help ID this spider?

[terancheped42]

Tonight i decided to go out and look for bugs while i was out i flipped a rock and found this "little" guy/gal. I've seen these many times but never really took the time to catch one but this one looked pretty cool and was bigger then most of the ones i find so i decided what the heck and scooped it up. i made a little enclosure and took some pictures. It kind of looks like a little wolf spider. What should i feed it and should i change the cage at all? In the last picture you can see him in the den i made it has to entry holes.

 

[catfishrod69]

Looks like a wolfie to me. Enclosure looks fine. Maybe give her just a little more room to roam. A medium cricket once a week to two weeks would be fine, just watch the abdomen size.

 

[Thomas2015]

I think it might be a rabid wolf spider (Rabidosa rabida). They're fairly common and are found all over the US. Cool find!!!

 

[terancheped42]

Is there any way i can tell if its a boy or a girl? I think its a girl but that's just an assumption.

 

[catfishrod69]

I dont believe that species gets very big. So judging by its size, i would lean towards female. Not 100% sure though.

 

[Ciphor]

I think it might be a rabid wolf spider (Rabidosa rabida). They're fairly common and are found all over the US. Cool find!!!

I don't think Rabidosa sp. as they have very sharp contrast in colors that would be visible even in these images.

This is a wolf spider, however even with great shots I would be cautious to try and stick a genus on it. These wolf spiders have amazing overlap in morphology and even the best Arachnologists refuse to try a ID past family without a microscope. If you got it in NY we can narrow the list down a little bit.

I believe these are the 5 dominate species of wolf spider in the NY area (keep in mind, there are several other genre in neighboring states, and you live in a region where the states are small, making the possibility of none natives spending a season in your yard very possible)

Arctosa sp.
Pardosa sp.
Pirata sp.
Rabidosa sp.
Trochosa sp.

I think given that list (given it is accurate, please correct me if I missed one) Trochosa sp. is the most likely. Trochosa sp. are also the most common around homes in NY I believe.

That is purely a guess based on region with poor images. Please take it with a grain of salt and if you are serious about getting an accurate ID, I would consult with a local Arachnologist who knows your area well. Telling if it's a boy or girl might be just as tough as IDing, however generally (when sexually mature) wolf spider males have slender abdomens and long legs, while females are larger in the abdomen with shorter legs. Apart from that you would need to flip the spider and check for an epigynum, or use a hand mag to check the tips of the palps for a conductor.

 

[terancheped42]

These guys are found every where here and i was also wondering if they can be kept together. I know spiders usually are not communal but is it different with these guys?

 

[Ciphor]

These guys are found every where here and i was also wondering if they can be kept together. I know spiders usually are not communal but is it different with these guys?

Wolf spiders can be tolerant (definitely not communal) of each other, which with some species tolerance is enough for keeping more then one in a large enough enclosure. Wolf spiders of this size I believe would be bad idea. I don't think they would right away kill each other, they would stress the crud out of each other tho, which will lead to a lack of eating, and premature deaths.

I've played around with keeping some very small Pardosa sp. in a 10 gallon with lots of rocks and hides. Fed them an abundance of FFF and still most died, due to a lack of eating I assumed. I imagine larger sized wolf spiders would have a much more tough time.

 

[terancheped42]

update

I got another one I think the first one i got is a male and this one is a female which may be gravid (hopefully). I fed them both today and they ate without hesitation, very cool and aggressive eaters. I have them housed individually in small Kritter Keepers. The possible male is a always out but the "female" is usually in the hide.

 

[Venom]

Possibly a Trochosa ruricola?

 

[terancheped42]

Possibly a Trochosa ruricola?

That looks like the ones i have