Solpugids (araghnida) of the sevilleta national wildlife refuge, New Mexico

摘要

We present the first results from long-term monitoring data on the solpugids, or sun spiders, of the Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge (SNWR) in central New Mexico. Twelve species were collected from the site, including a new species in the genus Hemerotrecha and a state record for Eremobates simoni. Eremobates pallipes and Hemerotrecha fruitana were common and widespread. Species richness and composition at SNWR were similar to those of Colorado and southwestern New Mexico. Biogeographic influences on species composition included Great Plains grassland, Colorado Plateau, and Chihuahuan Desert. There was some evidence of hybridization between E. pallipes and E. arizonica, although none between the two sympatric species Arenotherus puebloensis and A. mumai. The time course of the study included the El Ninio of 1991-1992 and the drought (La Ninia) of 1994-1995. Neither of these weather events was significantly associated with changes in solpugid abundance, a pattern also found for many other SNWR surface-active arthropods.