My New Schizocosa sp.

[BobBarley]

I assume this is a Schizocosa sp., anyone know species?


Very enthusiastic feeder, masticates prey much quicker and with more vigor than any of my t's. It shredded up the young superworm I gave it real quick. Very pretty in person and one of the largest I've seen around here.

 

[chanda]

What a beautiful spider!!!

I'm not certain, but it might be S. mccooki. It fits the description here: https://books.google.com/books?id=Tb-RWSTJm3gC&pg=PA161&lpg=PA161&dq=schizocosa+mccooki+identification&source=bl&ots=GyeKYvxlBn&sig=JSycivgD-A-G61JzmW0NjNLApd8&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiJwcLn0qLQAhXBy1QKHa15BNcQ6AEIUDAL#v=onepage&q=schizocosa mccooki identification&f=false but there are other, related species that look similar.

"This medium-sized to large wolf spider has a gray or light brown body with two dark lateral bands on the cephalothorax as well as a dark heart mark on the abdomen. There are light bands lateral to the heart mark as well as a series of paired white spots."

Comparison picture: http://bugguide.net/node/view/1066808

 

[BobBarley]

What a beautiful spider!!!

I'm not certain, but it might be S. mccooki. It fits the description here: https://books.google.com/books?id=Tb-RWSTJm3gC&pg=PA161&lpg=PA161&dq=schizocosa+mccooki+identification&source=bl&ots=GyeKYvxlBn&sig=JSycivgD-A-G61JzmW0NjNLApd8&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiJwcLn0qLQAhXBy1QKHa15BNcQ6AEIUDAL#v=onepage&q=schizocosa mccooki identification&f=false but there are other, related species that look similar.

"This medium-sized to large wolf spider has a gray or light brown body with two dark lateral bands on the cephalothorax as well as a dark heart mark on the abdomen. There are light bands lateral to the heart mark as well as a series of paired white spots."

Comparison picture: http://bugguide.net/node/view/1066808

Could be, it was found in San Joaquin County, California. It was missing its leg when I found it. Guessing it's a she, because of her size.

 

[14pokies]

Nice find man! I was going to head out in search of wolf spiders myself tonight but it's a little chilly..

 

[YagerManJennsen]

These little dudes are so fun to keep!

 

[Smokehound714]

provide a ventral shot.

Schizocosa mccooki and avida have a lookalike- Hogna antelucana. they can appear identical dorsally, antelucana has a solid black 'belly'.

 

[loxoscelesfear]

I think mccooki is correct. H. antelucana resembles H. baltimoriana dorsally in my opinion. Does the underside of abdomen have a yellow mark in the center? Love to see a ventral shot as smokehound mentioned above.

 

[BobBarley]

provide a ventral shot.

Schizocosa mccooki and avida have a lookalike- Hogna antelucana. they can appear identical dorsally, antelucana has a solid black 'belly'.

I think mccooki is correct. H. antelucana resembles H. baltimoriana dorsally in my opinion. Does the underside of abdomen have a yellow mark in the center? Love to see a ventral shot as smokehound mentioned above.

Here you go

 

[loxoscelesfear]

View attachment 225319
Here you go

Sometimes the venter of abdomen in mccooki has no markings at all according to Dondale, 1978. Schizocosa mccooki is a common spider in grassland-country of Cali. Tibia and basitarsus IV black at distal end in this specimen and the size matches that of mccooki. I still think it's mccooki but i was dead wrong on the ventral color.

 

[Smokehound714]

Definitely mccooki.

 

[Venom1080]

edit: nvrmind