THE LYNX SPIDER GENUS OXYOPES IN MEXICO 
AND CENTRAL AMERICA (ARANEAE rOXYOPIDAE) 1 
By Allen R. Brady 
Dept, of Biology, Hope College 
Holland, Michigan 49423 
INTRODUCTION 
This is the second in a projected series of papers on the Neo- 
tropical Oxyopidae. In this study 16 species of Oxyopes are recorded 
from Mexico and Central America. Of these, 1 1 are predominately 
Mexican and Central American, four are more abundant in America, 
north of Mexico, and one is widely distributed throughout Mexico, 
North and Central America. Numerous specimens from Mexico 
and Central America were examined during this study. Collections 
available from the Museum of Comparative Zoology and the 
American Museum of Natural History provided an abundance of 
specimens from certain areas, such as the Panama Canal Zone. 
However, some regions of Mexico and Central America, are poorly 
collected. Additional specimens came from field studies during 
several summers in Mexico (1969-71), Costa Rica (1972), and 
Panama ( 1972) . 
Named species of Oxyopes from Mexico and Central America 
were often inadequately described and figured and there was some 
confusion as to the correct names of several species, males and fe- 
males having been separately described. In addition, little was 
known of the geographic ranges nor was there any clear concept of 
the evolutionary relationships of Neotropical Oxyopes to each other 
or to their North American relatives. 
Certain species of Oxyopes are extremely abundant in areas of 
grassy or herbaceous vegetation. For example, O. salticus and O. 
flavus constituted as much as 20% of the total number of spiders 
taken in sweeping vegetation (0.5- 1 m in height) in some coastal 
areas of Guerrero and Veracruz. Judging from their abundance, 
these spiders are evidently important predators of insects within 
these habitats. The species of Oxyopes observed were all active dur- 
ing the day. They ran swiftly over the plants where they occurred 
and when disturbed exhibited characteristic erratic leaps which 
allow them to be immediately recognized in the field. Although 
Oxyopes do not actively pursue their prey by sight, they are much 
1 Manuscript received by the editor March 25, 1975 
189 
