Superfamily Argiopoidea 



THE MORE COMMON SPECIES OF LYCOSA 



The following notes are merely supplementary to the data 

 given in the table above and are not intended to be sufficient for 

 the determination of species, which can be best done by the use 

 of the table. 



Lycosa belluo (L. hel'lu-o). — The colour of the body above is 

 dull yellow or greenish brown. The cephalothorax is marked 

 with a narrow yellow stripe in the middle; this stripe is quite 

 narrow between the eyes and somewhat wider on the thorax; 

 there is also a light stripe along each lateral margin of the thorax. 

 On the basal half of the abdomen there is a longitudinal lanceo- 

 late stripe similar to that found in many species, which is wider 

 in the middle and pointed at each end; this stripe is darker at the 

 edges and is bordered by lighter bands. On the hinder half of 

 the abdomen there is a series of indistinct chevrons. The form 

 of the epigynum is shown in Fig. 720, c. The female is about 

 three fourths inch in length; the male, one half inch. 



This is one of our most common and most widely distributed 

 species; it has been found throughout the East and as far west as 

 Texas and Utah. The female builds a shallow nest, lined with 

 silk, and often surrounded with a low wall of earth or of sticks and 

 leaves, under a stone or other object lying on the ground. They 

 are found in these nests with their egg-sacs early in the summer. 

 This spider is often found in the woods. 



This species is known under several different names; the one 

 which has been most used is Lycosa nidicola proposed by Emerton 

 in 1885; but the species was described under the name belluo 

 by Walckenaer in 1837. 



Lycosa riparia (L. ri-pa'ri-a). — The cephalothorax is brown, 

 with a narrow grayish yellow median band, which is widest at the 

 median furrow and reduced to a line between the eyes. The 

 abdomen is grayish brown above, with scattered minute spots of 

 black pubescence, and indistinct outline of a lanceolate stripe on 

 the basal part, and several black chevrons behind. The female 

 is three fourths inch in length. 



This is a southern species, its range extending from the 

 District of Columbia southward. It has been found also westward 

 to Kansas and Texas. Hentz, who first described the species 

 states that it "is aquatic in its habits, always found near or on 



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