The Funnelweb Spider GenusAgelenopsis(Araneae: Agelenidae) in Kansas

Revision and morphological phylogenetic analysis of the funnel web spider genusAgelenopsis(Araneae: Agelenidae)

“…Agelenopsis aperta resides in all of the southwestern states from California to Texas while A. aleenae and A. spatula occupy a narrower region in Colorado, New Mexico, and Texas. In an agelenid study in the Malpais Lava Beds in central New Mexico, A. aleenae and A. spatula were not collected together, but in one instance A. aperta was found with A. spatula (Ayoub et al 2005). In none of our collecting trips did we ever find A. aleenae and A. spatula together although there is great overlap in their respective ranges, suggesting that these two morphologically similar species (as well as other species of the genus) may be segregated by habitat, as suggested by Guarisco (2014). Based on their collection records, Ayoub & Riechert (2004) estimate that the range of A. aperta is limited to below 2000 meters and that the species is more susceptible to cold than some other agelenid species.…”

“…While these spiders tend to build their webs in both short and tall grass prairie in rural areas, they will construct webs in whatever setting, be it natural or manmade, that affords them the most protection, although Guarisco (2014) suggests that sympatric species are segregated by habitat. In our observations on collection trips in northeastern New Mexico and southeastern Colorado where we collected primarily A. aleenae, web design did not vary much by location or habitat and was only limited in size by the amount of space available to build a web.…”

“…Taxonomic contributions to this genus have since been made by a number of researchers (Seyler 1941;Chamberlin & Ivie 1944;Muma 1945;Gering 1953;Roth 1954Roth , 1956Roth & Braeme 1972;Roth & Brown 1986;Paison 1997;Ayoub et al 2005;Stocks 2009;Galasso 2012). There have been a number of ecological and behavioral studies on Agelenopsis, predominantly on A. aperta (Riechert et al 1973;Riechert 1974Riechert , 1976Riechert , 1978Riechert , 1981Riechert , 1982Riechert , 1985Riechert , 1986Riechert & Tracy 1975;Gertsch & Riechert 1976;Riechert & Lockley 1984;Hammerstein & Riechert 1988;Riechert & Smith 1989;Riechert & Hedrick 1993;Singer & Riechert 1994;Riechert & Singer 1995;Galasso 2012;Guarisco 2014). Based on molecular phylogenetic work on the genus, Agelenopsis shares a sister relationship with Barronopsis (Ayoub et al 2005;Stocks 2009).…”

Catalogue of Texas spiders

“… Agelenopsis aleenae Ayoub et al 2005 : 44; Guarisco 2014 : 82, f, desc. ; Jackman 1997 : 160; Reddell 1965 : 168; Reddell 1973 : 41; Vogel 1970b : 2; Whitman-Zai et al 2015 : 12, mf, desc.…”