Geolycosa xera
McCrone, 1963
McCrone's burrowing wolf spider
Species Guides
1- Geolycosa xera archboldi(Archbold's Burrowing Wolf Spider)
Geolycosa xera, commonly known as McCrone's burrowing wolf spider, is a of wolf spider in the Lycosidae. It is to Florida in the United States, where it inhabits scrub in several central Florida counties. The species was described by McCrone in 1963 and comprises two recognized with restricted distributions.
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Geolycosa xera: //dʒiːəˈlaɪkoʊsə ˈzɪərə//
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Identification
Geolycosa xera belongs to a distinguished from other wolf spiders by a that is much higher at the front than at the rear. As a burrowing wolf spider, it possesses stout front legs adapted for digging, though most excavation is accomplished with powerful . The is to Florida scrub , which helps distinguish it from other Geolycosa species with broader distributions.
Images
Habitat
Florida scrub in central Florida counties. The nominate G. x. xera occurs in scrub in Highlands, Lake, Orange, Polk, Seminole, and Volusia counties, while G. x. archboldi is restricted to scrub in Highlands County.
Distribution
to Florida, United States. The has a limited distribution in central Florida counties, with showing even more restricted ranges within this region.
Behavior
As a burrowing wolf spider, Geolycosa xera spends the majority of its life inside a deep burrow. Vertical burrow shafts are lined with silk and enlarged as the spider grows. The mouth of the burrow may be ringed with a turret of silk mixed with debris.
Similar Taxa
- Geolycosa missouriensisShares the burrowing lifestyle and characteristics, but occurs in the Great Plains region rather than Florida. G. missouriensis has a much broader distribution from southern Canada to Texas and west to Utah and Arizona.
- Other Geolycosa speciesOther members of the occur in different geographic regions; G. xera is distinguished by its Florida and scrub specialization.