Barronopsis
Chamberlin & Ivie, 1941
Species Guides
4Barronopsis is a of funnel weaver spiders (Agelenidae) described in 1941. The genus currently contains seven distributed in the southeastern United States, Caribbean islands, and parts of Central America. Two distinct species groups are recognized based on body size and genital : a large-bodied group (B. texana, B. floridensis, B. arturoi, B. jeffersi) and a small-bodied group (B. barrowsi, B. stephaniae). Phylogenetic analysis places Barronopsis as sister to Agelenopsis within the .
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Barronopsis: /ˌbærəˈnɒpsɪs/
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Identification
Members of Barronopsis can be distinguished from related agelenid by male palpus and female genitalia . The genus is divided into two groups: the B. texana group includes larger-bodied species with correspondingly larger genital structures, while the B. barrowsi group comprises smaller-bodied species with reduced genital morphology. Specific identification requires examination of male palpal bulb structure and female epigynal configuration.
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Distribution
Southeastern United States (Florida, Texas, and surrounding states), Cuba, Hispaniola, and the Bahamas. The shows a Caribbean-North American distribution pattern with most occurring in the southeastern U.S. and Caribbean islands.
Behavior
Constructs funnel-shaped webs characteristic of the Agelenidae. Web architecture and retreat typical of funnel weavers, though specific construction details for Barronopsis have not been extensively documented.
Similar Taxa
- AgelenopsisClosely related within Agelenidae; distinguished by male palpal bulb and female genitalia structure. Barronopsis and Agelenopsis are sister in phylogenetic analyses, but differ in specific genitalic characters and geographic distribution.
- TortolenaRelated agelenid used as outgroup in phylogenetic studies; differs in genitalic and is not closely related to Barronopsis within the .
More Details
Species Composition
As of 2024, the includes seven : B. arturoi (Cuba), B. barrowsi (USA, Cuba, Hispaniola; type species), B. floridensis (USA, Bahamas), B. jeffersi (USA, Cuba), B. pelempito (Hispaniola), B. stephaniae (USA), and B. texana (USA). Earlier described Cuban species B. campephila and B. cesari were synonymized under B. barrowsi and B. jeffersi respectively in the 2009 revision.
Phylogenetic Relationships
Cladistic analysis using Tortolena glaucopis, Melpomene singula, and Agelenopsis as outgroups produced three most parsimonious trees of 37 steps. The strict consensus tree shows the following relationships: Agelenopsis is sister to all Barronopsis species; within Barronopsis, the B. texana group (B. texana, B. jeffersi, B. floridensis, B. arturoi) and B. barrowsi group (B. barrowsi, B. stephaniae) form distinct clades.