Sweeney Granite Mountains Desert Research Center

05 Oct, 01 PM - 06 Oct, 01 PM

Solifuges (Arachnida: Solifugae), commonly called camel spiders, are an important group of arachnids found in fragile, often threatened desert ecosystems. They are notoriously difficult to study since they are hard to find and collect, nearly impossible to keep alive in the lab, and challenging to identify due to limited diagnostic characteristics. They are the sixth most diverse order of arachnids, yet there are few scientists studying any aspect of their biology. We are focusing our fieldwork on type localities for species underrepresented in collections and for species for which the only specimens available are the types. We are also focusing on regions that are under-collected for this taxonomic group where we have reason to believe there is high endemicity and large numbers of undescribed species. Solifuges, like some other nocturnal invertebrates, exhibit positive phototaxic behavior (Turner 1916; Catenazzi et al. 2009; Cloudsley-Thompson 1961, 1977; Punzo 1998). In recent years, researchers have dramatically improved collection yields by capitalizing on this phototactic phenomenon (Cushing & González-Santillán, 2018; Graham et al., 2019). Illuminated pitfall arrays, along with hand collection, will be used to augment the number of individuals collected each night. Hand collection will begin at sunset and will end at ~2 am each night. Thus, during our visit, we seek to collect camel spiders using two collection techniques: temporary pitfall trapping and hand collection. Our proposed fieldwork throughout the deserts of western North America will allow us to 1) collect species underrepresented in museum collections that can be used for the phylogenetic and phylogeographic research; 2) collect specimens that can be used to determine the morphological characters that are informative in species delimitation; and 3) establish more accurate species ranges and biogeographic species distribution patterns.

Visit #72664 @Sweeney Granite Mountains Desert Research Center

Approved

Under Project # 47025 | Research

North American camel spiders (Arachnida, Solifugae, Eremobatidae): systematic revision and biogeography of an understudied taxon

graduate_student - Denver Museum of Nature and Science

Reservation Members(s)

Erika Garcia Oct 5 - 6, 2021 (2 days)
Paula Cushing Oct 5 - 6, 2021 (2 days)

Reserve Resources(s) | Create Invoice

Allanson Center East Cabin (Research Use) 1 Oct 5 - 6, 2021
Allanson Center West Cabin (Research Use) 1 Oct 5 - 6, 2021