Synonymy of four Pardosa species (Araneae: Lycosidae) undiagnosable without geography

We examined a group of seven morphologically similar species of the genus Pardosa to determine the reliability of morphological identification characters independently of additional specimen data, such as habitat and geography. Of the seven, four shared diagnostic character states with other species. These four species have areas of both sympatric and allopatric distribution. Specimens collected from allopatric areas, thus expected to contain only one species, were identified using only the morphology of the specimens, keeping the locality data hidden, and the reliability of the identifications was assessed. Identifications of the allopatric specimens resulted in a 32% success rate, indicating that the sole use of morphological characters did not work well for identification in this group. Reliance on geographical data to direct an identification would likely result in identification errors in areas of sympatry. As a result we conclude Pardosa tristis (Thorell 1877), P. prosaica Chamberlin and Ivie 1947 and P. dromaea (Thorell 1877), are new synonyms of Pardosa groenlandica (Thorell 1872).