Nesticus secretus Gertsch, 1984

Fig. 39G, H

Nesticus secretus Gertsch, 1984: 33, figs 173, 174.

Material examined.

Type material: Holotype: USA - Tennessee • ♀ holotype; Great Smoky Mountains National Park; 8 Jul. 1933; W.J. Gertsch leg.; AMNH.

Remarks.

Gertsch cites the type data for this " small, dusky epigean species with short legs " as "female holotype from Little Pigeon River, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Sevier County, Tennessee, 8 July 1933 (W.J. Gertsch)". However, the label associated with the holotype female (see above) includes neither specific locality nor county information.

The type female is clearly a representative of the Nesticus nasicus group, and is potentially synonymous with Nesticus gertschi (see Fig. 39C, D). However, essentially all eastern Nesticus nasicus group populations are known from east of the French Broad River, while the Great Smoky Mountains National Park lies west of this (Fig. 30). Also, extensive collections from the eastern portion of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park have only ever resulted in the collection of members of the Nesticus tennesseensis group ( N. cherokeensis and N. silvanus, Fig. 13), or members of the Nesticus reclusus group ( N. binfordae and N. reclusus, Fig. 53). Both N. binfordae and N. reclusus have been collected from along the Little Pigeon River.

A possible region to search for Nesticus secretus would be the English or Green Mountains, west of the French Broad River, but not too distant from records for N. gertschi (Fig. 30). Because of this possibility we retain N. secretus as a valid taxon, pending further focused collection efforts.