Progress Results

Representatives of the following spider families have been collected and recognized in the field.

Gnaphosidae

Agelenidae

Salticidae

Epeiridae (Araneidae)

Lycosidae

Clubionidae

Erigonidae (Lyniphiidae)

Thomisidae

Philodromidae

Theridiidae

Pholcidae

Linyphiidae

Dictynidae

Additionally, representatives of the Phalangida have been taken when observed as well as occasional Chilopoda. A single Solfugid (Wind Scorpion) has been collected. No scorpions have yet been located in or among talus sites.

To date no microscope work has been done and among several of the smaller specimens additional families are very likely represented. Most specimens thus far have been taken on the soil surface or from under rock tallus. Relatively few have been collected from vegetation and no Berlese funnel extractions of surface litter or vegetative tufts have been undertaken. The addition of vegetative sweeping and (possibly) pit-fall traps will increase the surveying efficiency a great deal.

Material collected to date (08 July 2000) is contained in approximately 125 vials. The vast majority of these vials contain multiple specimens and, of those, most contain multiple species. What I believe at this time to be a conservative estimate of numbers of species would be close to ninety. Certain species have been collected from several sites: Psylochorus sp., for example has been taken from three of the sites; Latrodectus sp. from two; a resonably large Lycosid from four. Nonetheless, the multiple collections are not believed to amount to more than, perhaps, 20 species at this time.

While I am anxious to begin the microscope work and specific identifications, it is most important at this time to obtain material upon which to work in the future. Many species are maturing at this time of year (a distinct advance over New England/NY areas) and with an extended "growing season" of 158 days for this area, I am anxious to see what kinds of maturation rates and numbers of generations might be produced in a season. Many spiders' eggs are hatching now... especially among the Salticids (Jumping Spiders), Gnaphosids, and Theridiids (Latrodectus). Additionally, the idea that most spiders over-winter as eggs or as sub-mature individuals is inaccurate, even where such concept was born. I would anticipate a rather broad range of over-wintering stages in this area.

Diversity -- a subjective assessment.

I must say that I expected a greater diversity of spiders here than I have noted thus far. Perhaps more so at the family level than at the genus and species... but I also anticipated more individuals. Certain areas are very "spider-poor" by my experience but that may be because of limitations I am introducing via my collecting constraints at present. (noted above). Further, I expect that a great many of the burrows and holes I note during daylight, and which prove unproductive as collecting points, might well be productive at night. This would be particularly the case for several of the Lycosid genera (Geolycosa, Arctosa, e.g.), several of the Clubionids (sac spiders, so-called), as well as several other families such as Sparassidae, Loxoscelidae, Filistatidae, Mimetidae, Oxyopidae, Scytodidae, etc. Further, to date no Mygalomorph spiders have been collected (tarantulas)... most of which are nocturnal. (I expect at least a representative or two of this group to be located here.) Scorpions, likewise, are almost exclusively nocturnal. (The best method for locating/collecting scorpions outside their burrows is by use of a black light ... under which they fluoresce.)