Phylogenetic analysis of the tropical wolf spider subfamily Cteninae (Arachnida,Araneae, Ctenidae)

A cladistic analysis based on parsimony was performed to test the monophyly of Cteninae. The data matrix comprises 72 terminal taxa scored for 88 characters from external morphology, female internal genitalia, and two behavioural characters. Cteninae, as currently delimited, is polyphyletic. The monoplyly of Cteninae requires the transfer of two Ctenus species to Enoploctenus (Acantheinae) and two Ctenus species to Asthenoctenus (Viridasiinae). Ctenus, the genus type, comprises approximately half of the described species of the family, and is polyphyletic as currently delimited. From the 32 Ctenus species added to this analysis, only 13 are recognized as Ctenus s.s.: (C. rectipes (C. pauloterrai (C. manauara, C. nigritus ((C. dubius, C. crulsi) ((C. amphora, C. minor) (C. medius, C. paubrasil (C. fernandae (C. ornatus, C. vehemens)))))))). The results suggest that at least eight new genera should be described to accommodate species misplaced in Ctenus. The result also refutes the monophyly of Amauropelma Raven, Stumkat & Gray, 2001, Celaetycheus Simon, 1897, Leptoctenus L. Koch, 1878, and Thoriosa Simon, 1910. The following taxonomic changes are proposed: Ctenus inazensis Strand, 1909 and Ctenus miserabilis Strand, 1916 are transferred to Enoploctenus; Ctenus tarsalis F.O. Pickard‐Cambridge, 1902 and Ctenus bulimus Strand, 1909 are transferred to Asthenoctenus Simon, 1897; Celaetycheus modestus Bryant, 1942 is transferred to Ohvida Polotow & Brescovit, 2009. © 2014 The Linnean Society of London     

A new ladybird spider from Hungary (Araneae,Eresidae)

According to the most recent taxonomic literature, three species of the genus Eresus are known in Central Europe, Eresus kollari, Eresus sandaliatus and Eresus moravicus. We recognized a fourth distinctive species from Hungary, which is described as Eresus hermani sp. n. Eresus hermani has an early spring copulation period, females have a light grey (grizzled) cephalothorax due to a heavy cover of lightly colored setae, and an epigyne with large flat areas posterior to the epigynal pit, while males are distinguished by a broad and blunt terminal tooth of the conductor. An updated and modified comparative table of Řezáč et al. (2008) to include all four Central European Eresus species, and a simple key to the species group’s species are given. Habitus, epigyne, vulva and conductor of Eresus kollari, Eresus moravicus and Eresus sandaliatus are also illustrated. An annotated list of papers illustrating Eresus hermani due to misidentifications is presented.     

Australian Assassins, Part II: A review of the new assassin spider genus Zephyrarchaea (Araneae, Archaeidae) from southern Australia

The Assassin Spiders of the family Archaeidae from southern Australia are revised, with a new genus (Zephyrarchaeagen. n.) and nine new species described from temperate, mesic habitats in southern Victoria, South Australia and south-western Western Australia: Zephyrarchaea austinisp. n., Zephyrarchaea barrettaesp. n., Zephyrarchaea grayisp. n., Zephyrarchaea janineaesp. n., Zephyrarchaea maraesp. n., Zephyrarchaea markisp. n., Zephyrarchaea melindaesp. n., Zephyrarchaea porchisp. n. and Zephyrarchaea vichickmanisp. n. Specimens of the type species, Zephyrarchaea mainae (Platnick, 1991), comb. n., are redescribed from the Albany region of Western Australia, along with the holotype female of Zephyrarchaea robinsi (Harvey, 2002) comb. n. from the Stirling Range National Park. The previously described species Archaea hickmani Butler, 1929 from Victoria is here recognised as a nomen dubium. A key to species and multi-locus molecular phylogeny complement the species-level taxonomy, with maps, habitat photos, natural history information and conservation assessments provided for all species.     

A new species of Ogdoconta Butler (Lepidoptera,Noctuidae, Condicinae,Condicini) from southeastern Arizona,USA

A new species of Ogdoconta Butler (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae, Condicinae, Condicini) is described from the Patagonia Mountains, Santa Cruz County, Arizona, USA. Ogdoconta margareta sp. n., is related closely to Ogdoconta tacna (Barnes) from Texas. Modifications are proposed to a recently published key to the Ogdoconta species north of Mexico to allow identification of the new species.     

Spiders of the genus Cupiennius Simon 1891 (Araneae,Ctenidae)

Summary Cupiennius salei (Ctenidae) is a tropical wandering spider which lives in close association with a particular type of plant (see companion paper). These plants are the channels through which the spiders receive and emit various types of vibrations. We measured the vibrations the spiders are typically exposed to when they sit on their dwelling plants (banana plant, bromeliad) in their natural biotope in Central America. In addition a laboratory analysis was carried out to get an approximate idea of the complex vibration-propagating properties of the dwelling plants, taking a banana plant as an example. (1) Types of vibrations (Figs. 1–4). Despite variability in detail there are characteristic differences in spectral composition between the vibrations of various abiotic and biotic origins: (a) Vibrations due to wind are very low frequency phenomena. Their frequency spectra are conspicuously narrow with prominent peaks close to or, more often, below 10 Hz. Vibrations due to raindrops show maximal acceleration values at ca. 1000 Hz. Their frequency band at-20 dB extends up to ca. 250 Hz where-as that of the vibrations due to wind extends to only ca. 50 Hz. (b) The frequency spectra of prey vibrations such as those generated by a running cockroach are typically broad-banded and contain high frequencies; they have largest peaks mostly between ca. 400 and 900 Hz. Their-20 dB frequency bands usually extend from a few Hz to ca. 900 Hz. Some potential prey animals such as grass-hoppers seem to be vibrocryptic; they walk by the spider as if unnoticed. Their cautious gait leads to only weak vibrations at very low frequencies resembling the background noise due to wind. Courtship signals are composed maily of low frequencies, intermediate between background noise and prey vibrations (male: prominent peaks at ca. 75 Hz and ca. 115 Hz; female: dominant frequencies between ca. 20 Hz and ca. 50 Hz). The male signal is composed of syllables and differs from all other vibrations studied here by being temporally highly ordered. A comparison with previous electrophysiological studies suggests that the high pass characteristics of the vibration receptors enhance the signal-to-(abiotic)-noise ratio and that the vibration-sensitive interneurons so far examined and found to have band pass characteristics are tuned to the frequencies found in the vibrations of biotic origin. (2) Signal propagation (Fig. 5). In terms of frequency-dependent attenuation of vibrations the banana plant is well suited for transmitting the above signals. Average attenuation values are ca. 0.35 dB/cm. Together with known data on vibration receptor sensitivity this explains the range of courtship signals of more than 1 m observed in behavioral studies. Attenuation in the plant is neither a monotonic function of frequency nor of distance from the signal source.     

A revision of the purse-web spider genus Calommata Lucas, 1837 (Araneae, Atypidae) in the Afrotropical Region

The purse-web spider genus Calommata Lucas, 1837 is revised in the Afrotropical Region. Following examination of the female type material, Calommata transvaalica Hewitt, 1916 is removed from synonymy with Calommata simoni Pocock, 1903 and revalidated. The females of both species are redescribed and their males described for the first time. While Calommata simoni is very widespread across tropical Africa, Calommata transvaalica is endemic to northern South Africa. Four new species are described, all known only from males: Calommata megaesp. n. (Zimbabwe), Calommata meridionalissp. n. (South Africa), Calommata namibicasp. n. (Namibia) and Calommata tibialissp. n. (Ivory Coast and Togo). Notes are presented on the biology of each species.     

Deciphering the diet of a wandering spider (Phoneutria boliviensis; Araneae: Ctenidae) by DNA metabarcoding of gut contents

Arachnids are the most abundant land predators. Despite the importance of their functional roles as predators and the necessity to understand their diet for conservation, the trophic ecology of many arachnid species has not been sufficiently studied. In the case of the wandering spider, Phoneutria boliviensis F. O. Pickard‐Cambridge, 1897, only field and laboratory observational studies on their diet exist. By using a DNA metabarcoding approach, we compared the prey found in the gut content of males and females from three distant Colombian populations of P. boliviensis. By DNA metabarcoding of the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI), we detected and identified 234 prey items (individual captured by the spider) belonging to 96 operational taxonomic units (OTUs), as prey for this wandering predator. Our results broaden the known diet of P. boliviensis with at least 75 prey taxa not previously registered in fieldwork or laboratory experimental trials. These results suggest that P. boliviensis feeds predominantly on invertebrates (Diptera, Lepidoptera, Coleoptera, and Orthoptera) and opportunistically on small squamates. Intersex and interpopulation differences were also observed. Assuming that prey preference does not vary between populations, these differences are likely associated with a higher local prey availability. Finally, we suggest that DNA metabarcoding can be used for evaluating subtle differences in the diet of distinct populations of P. boliviensis, particularly when predation records in the field cannot be established or quantified using direct observation.     

Revision of the genus Aseptis McDunnough (Lepidoptera,Noctuidae, Noctuinae,Xylenini) with a description of two new genera,Paraseptis and Viridiseptis

The genus Aseptis McDunnough (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae, Noctuinae, Xylenini, Xylenina) is revised to include 15 species based on morphological and molecular data. Several new synonymies are introduced. In addition, two genera are described because of significant morphological differences from Aseptis: Paraseptis gen. n., and Viridiseptis gen. n., resulting in the new combinations Paraseptis adnixa (Grote), comb. n., and Viridiseptis marina (Grote), comb. n. Although this work is primarily based on morphological data, DNA sequence data for the 658-base pair “barcode” segment of the mitochondrial gene for subunit 1 of cytochrome c oxidase was used as a secondary support for taxonomic changes within Aseptis and for the two new genera. Our work should provide clarity and stability in a previously difficult genus.     

A new mechanosensory organ on the anterior spinnerets of the spiderCupiennius salei (Araneae,Ctenidae)

We describe hitherto unknown mechanoreceptors on the anterior spinnerets of the spiderCupiennius salei. These receptors are found at the base of the spigots of the major ampullate glands which produce the dragline used by the spider as a safety thread in various behavioral situations. There are 40–60 mechanoreceptors associated with two spigots of each anterior spinneret. They are likely to provide information on the forces pulling on the dragline and also on its orientation in space. A single sensillum consists of a hole in the cuticle covered by a thin cuticular membrane. It much resembles spider slit sensilla, which are known to detect strains in the exoskeleton. Each sensillum is supplied by two dendrites most likely belonging to two bipolar sensory cells. One of the dendrites ends at the covering membrane and the other more proximally. The sensilla are arranged with their long axes roughly parallel to the circumference of the spigots. External forces, transmitted by the dragline, result in deformation of the central part of the cuticular plate at the base of the spigots and thus in stimulation of the sensilla. This is shown electrophysiologicallly. Considering their morphology, topography, and electrophysiology, these mechanoreceptors are suggested to be important in the sensory control of dragline release by the spider.     

印度尼西亚苏门答腊Sudharmia属蜘蛛一新种记述——Sudharmia tridenticula(蜘蛛目,光盔蛛科)(英文)

在印度尼西亚苏门答腊原始常绿森林中发现一蜘蛛,经鉴定,该物种为Sudharmia属一新种Sudharmia tridenticula sp.nov.。     

A new species of the spider genus Baalzebub (Araneae,Theridiosomatidae) from Brazilian caves

A new species of the spider genus Baalzebub Coddington from Brazil, B. acutum sp. nov., is described and illustrated based on 95 specimens collected from caves around the Iron Quadrangle in the state of Minas Gerais. This species is recognized by male palpal bulb with strong and large conductor covering almost entire embolus, and epigyne of females with long and tapered scape, which extends towards the spinners. Baalzebub acutum sp. nov. is the second species recorded from Brazil, the first for Brazilian caves, bringing the total number of species in the genus to seven in the world.     

A new species of the spider genus Naevius Roth from Argentina (Araneae,Amaurobiidae, Macrobuninae)

Naevius calilegua spec. nov. is described from yungas in Jujuy Province, Argentina. Naevius species bear a conspicuous tibial gland, discharging through a movable dorsal tibial apophysis. This character relates Naevius to the macrobunine genera Emmenomma and Anisacate.     

中国广西绿蟹蛛属1新种(蜘蛛目:蟹蛛科)

作者在进行中国广西大明山无脊椎动物资源调查研究时,发现了蜘蛛目蟹蛛科绿蟹蛛属1新种,命名为饼绿蟹蛛Oxytate placentiformis sp.nov..所有标本均保存在河北大学生命科学学院.文中测量单位为mm.饼绿蟹蛛,新种Oxytate placentiformis sp.nov.(图1～6)正模♂,广西南宁大明山自然保护区浣纱瀑布,2011-05-23,王英楠采.鉴别特征 在分布于亚洲大陆的本属种类中,本新种与冲绳绿蟹蛛O.hoshizuna Ono,1978,钳绿蟹蛛O.forcipata Zhang&Yin,1998和小头绿蟹蛛O.capitulata Tang&Li,2009外形和触肢器十分相似,但具有以下不同:本种触肢胫节突长,端部弯曲呈"7"字形,而冲绳绿蟹蛛O.hoshizuna的胫节突末端强烈弯曲呈钩状,钳绿蟹蛛O.forcipata胫节突末端呈钳状,小头绿蟹蛛O.capitulata Tang&Li,2009胫节突末端弯曲呈鸟头状.词源学 本新种以雄蛛背甲的形状而拟定.正模 雄蛛体长7.75:头胸部长2.81,宽2.40; 腹部长5.20,宽1.38.背甲黄褐色,中窝纵向线状,颈沟和放射沟不明显; 背甲圆形,头区轻微隆起.8眼2列,背面观两眼列均后凹,后眼列较宽,前侧眼和后侧眼突出; 前中眼直径0.08,前侧眼直径0.10,后中眼直径0.08,后侧眼直径0.10;前中眼距0.13,前中侧眼距0.10,后中眼距0.10,后中侧眼距0.30; 中眼域梯形,前边大于后边(0.30:0.25).螯肢黄褐色,前后齿堤无齿.颚叶黄色,边缘有浓厚的长毛.胸板淡黄色,长大于宽.步足黄褐色,步足测量:Ⅰ 12.40 (3.83+1.38+3.42+2.60+1.17),Ⅱ 12.60 (3.88+1.38+3.57+2.60+1.17),Ⅲ 6.80 (2.09+0.77+1.79+1.33+0.82),Ⅳ7.05 (2.40+0.71+1.79+1.33+0.82); 足式:2143.腹部十分窄长,淡黄色,被有黑色长毛; 腹部背面前端有2对明显的肌痕,腹部后部有横纹,似分节状.触肢胫节腹突拇指状; 外侧突较长,末端骨化程度高,弯曲呈"7"字形状; 生殖球简单,内侧具亚盾板; 插入器刺状,末端较钝.分布:广西.     

A phylogenetic analysis of the orb-weaving spider family Araneidae (Arachnida, Araneae)

We present the first cladistic analysis focused at the tribal and subfamily level of the orb-weaving spider family Araneidae. The data matrix of 82 characters scored for 57 arancid genera of 6 subfamilies and 19 tribes (and 13 genera from 8 outgroup families) resulted in 16 slightly different, most parsimonious trees. Successive weighting corroborated 62 of the 66 informative nodes on these cladograms; one is recommended as the 'working' araneid phylogcny. The sister group of Araneidae is all other Araneoidea. Araneidae comprises two major clades: the subfamily Araneinae, and the 'argiopoid' clade, which includes all other subfamilies and most tribes (((Gasteracanthinae, Caerostreae), (((Micratheninae, Xylcthreae), Eruyosaccus ), (Eurycorminae, Arciinae)), Cyrlarachninae), ((Argiopinae, Cyrtophorinae), Arachnureae)). Cyrtarachneae and Mastophoreae are united in a new subfamily, Cyr-tarachninae. The spiny orb-weavers alone (Gasteracanthinae and Micratheninae) are not monophyletic. The mimetid subfamily Arciinae and the 'tetragnathid' genus Zygiella are araneids, but .Nephila (and other tetragnathids) are not. On the preferred tree, web decorations (stabilimenta) evolved 9 times within 15 genera, and were lost once. The use of silk to subdue prey evolved once in cribellate and four times in ecribillate orb weavers. Sexual size dimorphism evolved once in nephilines, twice in araneids, and reverted to monomorphism five times. Evolution in other genitalic and somatic characters is also assessed; behavioral and spinneret features arc most consistent (male genitalia, leg and prosomal features least consistent) on the phylogeny.