Pardosa mackenziana

(Keyserling, 1877)

Mackenzie's Thin-legged Wolf Spider

Pardosa mackenziana is a of thin-legged wolf in the Lycosidae. It is found across the United States and Canada, with confirmed records from Alberta and British Columbia. Like other members of the Pardosa, it is a small to -sized ground-dwelling spider. A 2000 study in central Alberta documented its reproductive , including females sunning their sacs to aid incubation.

Pardosa mackenziana by (c) Jared Shorma, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Jared Shorma. Used under a CC-BY license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Pardosa mackenziana: /pɑrˈdoʊsə mækˈɛnziænə/

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Identification

As a member of the Pardosa, this can be distinguished from other wolf by its long leg that are nearly perpendicular to the leg axis, particularly visible on the hind pair of legs. The is higher than in most other wolf spiders, with nearly vertical sides of the . Species-level identification requires microscopic examination of : females possess a paired , while males have highly modified resembling small boxing gloves.

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Habitat

Found in central Alberta, Canada according to studies. As a Pardosa , it likely occupies diverse including wetlands, rocky streambeds, forest floors, and fields. Some Pardosa species occur at high elevations in mountainous regions.

Distribution

United States and Canada; specifically recorded from Alberta and British Columbia in Canada.

Life Cycle

Females carry sacs attached to their . According to a 2000 study, at least one Pardosa (P. mackenziana or the closely related P. moesta) exhibits sunning where females back out of burrows to expose egg sacs to sunlight for incubation. Spiderlings hatch and climb onto the mother's back, remaining there until their next before dispersing.

Behavior

Females have been observed sunning their sacs by backing out of burrow entrances to expose the sac to filtered sunlight, presumably to aid in incubating the eggs. This was documented in a 2000 study of Pardosa in central Alberta.

Similar Taxa

Pardosa moestaClosely related studied alongside P. mackenziana in the same 2000 research; both occur in central Alberta and share similar biology and preferences.
Other Pardosa speciesOver 65 Pardosa occur in the U.S.; microscopic examination of is required for definitive species-level identification.

More Details

Research significance

The 2000 study by Christopher M. Buddle in the Journal of Arachnology represents one of the few detailed investigations of this , documenting reproductive behaviors including the sunning of sacs.