Members of the Hedin lab traveled to Arizona last week, seeking to collect members of the laniatorean harvestmen genus Sitalcina.  The Sitalcina sura species group is mostly Californian in distribution, but includes three rarely collected taxa from montane AZ.

clockwise from below jaguar: Axel, Dan, Erika, Eric Stiner (UC Riverside), Casey, Angela, Kristen

We first collected in the mountains of central AZ, looking for Sitalcina rothi, last collected in 1961 and known only from the type locality.  We found  dozens, real stunners!

Sitalcina rothi

We then traveled to the sky island mountains near Tucson, finding S. peacheyi in the Santa Ritas and Baboquivaris, and S. catalina in the Santa Catalinas. We (mostly EG!!) collected an interesting new population in the Huachucas, VERY deep in rockpiles, lacking retinas.  All other AZ Sitalcina species have well-developed retinas – perhaps a new species!!

Huachucas Sitalcina

Of course, we saw many other interesting arthropods, plants and vertebrates while in the field. Interesting spiders included Euagrus, Anachemmis, Zorocrates and Lauricius.  Highlight vertebrates included a Mexican spotted owl, Arizona alligator lizard, and a Gila Monster!!   Thanks to everyone on the trip for their hard work, and thanks to the folks at Brown Canyon for their superb hospitality.