Nearctic species of the new genus Tigrosa (Araneae: Lycosidae)

The new genus Tigrosa is established for five Nearctic species originally described in the genus Lycosa Latreille 1804. Four of the species are transferred from Hogna Simon 1885: H. annexa (Chamberlin & Ivie 1944), H. aspersa, (Hentz 1844), H. grandis (Banks 1894) and H. helluo (Walckenaer 1837). The remaining species, Allocosa georgicola (Walckenaer 1837) is transferred from Allocosa Banks 1900. The presumed synapomorphy that supports Tigrosa is the color pattern on the dorsum of the cephalothorax, which is described and illustrated. In addition to their distinct color pattern, Tigrosa species are very similar in characteristics of the male palpus and epigynum, details of the eye arrangement, leg length in relation to body dimensions, as well as foraging habits. Comparisons made between Hogna, as defined by the type species H. radiata, Latreille 1817, and Tigrosa, as defined in this paper, demonstrate distinct differences in dorsal color pattern, structure of the epigynum, dimensions of the eye rows, color pattern of the venter and habitat preferences.