Lycosa conspersa L. Koch, 1882

Bosmans & Van Keer, 2012, On the spider species described by L. Koch in 1882 from the Balearic Islands (Araneae), Arachnologische Mitteilungen 43 (1), pp. 5-16 : 9

Lycosa conspersa L. Koch, 1882 stat. rev. ( Fig. 17 )

Lycosa conspersa L. Koch, 1882 : 661 pl. 21, fig. 33 (descr. female).

Trochosula conspersa ; Roewer, 1955: 304.

Type material

Type series of two females of Lycosa conspersa from Spain, Baleares, Mallorca, Ses Prat de San Jordi , end April, and Soller, mid-May, Schaufuss leg. ( ZMB 7912 ) ; examined. The two females belong to different species. One of the females is Arctosa fulvolineata , the other one has an epigyne corresponding to the original drawing by KOCH (1882) and is selected here as the lectotype.

Comments

This species has not been mentioned since the original description, with the exception of ROEWER ‘S (1955) transfer to the genus Trochosula , without any justification. KOCH ’s figure 33 ( 1882) of the epigyne resembles the epigyne of Hogna radiata (Latreille, 1817) , a widespread species in the Mediterranean. Like many large lycosids in the Mediterranean, this species complex is in need of revision and a conclusion about synonymy has to be postponed. Material from Mallorca is needed to resolve the situation. This is also the case for three other Lycosa species described by L. Koch from Mallorca (see below): Lycosa fraissei , L. insulana and L. simplex . They are all large species and Koch’s figures 33-36 all show the same type of epigyne (see Figs 17-20 ). ROEWER (1955) transferred these species (without further justification) to three different genera: Trochosula , Lycorma and Pirata . To facilitate future studies, we consider it better to return them to their original genus. Topotypic material may help solve the identity of these problematic species.

Figures

Figs. 11 - 23. Figs. 11 - 12: Arctosa fulvolineata (Lucas, 1846). 11. Epigyne of Lycosa perspicax in KOCH (1882); 12. Epigyne of Arctosa fulvolineata in KNÜLLE (1959). Figs 13 - 16. Arctosa lacustris (Simon, 1876). 13. Male palp of Lycosa subhirsuta in KOCH (1882); 14. Male palp of Arctosa lacustris in KNÜLLE (1959); 15. Epigyne of Lycosa subhirsuta in KOCH (1882); 16. Epigyne of Arctosa lacustris in KNÜLLE (1959). Fig. 17. Epigyne of Lycosa conspersa in KOCH (1882). Fig. 18. Epigyne of Lycosa fraisei in KOCH (1882). Fig. 19. Epigyne of Lycosa insulana in KOCH (1882). Fig. 20. Epigyne of Lycosa simplex in KOCH (1882). Fig. 21. Male palp of Pardosa tenuipes in KOCH (1882). Figs 22 - 23. Thanatus vulgaris Simon, 1870. 22. Epigyne of Philodromus vegetus in KOCH (1882). 23. Epigyne of Thanatus vulgaris in SZITA & SAMU (2000).