Great Basin Naturalist

Volume 47 Number 2 Article 13

4-30-1987

Spider fauna of selected wild sunflower species sites in the southwest United States

G. J. Seiler USDA_ARS, Conservation and Production Research Laboratory, Bushland, Texas

G. Zolnerowich Midwestern State University, Wichita Falls, Texas

N. V. Horner Midwestern State University, Wichita Falls, Texas

C. E. Rogers

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Recommended Citation Seiler, G. J.; Zolnerowich, G.; Horner, N. V.; and Rogers, C. E. (1987) " fauna of selected wild sunflower species sites in the southwest United States," Great Basin Naturalist: Vol. 47 : No. 2 , Article 13. Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/gbn/vol47/iss2/13

This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Western North American Naturalist Publications at BYU ScholarsArchive. It has been accepted for inclusion in Great Basin Naturalist by an authorized editor of BYU ScholarsArchive. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected]. SPIDER FAUNA OF SELECTED WILD SUNFLOWER SPECIES SITES IN THE SOUTHWEST UNITED STATES

G. J. Seller', G. Zolnerowich", N. V. Horner", and C. E. Rogers^

Abstract —Fifteen genera representing nine families of were collected in the southwestern United States in 1980. , Araneidae, , and Salticidae were the most commonly collected spider families. Ten genera of spiders not previously reported on sunflowers are reported for the first time.

Sunflower {Helianthus annuus L.) is an im- hol (ETOH). Host plant and site data were portant oilseed crop in the United States (Co- recorded for each spider specimen. The spi- bia and Zimmer 1978). Wherever sunflower is der specimens are deposited in the museum cultivated in the United States, it suffers eco- at Midwestern State University, Wichita nomic losses by insect pests (Rogers 1979). Falls, Texas. Spiders were identified to genus Although there are many natural enemies of using keys in Kaston (1978). Species determi- sunflower pests, spiders are seldom listed nations were made using keys prepared by among biological control agents (Rogers various authorities. 1980). Cockerell (1916) reported spiders from Plants were identified using the keys in wild H. annuus in California. Also, spiders Heiseretal. (1969). Specimen sheets of plants were reported from cultivated sunflower in were prepared and identifications were later

Australia (Broadley and Ironside 1981) and confirmed by C. B. Heiser, Jr. Plant speci- from commercial sunflower fields in Georgia mens are deposited at the United States De- (Lynch and Garner 1980). partment of Agriculture, Agricultural Re- Spiders prey on invertebrate pests in both search Service, Bushland, Te.xas. natural habitats and in monotypic agricultural lands (Riechert and Lockley 1984). However, Results and Discussion information is scant on spiders associated with wild sunflowers. as Inasmuch the encourage- In the present survey, 54 specimens of spi- ment and preservation of natural enemies are ders were collected from 18 taxa of wild He- important factors in control of in- sunflower liantJius. The spider collections included 9 sects, we attempted to identify spiders col- families, 15 genera, and 7 identifiable species lected from native Helianthus species in the (Table 1). The term identifiable is used be- southwestern United States. cause some immature spiders could not be identified beyond genus. The Thomisidae Materials and Methods (crab spiders), Salticidae (jumping spiders), Araneidae (orb-web spiders), and Dictynidae Spiders were collected from native species (dictynid spiders) were the most commonly o( Helianthus in seven states (Arkansas, Cali- collected families. fornia, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, Okla- Previous reports of spiders on sunflower are homa, and Texas) during September and Oc- from wild or cultivated H. annuus L. Cock- tober 1980. Spiders were hand-collected as erell (1916) listed Chiracanthium inchisum they were encountered in pure sunflower spe- (Hentz), Metaphidippus vitis (Cockerell), Te- cies stands or occasionally two species stands tragnatha lahoriosa Hentz, Misumenops lep- in mid- to late-flowering growth stage. All idus (Thorell), and Misiimenoides formosipes specimens encountered were collected and (Walckenaer) as being found on wild annual preserved in vials containing 95% ethyl alco- sunflower H. annuus in California. Broadley

'USDA-ARS. Consenation and Production Research Laboratory. P.O. Drawer 10, Bu.shland, Texas 79012. Department of Biology, Midwestern State University, Wichita Falls, Te.xas 76.308. USDA-ARS, Insect Biology and Population Management Research Laboratory, Tifton, Georgia 31793.

280 April 1987 Seileretal: SpiderFauna 281

Table 1. Spiders collected from Helianthus species in the southwestern United States during 1980.

Family 282 Great Basin Naturalist Vol. 47, No. 2

and Ironside (1981) listed Araneus sp. , Chira- Bloomington, for verifying identifications of canthimn sp., sp., and Achaearanea Helianthus species. Travel for collecting He- sp. as being found on cultivated sunflower in lianthus species and spider specimens was Queensland, Australia. made possible by a grant from the USDA- Spiders are conspicuous predators in culti- ARS, National Plant Germplasm System, Re- vated sunflower. On several occasions Mis- gional Plant Introduction Station, Experi- umenops sp. immatures and adults were ment, Georgia (Gilbert Lovell, coordinator). found feeding on larvae and adults of the sun- flower moth, Homoeosoma electeUum (Hulst), Literature Cited in sunflower fields of the Te.xas High Plains. In

addition, C. E. Rogers (personal observation) Bkoadley. R H , AND D a. Ironside. 1981. Predatory has observed the green lynx spider, insects and spiders in Queensland sunflower crops. Sunflower 12-14. viridans, feeding on the painted-lady butter- 5(4):

CoBiA. D W . AND D E ZiMMER 1978. Sunflower pro- fly, Vanessa cardui (L.), on Hclianthus max- duction and marketing. North Dakota State Univ. in Texas. imiliani Schrader southeast Ext. Bufl. 25 (rev.). 73 pp. Four of the five genera reported by Cock- CocKERELL. T D A 1916. Sunflower insects in California erell (1916) were found in the present study, and South Africa. Canadian Entomol. 48; 76-79.

Heiser. C B , Jr , D M Smith, S B Clevenger, andW. although not all were found on wild annual C Martin. Jr 1969. The North American sunflow- sunflower. Additionally, two of four genera ers (Helianthus). Mem. Torrev Bot. Club 22: found on cultivated sunflower were found on 1-218. wild sunflowers. Ten genera not previously Kaston, B J 1978. How to know the spiders. 3d ed. Wm. reported on sunflower are reported for the C. Brown Co., Dubuque, Iowa. 272 pp.

Lynch, R. E , and Garner 1980. Insects associated first time. These data suggest that spiders J W with sunflower Helianthus annuus in southern found on wild sunflowers are quite diverse; a Georgia. J. Georgia Entomol. Soc. 15: 182-189. good comprehensive list would require more RiECHERT, S. E . andT LoCKLEY 1984. Spiders as biologi- concentrated sampling over longer periods of cal control agents. Ann. Rev. Entomol. 29: time at specific sites. 299-320. Rogers, C E 1979. Selected bibliography of insect pests of sunflower. TAES MP-1439. Texas A&M Uni- Acknowledgments versity, College Station, Texas. 41 pp. 1980. Natural enemies ofinsect pests of sunflower: We are grateful to Dr. C. B. Heiser, Jr., a world view. Texas Agric. Expt. Sta. Misc. Publ. Department of Biology, Indiana University, 1457. .30 pp.