Brown Recluse Question

[davidbarber1]

Hey all, I live on the CA. side of Havasu Lake. I know there are Brown Recluses here and I'm sure I have seen them. I have Googled and come up with lots of info. I do have a question. I can't find any species accounts for this area. I have been told that there are several subspecies in the area. The docs at the hospital on the Arizona side confirm this. Does anybody have any info on the subspecies in this area and do any of you own any in your collections? If you could post some pics, I would be grateful. Then I can show them to my wife. She thinks all the spiders around our house are Recluses!! Thanks in advance.

David

[What]

David, there are indeed Loxosceles speceis in California, but other than possible isolated populations, the Brown Recluse Spider(Loxosceles reclusa) is not found in California.

Edit: Also, if you can get some photos of the spiders, we can either confirm them as Loxosceles, or provide a more accurate one for you.

[buthus]

Subspecies?

This is more general knowledge plus just thinking about where/how ive found loxosceles sp. out in the SW desert.
Loxosceles (esp US species) all look basically alike and technically cannot/should not be IDd visually. To top that off, individuals and individual populations can very when it comes to size, color and marking contrast.
L. deserta ..This, you have. Native to your area.
L. reclusa ..probable, but unlikely, yet always expanding its range.
L. arizonica ..if not there, a short drive away.
L. kaiba ..probably not there, but wouldnt surprise me if they were (proximity vs 'man' and his travels) These MAY look 'different' enough to sorta rely on a visual ID guess... but ill get in trouble with that. .. I think I have one here.
L. russelli ..probably not there and it would surprise me if they were. Same with L. sabina and L.apachea.

[buthus]

Well... there is a bit of difference visually that can help compare a few species against each other.

Leg formulas of US species:*
Loxosceles apachea fem 4213 male 2413
Loxosceles arizonica fem 4213 male 2413
Loxosceles blanda fem 4213 male 2413
Loxosceles deserta 2413 (both sexes)
Loxosceles devia fem 2413 male 2143
Loxosceles kaiba fem 2413 male 2143
Loxosceles laeta 4213 (both sexes)
Loxosceles martha 4213 (both sexes)
Loxosceles palma 2413 (both sexes)
Loxosceles reclusa fem 2413 male 2143
Loxosceles rufescens fem 2413 male (?)
Loxosceles russelli fem 4213 male 2413
Loxosceles sabina fem 4213 male (has not been described)
*Recluse Spiders and The Hobo Spider – In North America Dr. Robert Gale Breene III

[davidbarber1]

Thanks for the posts guys. Any other replies would be appreciated. And don't forget pics if you have a specimen. I knew I could count on you.

David

[Raikiri]

Subspieces? I haven't ever heard that gen. Loxosceles contains any..