Talk:Lycosa tarantula
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L "tarentula" subspecies?
[edit]The article currently has a section that lists a subspecies. It does not tell the reader anything that distinguishes the subspecies from other members of this species. The only "explanation" is to write "Lycosa tarentula" after the scientific name. "Tarentula" is an old spelling of the species name that has been changed to "tarantula," now viewed as standard.
It is rare to find different groups of the same species that fit the actual definition of the word "subspecies" — that the groups do not gradually blend into each other. The facts on the ground almost demand a substantial natural barrier, e.g., a habitat on an island, a habitat isolated in a similar way by a vast desert, etc.
If one looks at members of some species from any two arbitrarily selected widely separated regions they may appear different enough to merit being designated as subspecies. But the seeming abrupt break from, e.g., yellow individuals to black individuals, may be only an artifact of the sampling method.
What is the value of preserving this little section?P0M (talk) 14:04, 23 March 2011 (UTC)
==Behavioral Ecology Student Suggestions
Some strengths of the article are that there is a well summarized descriptive lead, and there are many pictures of the spider. One aspect of the WikiSpiders Format that could be applied to this section is physiology. One thing mentioned in the article is that these spiders have good eyesight, however, there is no follow-up on the mechanics of their vision or other senses. Having good environmental adaptations can be beneficial for the propagation of the spider’s genes and are an important part of describing this spider. Therefore, a physiology section will help add to this existing discussion.Akwan826 (talk) 22:07, 4 October 2020 (UTC)