Genus Mastophora - Bolas Spiders

Common name refers to this genus' practice of snaring prey in mid-flight by swinging a silk line with an adhesive blob on the end.

15 species total in North America, north of Mexico.

The female spiders can be narrowed down by whether they have abdominal humps or not. However, this field marking does not work for males which can have humps or no humps in the same species.

Glistening appearance, like a fresh bird dropping, and pair of lumps on the dorsal surface of the abdomen seem to be genus-wide traits.

Range

1)

The Bolas spiders can be found from New Hampshire to Minnesota to the southern states and west to California.





The only species in the west is M. cornigera.







The following species are found in the Eastern US:



-apalachicola: South Carolina to northern Florida (but based only on 3 specimens, as of Levi 2003)



-archeri: southern United States from South Carolina, Florida, and Alabama to Texas



-bisaccata: eastern United States



-cornigera: from Kentucky and Tennessee west to California and south to Central America



-hutchinsoni: northeastern United States, from New Hampshire and South Carolina to Minnesota



-phrynosoma: eastern United States



-stowei: widespread in the eastern United States



-timuqua: North Carolina to southern Florida (but only based on 4 collections, as of Levi 2003)



-yeargani: New York to Kentucky







Found only in Florida are:



-alachua: northern Florida



-felda: south-central Florida (but only one specimen found, as of Levi 2003)



-satsuma: central Florida (but only one female has ever been collected, as of Levi 2003)



-seminole: southern Florida (but only one female has ever been collected, as of Levi 2003)







Found only in southern Texas:



-alvareztoroi: southern Texas (as of Levi 2003)



-leucabulba: southern Texas (as of Levi 2003)