolus tip not bifid (at most with very small “bump”, Fig. 48) ....................................................................... texana

7 Atrial guides broad lobed, either angulate shouldered or slightly rounded ( Figs.60 , 62–65). Prominent pale sternal stripe (Fig. 10). Small spiders ( Tab. 5), DSL usually <3 mm. Webs on or in contact with ground, often in pine needles, palm straw or grass hillocks ................................................................................................................................. 8

- Atrial guides tooth-like ( Figs. 51, 57–58 ), may be sharp and close together, or blunt and further spaced, but never as above. No pale sternal stripe, but may be a small, irregular pale spot. Larger spiders ( Tab. 5), DSL usually> 3 mm. Webs placed above ground, on trees, bushes, buildings ............................................................................................... 9

8 Central and southern Florida, extreme south coastal Georgia, north coastal Florida, Cuba; associated with males of B. barrowsi ........................................................................................................................................................ barrowsi

- South Carolina, Georgia, northern and central Florida; associated with males of B. stephaniae .................. stephaniae

9 Spermathecae banana or crescent shaped (Fig. 50); AH> 0.38 ( Tab. 4). Pinar del Río, Cuba........................... arturoi

- Spermathecae spherical or ovoid ( Figs. 54–58); AH <0.38. North America, Bahamas............................................ 10

10 Frequently with conspicuous dark-ringed “ear-patch” area on posterior carapace. Maryland, extreme south Georgia,

north to central Florida, and Cuba; associated with males of jeffersi .................................................................. jeffersi - No conspicuous “ear patch” on posterior carapace. Distribution Bahamas, central and south Florida, central and south Texas, east to Atlantic coast .............................................................................................................................. 11

11 AH usually <0.35 ( Tab. 4). Central and south Texas, east to Atlantic coast, eastern Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, extreme north Florida. Webs often found on or in buildings; associated with males of texana ........................................................................................................................................................................ texana

- AH usually> 0.35 ( Tab. 4). South Bimini Island, Bahamas; central and south Florida. Webs associated with males of floridensis ....................................................................................................................................................... floridensis

Figures

FIGURE 32 – 36. Barronopsis stephaniae left palpus, SEM. Dorchester County, South Carolina. 32, scale bar = 100 µm. 33, scale bar = 100 µm. 34, scale bar = 50 µm. 35, scale bar = 10 0 µm. 36, scale bar = 100 µm.

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.

FIGURES 43 – 44. Barronopsis floridensis (Roth), South Bimini Island, Bahamas. 43, left palpus. Prolateral view. Scale bar = 0.4 mm. 44, embolus tip. Scale bar = 0.2 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 55 – 59. Barronopsis texana, female copulatory organs. 55, cranial view. Gaston County, North Carolina; 56, oblique ventral view. Gaston County, North Carolina; 57, ventral view. Oconee County, South Carolina; 58, ventral view. Oconee County, South Carolina; 59, dorsal view. Lamar County, Mississippi. Scale bar = 0.2 mm. AH—atrium height, ag—atrial guide, at—atrium, cd—copulatory duct, fd—fertilization duct, hs— spermatheca head, pr 1 — porous region 1, sb 1 — spermatheca blind duct 1, sbd 2 — spermatheca blind duct 2.