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Issue: Vol. 1529 No. 1: 19 Jul. 2007
Type: Articles
Published: 2007-07-19
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.1529.1.4
Page range: 49–60
Abstract views: 38
PDF downloaded: 29

New Linyphiidae spiders associated with playas in the Southern High Plains (Llano Estacado) of Texas (Arachnida: Araneae)

Invertebrate Collection, Natural Science Research Laboratory, Museum of Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas 79409, U.S.A.
Wildlife and Fisheries Management Institute, Mail Stop 2125, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas 79409, U.S.A. Coastal Conservation Program, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, 1502 FM 517 East, Dickinson, Texas 77539, U.S.A.
Wildlife and Fisheries Management Institute, Mail Stop 2125, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas 79409 U.S.A. Department of Zoology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma 74078, U.S.A.
12 Chemin Saxby sud, Shefford, Québec, J2M 1S2, Canada
Arachnida Ceratinella Ceraticelus Erigone Mermessus wetland new records new species playa taxonomy U.S.A.

Abstract

Three species [Ceratinella playa new species, Erigone denticulata Chamberlin & Ivie, Mermessus denticulatus (Banks)] in the spider family Linyphiidae were associated with emergent vegetation in playa wetlands in the Southern High Plains of Texas. Playa wetlands are being rapidly degraded in the Great Plains of the U. S. A. We describe and illustrate the new species Ceratinella playa from a male and female from Briscoe County, Texas. Erigone denticulata is redescribed and illustrated from males and females from Texas. New distributional records are provided for E. denticulata from the U. S. A.: Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Texas, Utah, and Wyoming. All of these except those from Wyoming are new state records. A new county record of Mermessus denticulatus is reported from Texas.

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