Revision of the genus Trechalea Thorell (Araneae, Trechaleidae) with a review of the taxonomy o the Trechaleidae and Picuridae of the Western Hemisphere

The spider family Trechaleidae, introduced by Simon in 1898 but abandoned immediately thereafter, is defined. Characters proposed for trechaleids by recent authors for this family and some character s used to separate it from the Pisauridae and Lycosidae are reviewed. Genera included in the family Trechaleidae, all of which were previously placed in the Pisauridae, are: Trechalea, Hesydrus, Syntrechalea, Dossenus, Paradossenus, Dyrines and Enna. Familial placement of all other genera of the western hemisphere previously placed in the Pisauridae are considered. The genus Trechalea, with eleven species, is revised. Redescriptions of eight known species are given: T. longitarsis (C. L. Koch), T. cezariana Mello-Leitao, T. macconnelli Pocock, T. paucispina di Caporiacco, T. connexa (O . Pickard-Cambridge), T. extensa (O . Pickard-Cambridge), T. gertschi Carico & Minch and T. amazonica F. Pickard-Cambridge. Descriptions of three new species: T. boliviensis, T. lomalinda and T. trinidadensis are presented. The holotype of the type species of Trechalea, T. longitarsis, is lost. The specimen which was previously regarded as the holotype is mislabelled and belongs actually to another, unnamed, trechaleid genus. All other relevant species names not synonymized with any of the above and not previously placed in Trechalea are removed to other known genera or will be later included in new genera .