The Guardstone Spiders of the genus Scotinella (Araneae: Phrurolithidae) in the Southeastern United States

Abstract

Scotinella Banks is accepted as the valid name for the numerous North American phrurolithids with a knoblike femoral apophysis and a bifid retrolateral tibial apophysis on the male palp; Phruronellus Chamberlin is considered a junior synonym of Scotinella. The 20 species of Scotinella known to occur in the southeastern United States are revised. Seven specific names are transferred from Phrurolithus to Scotinella and considered valid: P. alatus Ivie & Barrows, P. apacheus Gertsch, P. banksi Gertsch, P. goodnighti Muma, P. pinturus Ivie & Barrows, P. similis Banks, and P. singulus Gertsch. Three specific names are newly synonymized: Phrurolithus absurdus Gertsch with S. floridae (Chamberlin & Gertsch), P. concisus Gertsch with S. alata (Ivie & Barrows), and P. pipensis Muma with S. banksi (Gertsch). The male allotype of S. singula belongs to S. goodnighti (Muma); the actual males of S. singula are newly described, as are those of S. apachea. Six new species are described: S. iviei sp. nov. and S. bennetti sp. nov. from Florida, S. gertschi sp. nov. from Florida and South Carolina, S. pennimani sp. nov. from Georgia, S. thurstoni sp. nov. from Louisiana and Mississippi, and S. coylei sp. nov. from Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, Tennessee, South Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia.