Rabidosa hentzi

(Banks, 1904)

Rabidosa hentzi is a small wolf spider in the Lycosidae, found in the southeastern United States. It is distinguished from by its pale coloration and a distinct narrow yellow to white stripe on the surface. The species is primarily ground-dwelling but possesses scopula hairs on the and that enable occasional climbing into shrubs and vegetation. It is the only wolf spider known to regularly climb higher vegetation in open woodland .

Rabidosa hentzi Florida 041915 by Sesamehoneytart. Used under a CC BY-SA 4.0 license.

Wolf Spider - Rabidosa hentzi, Lake June-in-Winter Scrub State Park, Lake Placid, Florida - 24860424275 by Judy Gallagher. Used under a CC BY 2.0 license.

Wolf Spider - Rabidosa hentzi, Lake June-in-Winter Scrub State Park, Lake Placid, Florida - 01 by Judy Gallagher. Used under a CC BY 2.0 license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Rabidosa hentzi: /ˈræbɪdɔsə ˈhɛnzi/

These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.

Identification

Distinguished from similar Rabidosa (R. carrana, R. rabida) by paler overall coloration and the distinctive thin yellow to white stripe on the dorsum. The narrow stripe is the most reliable field character for identification.

Images

Appearance

Small wolf spider with pale brown-yellow . A narrow bright yellow to white streak extends between the and continues posteriorly. The sternum and are pale, with the upper sides marked by brown streaks and spots. Eyes sit on a black band that fades posteriorly into the pale brown coloration. Males and females have similar facial and cheliceral structures, though males are typically lighter brown with fewer lateral brown abdominal markings than females. The spermathecae are round, and the male palea has a sclerotized cap.

Habitat

Primarily ground-dwelling in open woodland . Capable of climbing into shrubs and higher vegetation due to scopula hairs on and . It is the only wolf spider documented to regularly ascend into higher vegetation in open woodland settings.

Distribution

Southeastern United States. Most records from Florida, with additional confirmed specimens from Georgia and Louisiana.

Behavior

Normally ground-dwelling but will climb into shrubs and bushes. This climbing , enabled by scopula hairs on the legs, appears to be unique among wolf spiders in open woodland .

Similar Taxa

Rabidosa rabidaSimilar coloration but distinguished by darker overall color and presence of pale spots inside the margin of the dark abdominal stripe; lacks the narrow yellow stripe of R. hentzi
Rabidosa carranaSimilar ground coloration but lacks the distinctive narrow yellow to white stripe that characterizes R. hentzi

More Details

Climbing adaptation

The presence of scopula hairs on the and is a morphological that facilitates climbing. This trait is unusual among wolf spiders and allows R. hentzi to exploit vegetation strata not typically used by other lycosids.