COPULATORY PATTERN SUPPORTS GENERIC 
PLACEMENT OF SCHIZOCOSA A VIDA 
( WALCKENAER ) (ARANEAE: LYCOS ID AE) 1 
By Jerome S. Rovner 
Department of Zoology, Ohio University, Athens, Ohio 45701 
The wolf spider genus Schizooosa was established in 1904 by 
Chamberlin. He subsequently (1908) transferred several species 
(bilineata, crassipes, and saltatrix ) from their former placement in 
the genus Lycosa to the genus Schizocosa. Such a transfer was also 
recommended for Lycosa avida Walckenaer by Gertsch and Wallace 
( r 937)* Their designation was accepted by some workers (e.g., 
Fitch, 1963; Dondale, 1969) but not by all (e.g., Kaston, 1948, 
1972). 
In a recent paper (Rovner, in press) I noted that the pattern of 
palpal insertions during mating in the species of Schizocosa studied 
so far is qualitatively distinct from that seen in Lycosa spp. Through- 
out most of the copulation in Schizocosa spp., one palp is inserted a 
number of times prior to each shift to the opposite palp. At the 
beginning of copulation the number of insertions in a series by each 
palp is relatively small. The number of insertions per series soon 
reaches a maximum and then, for the remainder of the copulation, 
gradually declines. In Lycosa spp., on the other hand, alternation of 
palps typifies the entire copulation. Re-insertions of the same palp 
are uncommon, constituting only a small percentage of the total 
number of insertions (Rovner, 1972). 
Quantitative differences in copulatory behavior also may aid in 
characterizing these two genera. The duration of copulation and the 
total number of palpal insertions are much greater in Schizocosa 
saltatrix than in Lycosa spp. (Rovner, in press) . 
With these parameters in mind, I observed mating behavior in 
Schizocosa avida. The data obtained supported Gertsch and Wal- 
lace’s (1937) reclassification of this species from Lycosa to Schizo- 
cosa. 
Methods 
Penultimate individuals of S. avida were collected during early 
May, 1973, in a field near Amesville (Athens Co.), Ohio, USA. 
J This study was supported in part by grant no. GB 35369 from the 
National Science Foundation. 
Manuscript received by the editor July 23, 1973 
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