Images • Maps • Species Lists • Family Descriptions • Species Descriptions

Pardosa fuscula (Thorell, 1875)

	FAMILY: LYCOSIDAE Sundevall, 1833     Genus: Pardosa C. L. Koch, 1847         Species: Pardosa fuscula (Thorell, 1875)
	Author: Pinzon, Jaime Page views: 1,532 Write a Review: Visitor Comments: (0)

Family Common Name:  wolf spiders
Genus Common Name:  thinlegged wolf spiders
Species Common Name:  none

Global Distribution: USA, Canada, Alaska
Nearctic States & Provinces: AB NT ON YT CO MT UT WY

Seasonality Specimen Search Specimen list 74, 127

Feeding Guild:^† ground runners
^†Feeding guild when noted defined by Uetz, G. W., J. Halaj, and A. B. Cady. 1999. Guild structure of spiders in major crops. Journal of Arachnology 27:270-280. PDF
Habitat (published): This species is typically found near water bodies and has been considered semi-aquatic, having a strong positive correlation with moist littoral areas (Graham et al., 2003) such as salt marshes (Dondale & Redner, 1990), meadows (Dondale & Redner, 1990; Nordstrom & Buckle, 2002), bogs, swamps, beaches (Aitchison-Benell & Dondale, 1990) and peatlands (Dondale & Redner, 1994). However, it has also been collected in alpine tundra, conifer forests, or forage crops.
Habitat (<30 randomly chosen specimens): Mixedwood forest; Site 1; Along creek; Wet muskeg; Meadow; Grass, willows - edge of creek; reclaimed mine tailings; Pine forest; Lakeshore: open pine, cranberries, lichen to black spruce, sphagnum; Riparian; Riparian, Beaver Pond; Grassy creek bank; Riparian, Wet Grassland; Beaver lodge; Riparian, Black Cottonwood Forest; Riparian, Creek Bank;

Life & Natural History: Like many other Pardosa species, P. fuscula has a biennial life cycle (Pickavance, 2001). Copulation events may occur throughout the summer because females with egg sacs have been collected from late May to mid October (Dondale & Redner, 1990). Copulation is more frequent during August because spiderlings are more abundant in September than in other months (Pickavance, 2001). Like other Pardosa species, P. fuscula immatures overwinter twice before reaching adulthood (Pickavance, 2001).

Image(s) of Habitus:

Description: Carapace broad, dark brown, darker in the eye region, with two longitudinal lighter bands near the lateral edges, one smaller stripe the same color, over the dorsal mid line covering just the thoracic groove. Mouthparts: Chelicerae, labium, and endites dark brown. Sternum dark brown. Coxae and legs dark and dusky with dorsal black streaks, especially on femora. Abdomen dark brown to black with an antero-dorsal light patch, lighter ventrally. Palp: Terminal apophysis small and curved, finger like, median apophysis big and swollen with two projections, anterior projection broad and curved posteriorly, posterior projection small and hooked anteriorly.

Male Dimensions: A = 3.48 mm  A+B = 7.19 mm  C = 2.69 mm

Image of External Male Genitalia: Credit: Pinzon, Jaime

Description: Similar to males but the two longitudinal light bands near the lateral edge are more distinct. The overall coloration is lighter than in males. Epigynum: Wider than long to sub-quadrate, lateral plates broadly rounded on each side, posterior endings swollen, anterior part of septum slender and narrow, posterior part triangular fitting between posterior ends of lateral plates, atrium broad and rounded.

Female Dimensions: A = 3.33 mm  A+B = 7.22 mm  C = 2.64 mm

Image of Epigynum: Credit: Pinzon, Jaime

Lycosa fuscula Thorell 1875 urn:lsid:ubio.org:namebank:2068470

Pardosa fuscula Thorell 1875 urn:lsid:ubio.org:namebank:9737616

Lycosa fuscula Jackson 1933 urn:lsid:ubio.org:namebank:2068471

Pardosa fuscula Levi 1951 urn:lsid:ubio.org:namebank:9735503

Pardosa fuscula Levi & Field 1954 urn:lsid:ubio.org:namebank:2068473

Pardosa fuscula Dondale & Redner 1987 urn:lsid:ubio.org:namebank:2068474

Pardosa fuscula Dondale & Redner 1990 urn:lsid:ubio.org:namebank:2068475

Pardosa fuscula Paquin & Dupérré 2003 urn:lsid:ubio.org:namebank:2011326

Pardosa fuscula Vogel 2004 urn:lsid:ubio.org:namebank:9738318

Dondale, C. D. & J. H. Redner. 1990. The insects and arachnids of Canada, Part 17. The wolf spiders, nurseryweb spiders, and lynx spiders of Canada and Alaska, Araneae: Lycosidae, Pisauridae, and Oxyopidae. Research Branch, Agriculture Canada, Publ. 1856: 1-383.

Dondale, C. D. & J. H. Redner. 1987. The atrata, cubana, ferruginea, moesta, monticola, saltuaria, and solituda groups of the spider genus Pardosa in North America (Araneae: Lycosidae). Can. Ent. 119: 1-19.

Jackson, A. R. 1933. Results of the Oxford University Expedition to Akpatok in 1931. Araneae. Proc. zool. Soc. Lond. 1933(1): 145-159.

Levi, H. W. 1951. New and rare spiders from Wisconsin and adjacent states. Am. Mus. Novit. 1501: 1-41.

Levi, H. W. & H. M. Field. 1954. The spiders of Wisconsin. Am. Midl. Nat. 51: 440-467.

Paquin, P. & N. Dupérré. 2003. Guide d'identification des araignées de Québec. Fabreries, Suppl. 11 1-251.

Thorell, T. 1875. Notice of some spiders from Labrador. Proc. Boston Soc. nat. Hist. 17: 490-504.

Vogel, B. R. 2004. A review of the spider genera Pardosa and Acantholycosa (Araneae, Lycosidae) of the 48 contiguous United States. J. Arachnol. 32: 55-108.

^‡Nomenclature and taxonomic references from the World Spider Catalog

Aitchison-Benell, C. W. & C. D. Dondale. 1990. A checklist of Manitoba spiders (Araneae) with notes on geographic relationships. Naturaliste can. 117: 215-237.

Dondale, C. D. & J. H. Redner. 1990. The insects and arachnids of Canada, Part 17. The wolf spiders, nurseryweb spiders, and lynx spiders of Canada and Alaska, Araneae: Lycosidae, Pisauridae, and Oxyopidae. Research Branch, Agriculture Canada, Publ. 1856: 1-383.

Graham, A.K., C.M. Buddle, and J.R. Spence. 2003. Habitat affinities of spiders living near a freshwater pond. Journal of Arachnology 31: 78-89.

Nordstrom, W. & D. Buckle. 2002. Spider records from four wildland parks in northeastern Alberta. Report prepared for: Alberta Natural Heritage Information Centre, Parks and Protected Areas Division, Alberta Community Development. 34 pp. Accessible at: http://www.canadianarachnology.org/data/alberta_spiders/Nordstrom%20&%20Buckle%202002.pdf.

Pickavance, R. 2001. Life-cycles of four species of Pardosa (Araneae, Lycosidae) from the island of Newfoundland, Canada. Journal of Arachnology 29: 367-377.

Latest Literature from uBio: