AMERICAN MUSEUM NOVITATES Published by Number 1329 THE AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY November 4, 1946 New York City NORTH AMERICAN AGELENIDAE OF THE GENUS CORAS SIMON BY MARTIN H. MUMA' This review of North American spiders author (1944, Amer. Mus. Novitates, no. of the genus Coras Simon is based princi- 1257) described three others, Coras angu- pally on collections deposited in the Ameri- laris Muma, Coras crescentis Muma, and can Museum of Natural History, Museum Coras parallelis Muma. Six additional of Comparative Zo6logy, United States species are described in this paper. National Museum, as well as the private Chamberlin, in his 1925 paper entitled collections of Dr. B. J. Kaston and the "Notes on North American spiders hereto- author. Types and paratypes of the several fore referred to Coelotes" (1925, Proc. Biol. described species are deposited in the Soc. Washington, vol. 38, pp. 119-124), American Museum of Natural History. separated most of the species into the gen- Paratypes are in the collections of the era Coras Simon and Wadotes Chamberlin Museum of Comparative Zo6logy, the and placed one or two in synonymy in the United States National Museum, and in genus Cicurina Menge. The species the collections of Dr. Kaston and the au- Coelotes exaptus Banks, described in 1898 thor. (1898, Proc. California Acad. Sci., vol. 1, Acknowledgments are due Drs. Willis J. no. 7, p. 231, pl. 14, fig. 27) appears to have Gertsch, E. A. Chapin, B. J. Kaston, and been overlooked by him. A study of the Miss Elizabeth B. Bryant for their co- description of exaptus reveals several char- operation in providing material for the acters such as eye arrangement, leg spina- study; and to Katharine E. Muma, the tion, and lack of anterior lateral tubercles author's wife, for assistance in organizing on the epigynum that would exclude it and typing this paper. The author would from the genus Coras. Another species, also like to express appreciation to Dr. Coelotes plumarius Bishop and Crosby Gertsch for help in obtaining literature and (1926, Elisha Mitchell Sci. Soc., vol. 41, for helpful suggestions during the course of nos. 3, 4, p. 200, fig. 50), described after the study. Chamberlin's study, is a female of Tegen- aria derhami Scopoli. HISTORY OF THE GENUS The genus Coras was established by E. NOTES ON SYNONYMY Simon in 1898 (Hist. Nat. Araign., 1898, vol. 2, p. 258) for the species Tegenaria Hentz's original indication of Tegenaria medicinalis Hentz. Until 1925 when R. V. medicinalis (1821, Jour. Acad. Nat. Chamberlin (1925, Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash- Sci. Philadelphia, vol. 2, pt. 1, p. 53, ington, vol. 38, pp. 129-134) recognized the pl. 5, fig. la, b) gives a fairly accurate gen- congeneric characters of Caelotes juvenilis eral description and figure of the spider Keyserling and Coelotes montanus Emerton later placed by Simon in the genus Coras. and described a fourth species, Coras Later (1847, Jour. Boston Soc. Nat. Hist., taugynus Chamberlin, only the genotype vol. 5, p. 463, pl. 24, fig. 21) Hentz further was referred to the genus. In 1940 W. M. described and figured the species and, al- Barrows (1940, Ohio Jour. Sci., vol. 40, no. though the drawings of the eyes, male 3, p. 130, fig. 1) described a fifth species, palpus, and endites and chelicerae repre- Coras cavernorum Barrows, and in 1944 the sent medicinalis, the painting of the com- plete spider appears to be from a specimen 1 Department of Entomology, University of Ne- braska, Lincoln, Nebraska. of Tegenaria derhami Scopoli. In his sup- 2 AMERICAN MUSEUM NOVITATES [No. 1329 plement (1866, Proc. Boston Soc. Nat. GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE GENUS Hist., vol. 11, p. 107, fig. 110), which was The spiders of this genus like those of edited by S. H. Scudder, Hentz figured the other genera of Agelenidae, are quite simi- details of the palpus of medicinalis. These lar in size and appearance. Coloration and figure and descriptions with the unfortu- general structure appear to be constant nate exception of the 1847 painting defi- throughout the genus with specific separa- nitely place the species Coras medicinalis tion depending almost entirely on the struc- Hentz. ture of the genitalia. For this reason a de- Chamberlin in his 1925 paper recognized tailed description of the structure and col- the validity of medicinalis and placed oration is given here, and only specific and Caelotes urbanus Keyserling and Caelotes minor differences are discussed under the lamellosus Keyser,ing in synonymy with it. several species. Keyserling's description and figures of SIZE: Spiders moderate to large with urbanus (1887, Verhandl. Zool.-Bot. Ge- considerable variation in size among in- sellsch. Wien, p. 467, pl. 6, fig. 31, 31a) dividuals of the same species. Females clearly represent medicinalis. A careful generally larger, more robust, and with study of material from Virginia, Pennsyl- heavier, proportionately shorter legs than vania, and Minnesota, the localities cited males. by Keyserling in his description of lamello- STRUCTURE: Carapace somewhat longer sus (ibid., p. 469, pl. 6, fig. 30, 30a, 30b), than wide, widest between the second and indicate, however, that this species is dis- third pair of legs, highest and arched just tinct and must be returned to its specific behind eye area, rounded over eyes to status. anterior margin and sloping gradually to just behind thoracic groove from which it The relegation to synonymy with Coras slopes sharply to posterior margin. Cly- juvenilis (Keyserling) of Coelotes fidelis peus nearly perpendicular and as wide or Banks proposed by Chamberlin in 1925 wider than the diameter of the anterior after his study of the immature female median eyes. Carapace narrowed in holotype is followed in this paper. A com- front, with sides nearly parallel for about parative study, of Keyserling's epigynal one-third the length. Cephalic part figure of juvenilis (1881, Verhandl. Zool.- clearly defined by cervical grooves. Ra- Bot. Gesellsch. Wien, vol. 31, p. 288, pl. 11, dial furrows distinct. Thoracic groove fig. 13), of specimens of Coras montanus short, deep, and longitudinal. Carapace (Emerton), and of Barrows' figure of cordate behind. Hairs of carapace longest Coras cavernorum (1940, Ohio Jour. Sci., on clypeus and over eye area. Sternum vol. 40, no. 3, p. 130, fig. 1) indicates a close cordate and longer than wide. relationship. However, until more mate- Eyes in two rows occupying slightly more rial is available and more extensive study than one-half the width of the carapace in can be made, Chamberlin's placement of the cephalic area. Both eye rows lightly juvenilis must stand and cavernorum must procurved with the posterior row slightly be considered valid. longer. Anterior median eyes as large as, In 1944 (Amer. Mus. Novitates, no. or larger than, anterior lateral eyes, lateral 1257, pp. 3, 5) the author described Coras eyes subequal and posterior median eyes angularis Muma from a single male and smallest. Anterior median eyes closer to Coras crescentis Muma from a female. A anterior laterals than to each other. Eyes comparison of the types of these two spe- of posterior row nearly equidistant. Lat- cies with males and females of Coras ala- eral eyes separated from each other by less bama, new species, and Coras kisatchie, than a diameter. Median ocular quad- new species, both described in this paper, rangle slightly longer than wide and some- shows that they represent a single species. what narrowed in front. As angularis has page priority over crescen- Chelicerae robust, with prominent lat- tis, it is proposed that the latter become the eral condyles. Fangs strong and moder- synonym. ately curved. Furrows of chelicerae 1946], NORTH AMERICAN CORAS armed both above and below with three specimens than on old or old preserved distinct teeth. Endites longer than wide specimens. and widest at distal ends. Labium longer Cephalothorax light, darker on cephalic than wide and widest at base. Upper mar- part and over eye area than thoracic part. gins of the furrows of the chelicerae and Markings on cephalic part consist of two inner angles of the distal ends of the endites parallel, reticulate, irregular, dusky stripes rather densely clothed with long hairs. that arise between the posterior median Legs robust and moderately long. First and lateral eyes and unite just in front of and second pairs of legs directed forward, the thoracic groove. Anterior lateral third and fourth pairs directed backward. corners of cephalic area dusky. Thoracic Leg formula 4123. Coxae of all legs with part darker in the middle, marked with a longitudinal ridge on anterior face. All three pairs of triangular dusky spots that legs moderately clothed with hair. Spines form two indefinite crescentic longitudinal strong and moderately long. Tibiae of all bars midway between the thoracic groove legs armed below with three pairs of spines. and the lateral margins. Lateral margins Metatarsi of all legs armed below with of thoracic part seamed with a dusky line. two pairs of spines and a group of three All eyes bordered with black, and the an- spines at the distal ends. terior medians and both laterals occur in Abdomen longer than wide, subovate and black spots. Sternum darker on the. sides widest behind the middle. Spinnerets than in the middle, forming an indistinct prominent, with the anterior pair shortest interrupted median stripe that may or may and posterior pair longest. Posterior not be accompanied with light areas. spinnerets two-jointed. Abdomen mod- Chelicerae brown or reddish brown with erately well clothed with long hairs. light lateral condyles. Endites and labium Epigynum variously developed but al- concolorous with margins of sternum. ways with a pair of fleshy tubercles on the Legs light to dark yellow, darkening on anterior margin or at the anterior lateral metatarsi and tarsi and marked as follows: corners.