1994. The Journal of Arachnology 22:25 6

RESEARCH NOTE

A NON-NATIVE , METALTELLA SIMONI, FOUND IN CALIFORNIA (ARANEAE, )

The amaurobiid spider Metaltella simon i from other confamilials in North America in tha t (Keyserling 1878), a native of Uruguay and Ar- Metaltella has 5 or 6 teeth on the pro- and re- gentina, was introduced into the southeastern tromargin of the fang furrow whereas natives hav e United States, where specimens were first cap- fewer. Additionally, they differ markedly in that tured in Louisiana in 1944; and it has since be - the male Metaltella palpal tibia has small pro- come fairly common both there and in Missis- cesses (Leech 1972, Fig. 194, 195) whereas mos t sippi (Leech 1971, 1972). Additional records of North American male amaurobiids have rathe r this spider have been made in Florida and Nort h large and ornate (bordering on flamboyant) tibia l Carolina in the USA and in Alberta, Canada processes . The lateral margins of the female' s (Leech & Steiner 1992). Here we report the find- epigynum each have a slender, posterio-medially ing of mature specimens of this spider in south - directed process ("tooth" in Leech 1972, Fig . ern California . 390) which terminates in a small knob ; this is Fourteen Metaltella simoni were col- unlike any North American confamilial . lected on the campus of the University of Cali- Initial identification was corroborate d fornia—Riverside between 11 June and 2 Septem - by Dr. N. Platnick of the American Museum o f ber 1994. Ten mature males were collected i n Natural History. All specimens are housed in the the basement or around the perimeter of the En- R. S. Vetter collection at the University of Cal- tomology building: three live, one dead, two be- ifornia—Riverside. We thank Dr. C. Griswold and ing fed upon by other spiders [Steatoda grossa Saul Frommer for comments on an early draft (Koch) (Theridiidae) and Holocnemus pluchei of the manuscript . (Scopoli) (Pholcidae)] and four desiccated sam- ples from the web of a single black widow spider, LITERATURE CITED Latrodectus hesperus Chamberlin and Ivi e Konig, R. 1972. Ein bemerkenswerter Biss von (Theridiidae). Four specimens were taken 2 km similis (Blackwall) (Araneae, Amau - from this site at the Agricultural Research Sta- robiidae). Entomol. Zeitsch., 82:273-275 . Leech, R. 1971 . The introduced Amaurobiidae of tion. They consisted of one mature of each sex , North America, and Callobius hokkaido n . sp. from an immature male which molted to the penul- Japan (Arachnida : Araneida) . Canadian Ento- timate stage in captivity before dying (all cap- mol., 103:23-32. tured alive) and one female that was consume d Leech, R. 1972 . A revision of the Nearctic Amau - as prey by a black widow spider . A remarkable robiidae (Arachnida: Araneida). Mem. Entomol. Soc. aspect is that in an approximate 11-week period , Canada, #84, 182 pp . 14 spiders (13 mature), heretofore unknown from Leech, R. & M. Steiner. 1992 . Metaltella simoni California, were captured ; and mostly the col- (Keyserling, 1878) (Amaurobiidae) new to Canada, lection process was one of incidental discovery and records for Tegenaria gigantea Chamberlin and . Therefore, i Ivie, 1935, (Agelenidae) in Alberta and British Co - as opposed to a deliberate search t lumbia (Arachnida : Araneida). Canadian Entomol., would not be surprising if Metaltella simoni i s 124 :419-420 . already firmly established in the Riverside area . Metaltella simoni is most likely spread as a Richard S . Vetter and P. Kirk Visscher: Ento- result of human commerce (Leech & Steiner mology Department, University of California 1992). The finding of this species in southern at Riverside, Riverside, California 92521 USA California is mostly of academic interest as it i s rare for humans to suffer deleterious effects of Manuscript received 24 August 1994, revised 12 No- venom from any amaurobiid (although it is no t vember 1994. unknown, see Konig 1972). These amaurobiid spiders are distinguished

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