Trachelas L. Koch, 1872 (in O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1872)

From Platnick & Shadab 1974 (tranquillus/speciosus paper, page 3) for 'genera of Trachelidae': "May be easily recognized by the total absence of leg spines and the presence, at least in males, of a ventral series of small black cusps on the last three segments of the anterior legs."

Four species groups occur in North and Central America and the West Indies.

T. bispinosus/bicolor groups
See Platnick & Shadab 1974 (bispinosus/bicolor paper, page 5):
"The bispinosus group is closely related to the bicolor group; their species share the following characters: the embolus is not a separate sclerite but the distal tip of the tegulum, and the lateral ducts of the internal female genitalia are not anteriorly folded so that one loop lies directly dorsal to the other, or, if they are so folded, the median ducts are uncoiled. Species of the bispinosus group may be distinguished by the lateral spurs on the male endites, the basal enlargements of the median ducts of the female, and the presence of three or four, rather than two, retromarginal cheliceral teeth. A few specimens of bicolor group species with three rather than two retromarginal teeth were detected; these are presumably aberrants."

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T. bispinosus group - See Platnick & Shadab 1974 (bispinosus/bicolor paper, page 2):
"The bispinosus group contains those species whose males have unusual lateral spurs on the endites. These species have three or four retromarginal cheliceral teeth, and the median ducts of the female have characteristic basal enlargements. Members of the group range from northern Mexico into South America". Further aspects (Page 6): "Femora and tibiae with many trichobothria in dorsal and ventral rows. Tibiae, metatarsi, and often patellae and tarsi I and II with black cusps ventrally, at least in males" and "Male palp with large retrolateral tibial apophysis, bulbous tegulum with discernible curving duct,transparent conductor,short embolus, and sometimes spinelike terminal apophysis. Epigynum with small paired openings.Internal female genitalia with enlarged lateral ducts, and small median ducts and spermathecae; median ducts with basal enlargements.Female genitalia often asymmetrical."

Central American 'bispinosis group' species:
T. bispinosus -  S.Mexico, Guatemala, ?ES, ?HN, ?NI, Costa Rica, Panama
T. digitus - Costa Rica
T. ecudobus - Panama
T. mombachensis - Nicaragua
T. parallelus - Nicaragua
T. planus - Costa Rica
T. prominens - S.Mexico, Guatemala, ?ES, ?HN, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama
T. trifidus - Panama

(See also T. truncatulus - S. Mexico, T. rotundus - S. Mexico)

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T. bicolor group - See Platnick & Shadab 1974 (bispinosus/bicolor paper, page 2):
"The bicolor group is somewhat heterogeneous but contains species without lateral spurs on the male endites, with usually only two retromarginal cheliceral teeth, and a generally simplified pattern of epigynal ducts. Members of the group apparently occur in Europe, Africa, and throughout the New World." Then (page 16): "Species belonging to the bicolor group may be distinguished by the following characters: the male endites lack lateral spurs, the median ducts of the female lack basal enlargements, and there are generally only two retromarginal cheliceral teeth."

Central American 'bicolor group' species:

T. barroanus - Panama
T. deceptus - S.Mexico, Guatemala
T. panamanus - Panama
T. quadridens - El Salvador, ?HN, ?NI, Costa Rica
T. triangulus - Panama

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See Platnick & Shadab 1974 (tranquillus/speciosus paper, page 2):
"The tranquillus and speciosus groups, are sister groups and may be distinguished from the others by genitalic characters: the embolus of the male palp is a separate sclerite rather than merely the pointed tip of the tegulum, and the internal female genitalia have folded lateral ducts, coiled median ducts, and paired spermathecae."

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T. tranquillius group - See Platnick & Shadab 1974 (tranquillus/speciosus paper, page 2):
"Species belonging to the tranquillus group may be recognized by the coiled base of the male embolus and the large, regularly coiled median ducts of the internal female genitalia." Then (Page 6.) "Species belonging to the tranquillus group, however, differ from those of the speciosus group in that (1) the shaft and tip of the embolus rest on at least one basal coil, not directly on the tegulum; (2) the median ducts are large and have only a few regular coils, not many irregular ones; and (3) they lack a conspicuous fringe of long trichobothria on the proximal leg segments." Then (Page 2.) "The tranquillus group is the most common in the United States, and is found as far south as Panama, although not in the West Indies."

Central American 'tranquillius group' species:
T. spirifer - Guatemala, Honduras
T. cambridgei - El Salvador, ?HN, ?NI, Costa Rica, Panama

(See also T. spicus - S.Mexico T. depressus - S.Mexico)

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T. speciosus group - See Platnick & Shadab 1974 (tranquillus/speciosus paper, page 2):
"The embolus lacks a coiled base and the median ducts are small and irregularly coiled." Then (page 20) "Species belonging to the speciosus group may be distinguished by the following characters: (1) the embolus lies directly on the tegulum, not on a basal coil; (2) the median ducts are small and irregularly coiled; and (3) the legs are coated with a conspicuous fringe of long trichobothria." Then (page 2) "The speciosus group occurs only from the southern United States south to Costa Rica."

Central American 'speciosus group' species:
T. similis - S.Mexico, Guatemala, ?HN, ?NI, Costa Rica
T. spinulatus - Guatemala, El Salvador, ?HN, Nicaragua
T. latus - S.Mexico, Guatemala
T. transversus - S.Mexico, ?ES, ?HN, ?NI, Costa Rica

(See also T. lanceolatus - S.Mexico, T. hamatus - S.Mexico, T. ductonuda - S.Mexico)