An Annotated Checklist of the Spiders of Newfoundland

Since Hackman’s report in 1954 of 216 (adjusted from a total of 220 for apparent errors) spider species from Newfoundland, the total has grown by 68% to 363. An annotated checklist is presented. Of this total, 223 (c. 61%) are Nearctic, 119 (c. 33%) are Holarctic and 21 (c. 6%) are introduced. Comparisons are made with other Canadian spider faunas. The introduced species and the proportions of Linyphiidae, Lycosidae and Dictynidae are discussed

Additions to the Revised Checklist of the Spiders (Araneae) of British Columbia

This list forms an addendum to "A Revised Checklist of the Spiders (Araneae) of British Columbia" by West et al. (1984), J. Entomol. Soc. Brit. Columbia 81: 80-90. It adheres to the same sequence and format of presentation as its antecedent, thus only the additional infonnation will be presented. The list contains 137 new species for B.C., and includes one new species for North America, Lesserria denlichelis (Simon) (family Erigonidae) and one new family for B.C., Nesticidae containing the single species Neslicus silveslrii Fage.The main specimen collectors were Mr. Donald J. Buckle, Dr. Robert T. Holmberg, Mr. Malcolm Martin and the first author, R. West. The authors wish to thank Mr. J.H. Redner for identifications and the addition of species represented in the Canadian National Collection

Sister species diverge in modality-specific courtship signal form and function

Understanding the relative importance of different sources of selection (e.g., the environment, social/sexual selection) on the divergence or convergence of reproductive communication can shed light on the origin, maintenance, or even disappearance of species boundaries. Using a multistep approach, we tested the hypothesis that two presumed sister species of wolf spider with overlapping ranges and microhabitat use, yet differing degrees of sexual dimorphism, have diverged in their reliance on modality- specific courtship signaling. We predicted that male Schizocosa crassipalpata (no ornamentation) rely predominantly on diet-dependent vibratory signaling for mating success. In contrast, we predicted that male S. bilineata (black foreleg brushes) rely on diet-dependent visual signaling. We first tested and corroborated the sister-species relationship between S. crassipalpata and S. bilineata using phylogenomic scale data. Next, we tested for species-specific, diet-dependent vibratory and visual signaling by manipulating subadult diet and subsequently quantifying adult morphology and mature male courtship signals. As predicted, vibratory signal form was diet-dependent in S. crassipalpata, while visual ornamentation (brush area) was diet-dependent in S. bilineata. We then compared the species-specific reliance on vibratory and visual signaling by recording mating across artificially manipulated signaling environments (presence/absence of each modality in a 2 × 2 full factorial design). In accordance with our diet dependence results for S. crassipalpata, the presence of vibratory signaling was important for mating success. In contrast, the light and vibratory environment interacted to influence mating success in S. bilineata, with vibratory signaling being important only in the absence of light. We found no differences in overall activity patterns. Given that these species overlap in much of their range and microhabitat use, we suggest that competition for signaling space may have led to the divergence and differential use of sensory modalities between these sister species

Florida Spiders in the Rufus Group in the Genus Philodromus (Araneae: Thomisidae)

Volume: 70Start Page: 34End Page: 4

Description of a New Wolf Spider in the Genus Pirata (Araneae: Lycosidae)

Volume: 87Start Page: 193End Page: 19

A New Species of The Spider Genus Xysticus (Araneae: Thomisidae) From Arizona

The North American crab spiders are now comparatively well known taxonomically. This is particularly true of the species in the large genus Xysticus, which has been twice revised continentally by Gertsch (1939, 1953) and treated in more regional works by Buckle and Redner (1964), Schick (1965), and Turnbull, et al. (1965). It seems probable that any additional new forms that will be discovered will be from remote parts of the continent or in sibling relationship with known species. Several species have, however, been described only from one sex

The Genus Ozyptila in North America (Araneida, Thomisidae)

Volume: 2Start Page: 129End Page: 18

Additions to the Revised Checklist of the Spiders (Araneae) of British Columbia

This list forms an addendum to "A Revised Checklist of the Spiders (Araneae) of British Columbia" by West et al. (1984), J. Entomol. Soc. Brit. Columbia 81: 80-90. It adheres to the same sequence and format of presentation as its antecedent, thus only the additional infonnation will be presented. The list contains 137 new species for B.C., and includes one new species for North America, Lesserria denlichelis (Simon) (family Erigonidae) and one new family for B.C., Nesticidae containing the single species Neslicus silveslrii Fage.The main specimen collectors were Mr. Donald J. Buckle, Dr. Robert T. Holmberg, Mr. Malcolm Martin and the first author, R. West. The authors wish to thank Mr. J.H. Redner for identifications and the addition of species represented in the Canadian National Collection