Barronopsis Chamberlin & Ivie 1941

Stocks, Ian Christopher, 2009, Systematics and natural history of Barronopsis (Araneae: Agelenidae), with description of a new species, Zootaxa 2270, pp. 1-38 : 10-15

Barronopsis Chamberlin & Ivie 1941

Agelena Walckenaer 1805 (in part). Gertsch 1934: 23 –24, figs. 8–9. Bonnet 1955: 185, 202.

Agelenopsis Giebel 1869 (in part). Chamberlin & Ivie 1941 (in part–subgenus Barronopsis ): 601–602; Chamberlin & Ivie 1944 (in part): 127-128. Muma 1945; Roewer 1954 (in part): 41–43, 1433. Roth 1954: 1 –7.

Barronopsis Chamberlin & Ivie 1941: 601 –602; Plate II, figs. 14-15; Plate VII, figs. 43–47 (type species, by original designation, Agelena barrowsi Gertsch 1934 ) Lehtinen 1967: 218, 345. Roth & Brame 1972: 8. Brignoli 1983: 470. Roth & Brown 1986: 5. Platnick 1989: 401. Alayón 1993: 1 –16. Roth 1993: 50. Platnick 1997: 618. Platnick 2009.

Diagnosis. Adult male specimens of Barronopsis species can be distinguished from all other agelenines by the following combination of characters: 1) multiply coiled, two part embolus, tightly coiled and smooth-surfaced basally, loosely coiled and lamellar distally, oriented obliquely to the plane of the cymbium ( Figs. 20, 39 , 43 ); 2) enlarged, smoothly rounded tegular apophysis with prolateral, obliquely directed, truncate projection ( Figs. 20, 24, 39 ); 3) acuminate, membranously attached median apophysis ( Figs. 20, 25, 38 ); 4) membranously attached conductor with bifid, subrectangular base and blunt, apically directed spur (Figs. 22, 25, 29, 31, 38). 5) short, stout seta located prolateral to RTA at palpal tibio-tarsal joint. Females are distinguished from those of Agelenopsis by the following combination of characters: 1) absence of a coupling cavity in the posterior epigynal sclerite ( Figs. 51, 53, 57 , 60 , 62–63); 2) plicate, membranous copulatory ducts with tight distal twist ( Figs. 55, 59 , 60–61 ); 3) fertilization duct with three turns ( Figs. 51, 56, 58 ). Barronopsis can be distinguished from Agelenopsis by the proportional length of apical and basal segments of posterior spinnerets: ~1: 1 in Barronopsis ( Figs. 3 –5, 8–9), ~2: 1 in Agelenopsis .

Ch. & Ivie Gering Roth Lehtinen Roth & Brame ta mvp (“vmp”) ma ma ta (?) —

ma ma tc tc distal lamella? ma

fulcrum-like process?

c c c c c c

asp mvp (“vmp”) ma ma ma tlp-tmp

Description. DSL 1.75–5.21 mm. ( Tables 2–5; Figs. 3 –5, 8–9); females and males subequal; females stouter bodied; males with proportionally longer legs and narrower opisthosoma.

Eight eyes ( Figs. 6–7 ) in two procurved rows with the posterior row strongly procurved so that PLE are slightly anterior to a line extending through AME. AME-ALE-PLE forms an equilateral triangle. AME largest, inner margins touching or separated by less than half AME diameter. PME separated from AME by one diameter of PME, slightly wider spaced than AME. Dark pigment triangles present anterior and posterior of PME; AME enclosed by dark pigmentation.

Chelicerae ( Fig. 6 ) well developed, light to dark brown; pilose, often with numerous stout setae; usually 3 or 4 retromarginal teeth, rarely 2 or 5, extra teeth often small.

Dorsal Shield ( Figs. 3–4, 8–9) edged by narrow black band, originating at thoracic junction and terminating at posterior margin. Central light stripe originating between PME, extending to posterior edge of carapace, confluent with light bands on carapace flanks, bordered laterally by black. Procurved setae in median light band alternating left-right of midline, starting anterior to prominent thoracic groove. Black “eyebrow” stripes originating at PLE, curving posteriorly toward midline, ending at thoracic junction. Fine dark pigment stripes from edge of central light stripe radiating toward flanking light stripe, forming dark “wedges” with fine curved reticulations visible beneath hair.

n TW CW DSL ITL Barronopsis males

barrowsi 37 1.63–2.09 0.84–1.06 2.24–2.93 1.82–2.39

1.94±0.11 1.00±0.06 2.72±0.15 2.06±0.14

1.63 0.84 2.24 1.86

Sternum shield shaped (Figs. 5, 10), dark orange to dusky gray (black with central white stripe in B. stephaniae , B. barrowsi ), occasionally speckled around setal sockets and/or with central light spot, (but never a complete stripe except as noted above). Posterior tip of sternum extending between fourth coxae, often with black spot.

Leg formula 4123. Legs usually with pair of black spots at distal end of femora and narrow black transverse band at distal end of metatarsi. Legs with irregular gray to black patches, often forming transverse bands, especially on femora; all leg articles liberally spotted, spots especially prominent on setal sockets. Setation variable over a common ground-plan ( Figs. 9 , 19), typically with 4 dorsal femoral macrosetae, apical pair off-center, 1 prolateral macroseta on femora 1(occasionally absent); additional macrosetae may be present in variable positions; femora with ventral brush of fine, long setae.

Opisthosoma ( Figs. 3 –5, 8) venter pale yellow with dark pigmentation, usually as follows: narrow dark band on each side of epigynum, originating anteriorly of epigynum, curving distally to join near spinnerets; longitudinal stripe posterior to epigastric furrow composed of 5 or 6 individual black spots (often contiguous); pair of longitudinal “apostrophe” shaped bands anterolateral to epigastric furrow (in females, on either side of position of spermathecae). Sides with irregular distribution of dark oblong to linear spots, becoming denser dorsally toward dark stripe on either side of central folium. Dorsum with burgundy-reddish folium, undulating with 5 or 6 peaks, framed posteriorly by black edging, anteriorly by short pale stripe.

Entire body pilose, feathery hairs on all body parts, with long setae on opisthosoma.

barrowsi 44 1.56–2.17 0.84–1.18 2.20–3.08 1.33–2.01 1.67±0.14 1.00±0.07 2.61±0.17 1.67±0.14

stephaniae 79 1.29–2.28 0.58–1.25 1.75–3.27 1.10–2.09 1.78±0.18 0.96±0.10 2.50±0.25 1.67±0.18 arturoi (= texana clade) (range, mean, standard deviation, sample size). All values x100. Boxed values for AH indicate

non-overlapping distributions. AW—atrium width, AH—atrium width, ISD—inter-spur distance.

n AW AH ISD

Barronopsis

texana 15 28– 65 19–26 7–18 51±8 22±2 13±3 jeffersi 15 44– 53 20–28 10–16 48±3 23±2 13±2 floridensis 13 51–71 23–35 14–25 60±5 30±3 19±3 arturoi 7 79–108 38–44 18–37 92±9 41±2 27±7

Males. Palpal setation variable; femur consistently with three dorsal macrosetae decreasing in length apically; patella with two long dorsal macrosetae; tibia with several long dorsal macrosetae and usually a variable, short, stout macroseta on flat excavation of tibia mesal to RTA. All species with similar palpal bulb basal and middle divisions. Species-group-specific variation in form of tight coils of embolus [coils with overlapping margins ( Figs. 20–21, 23–37, 43 ) in B. texana group; coils with non-overlapping margins ( Figs. 30 , 32–33, 35–37, 39 , 41) in B. barrowsi group], species-specific variation in configuration of loose coils and embolus tip.

n TW CW DSL ITL Barronopsis clade

Males barrowsi 60 1.44–2.09 0.80–1.06 2.01–2.93 1.60–2.39

1.90±0.13 0.98±0.07 2.66±0.20 2.09±0.16 texana 318 1.63–3.65 0.91–2.09 2.39–5.21 1.48–3.34 2.45±0.40 1.39±0.23 3.56±0.57 2.23±0.38 sd e br etc ctc elc cd1 cd2 ma tea el t eto te tia

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 M. singula? 0 0 0 - - 0 1 2 1 - - - - 2 T. glaucopis ? 0 0 0 - -?? -? - - - - 1 Agelenopsis sp.? 1 1 0 - 0 1 1 0 0 - - - - 1 B. texana 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 0 1 1 1 0 - - 0 B. jeffersi 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 - - 0 B. floridensis 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 - 1 0 0 B. arturoi 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 - 0 - 0 B. barrowsi 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 0 1 1 0 - 1 1 0 B. stephaniae n. sp. 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 0 1 1 0 - 0 0 0 continued.

ep ag ags cc fd tfd cl c2 ci ct sd2 ss cw wp ah

16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 M. singula 0 0 - 1 0 - 0 - - - -? 1 1 - T. glaucopis 2 1 - 0 1? 1 0 0 - 0? 1 1 - Agelenopsis sp. 1 1 - 1 1 0 1 1 2 0 1 1 1 1 - B. texana 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 B. jeffersi 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 B. floridensis 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 B. arturoi 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 B. barrowsi 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 B. stephaniae n. sp. 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 Females. Posterior margin of epigynum sclerotized without coupling cavities. Epigynal atrium with pair of intraspecifically variable but species-group-specific tooth-like processes (ag–atrial guides; Figs. 51, 53, 57–58 , 60 , 62–65): broad-lobed in B. barrowsi group, narrower and distinctly tooth-like in B. texana group. Pair of wide copulatory ducts lead from atrium and turn into highly plicate, membranous, twisted sacs ( Figs. 55–61 ). Copulatory duct shape species-group-specific: small and tight in B. barrowsi group ( Figs. 60–61 ), larger and more open in B. texana group ( Figs. 51, 55–59 ). Membranous section less plicate, more sclerotized distally, terminating in bulb-like spermathecal head (sh) Spermathecal head bears short blind duct (sbd1) and communicates with spermathecal stalk (ss) and base (bs). Spermathecal base bears second short, blind duct (sbd2) near origin of fertilization duct. Narrow fertilization duct (fd) spirals around copulatory duct three times, attaching to a sclerite projecting from posterior margin of epigynum.

Distribution. Southeastern United States from central Texas and coastal North Carolina to Florida ( Figs. 68–69). Barronopsis also occurs in several Cuban provinces and on South Bimini Island, Bahamas.

p petiolus

RTA retrolateral tibial apophysis sd sperm duct st subtegulum t tegulum

tc tubercle

ta tegular apophysis tlp tegular lateral process tmp tegular median process tr tegular ridge

Figures

FIGURE 6. Barronopsis jeffersi, female, frontal view. Levy County, Florida. Scale bar = 0.5 mm.

FIGURE 9. Barronopsis stephaniae male, dorsal view. Dorchester County, South Carolina. Scale bar = 0.5 mm. FIGURE 10. Barronopsis stephaniae, female, ventral view .. Dorchester County, South Carolina. Scale bar = 0.2 mm.

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 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.

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 29 – 31. SEM of Barronopsis jeffersi, dissected left palpus. Columbia County, Florida. 29, conductor. Scale bar = 50 µm. 30, embolus. Scale bar = 50 µm. 31. Conductor, median apophysis and tegular apophysis. Scale bar = 100 µm. c—conductor, ma—median apophysis, ta—tegular apophysis.

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.