Four new spider species of the family Theridiosomatidae (Arachnida,Araneae) from caves in Laos

Four new species of the spider family Theridiosomatidae are described from caves in Laos: Alaria cavernicolasp. n. (♂♀), A. navicularissp. n., (♂♀) A. bicornissp. n. (♂♀), Chthonopes thakekensissp. n. (♀). Diagnoses and illustrations for all new taxa are given. All holotypes are deposited in the Senckenberg Research Institute in Frankfurt am Main, Germany (SMF).     

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.     

Central projections of cheliceral mechanoreceptors in the spider Cupiennius salei (Arachnida,Araneae)

Central projections of lyriform organs and tactile hairs on the chelicerae of the wandering spider Cupiennius salei were traced using anterograde cobalt fills. Different fibers arising from both mechanoreceptor types arborize in the cheliceral ganglia, which are part of the tritocerebrum, and in sensory longitudinal tracts in the center of the suboesophageal nerve mass together with afferent fibers arising from mechanoreceptors on the walking legs and the pedipalps. This convergence of sensory projections in the sensory longitudinal tracts might provide the anatomical basis for the coordination of the movements of different extremities during prey capture and feeding. The findings also support the hypothesis that the tritocerebrum originally was a preoral ganglion in spiders. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

The spider family Selenopidae (Arachnida, Araneae) in Australasia and the Oriental Region

We relimit and revise the family Selenopidae to include four new genera and 27 new species from Australia and the Oriental Region. The family is redefined, as are the genera Anyphops Benoit, Garcorops Corronca, Hovops Benoit, Selenops Latreille, and Siamspinops Dankittipakul & Corronca, to accommodate the new genera and to correct previous inconsistencies in the diagnoses and definitions of the aforementioned genera. The species of Selenops that occur throughout India and China are also reviewed. Three species occur in China: Selenops bursarius Karsch 1879, also known from Japan, Korea and Taiwan, Selenops ollarius Zhu, Sha, & Chen 1990, and Selenops radiatus Latreille 1819, the type of the genus and most widespread selenopid. Selenops cordatus Zhu, Sha & Chen syn. n. is recognized as a junior synonym of Selenops radiatus. Amamanganopsgen. n. is monotypic, with Amamanganops baginawasp. n. (♀; from the Philippines). Godumopsgen. n. is monotypic, with Godumops caritussp. n. (♂; from Papua New Guinea). Karaopsgen. n. occurs throughout Australia and includes 24 species. A new combination is proposed for Karaops australiensis (L. Koch 1875) comb. n. (ex. Selenops), and the new species: Karaops gangariesp. n. (♀, ♂), Karaops monteithisp. n. (♀), Karaops alanlongbottomisp. n. (♂), Karaops keithlongbottomisp. n. (♂), Karaops larryoosp. n. (♂), Karaops jarritsp. n. (♂,♀), Karaops marrayagongsp. n. (♀), Karaops ravenisp. n. (♂,♀), Karaops badgeraddasp. n. (♀), Karaops burbidgeisp. n. (♂,♀), Karaops karrawarlasp. n. (♂,♀), Karaops julianneaesp. n. (♀), Karaops martamartasp. n. (♀), Karaops manaaynsp. n. (♀, ♂), Karaops vadlaadambarasp. n. (♀, ♂), Karaops pilkingtonisp. n. (♀, ♂), Karaops deserticolasp. n. (♀), Karaops ngarutjaranyasp. n. (♂,♀), Karaops francesaesp. n. (♂,♀), Karaops toolbrunupsp. n. (♀, ♂), the type species Karaops ellenaesp. n. (♂,♀), Karaops jenniferaesp. n. (♀), and Karaops dawarasp. n. (♀).The genus Makdiopsgen. n. contains five species from India and Nepal. A new combination is proposed for Makdiops agumbensis (Tikader 1969), comb. n., Makdiops montigenus (Simon 1889), comb. n., Makdiops nilgirensis (Reimoser 1934) comb. n.,(ex. Selenops). Also, there are two new species the type of the genus Makdiops mahishasurasp. n. (♀; from India), and Makdiops shivasp. n. (♀). The genus Pakawopsgen. n. is monotypic. A new combination is proposed for Pakawops formosanus (Kayashima 1943) comb. n. (ex. Selenops), known only from Taiwan. A new combination is proposed for Siamspinops aculeatus (Simon)comb. n. (ex. Selenops). The distribution and diversity of the studied selenopid fauna is discussed. Finally, keys are provided to all of the selenopid genera and to the species of Karaopsgen. n.and Makdiopsgen. n.     

Siamspinops, a new selenopid spider genus from Southeast Asia (Arachnida, Araneae)

Examination of a collection of selenopid spiders from Southeast Asia resulted in recognition of a new genus, Siamspinops gen. nov., which is erected to accommodate four new Southeast Asian species. Siamspinops spinosissimus sp. nov. (the type species; the male and female are described), S. spinosus sp. nov. (female) and S. allospinosus sp. nov. (female) are recorded from Thailand, S. spinescens sp. nov. (female) from the Malay Peninsula.     

Phylogenetic relationships of the Neotropical spider genus Itatiaya (Araneae)

Polotow, D. & Brescovit, A. D. (2010). Phylogenetic relationships of the Neotropical spider genus Itatiaya (Araneae). —Zoologica Scripta, 40, 187–193. A cladistic analysis using parsimony under equal weights is applied to test the phylogenetic relationships of Itatiaya Mello‐Leitão, previously described in Ctenidae. The data matrix comprised 25 taxa scored for a total of 47 characters. The cladistic analysis yielded two equally parsimonious trees of 124 steps. The consensus of the two most parsimonious trees is used to discuss the phylogenetic relationships and justify taxonomic modifications. The results indicate that this genus is a representative of Zoropsidae, which is newly recorded from the Neotropical region. The monophyly of Itatiaya is supported by three non‐ambiguous synapomorphies and three homoplastic synapomorphies. A new diagnosis is provided for Itatiaya. Itatiaya pucupucu is placed as sister species to the remaining species of the genus. A polytomic clade composed of Itatiaya modesta, Itatiaya iuba, Itatiaya apipema and the clade formed by Itatiaya tacamby + Itatiaya pykyyra is supported by the presence of modified cylindrical gland spigots. Additionally, the male of I. pykyyra Polotow & Brescovit is described for the first time.     

Mechanism of signal production in the vibratory communication of the wandering spider Cupiennius getazi (Arachnida,Araneae)

The communication with substrate vibrations produced by vibrations of the body or its appendages is widespread among arthropods, especially among spiders. Its biomechanics, however, is poorly understood. Males of the wandering spider Cupiennius getazi produce such substrate vibrations during courtship by means of dorsoventral movements of their opisthosoma without hitting their dwelling plant.Simultaneous recordings of the plant vibrations (accelerometry), of the opisthosoma movements (laser Doppler vibrometry) and of the electromyograms of the opisthosomal depressor muscle, revealed that the main frequency of the vibratory signal of about 80 Hz originates from the activity of the opisthosomal depressor muscle. The transfer functions of the spider's body show resonances which could amplify the main frequency before it is transmitted into the plant.A low frequency component of the opisthosomal movement (duration c. 0.3 s, displacement c. 6 mm (peak-peak) 30° deflection angle, frequency 10–20 Hz) can be distinguished from a main frequency component (duration c. 0.1 s, displacement c. 0.5 mm 2.5° deflection angle, frequency c. 80 Hz). The main frequency component is superimposed on an upward movement of the low frequency component.     

Der spinnapparat haplogyner spinnen (Arachnida,Araneae)

The spinning apparatus of the Haplogynae was studied in cribellate and ecribellate families of this group. Profound differences were encountered between the species investigated. It is concluded that the group of the Haplogynae is polyphyletic and can not be maintained in a phylogenetic system of the Araneae.

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Sonderdruckanforderungen an: Prof. Dr. Peter Ax II. Zoologisches Institut und Museum der Universität D-3400 Göttingen Berliner Str. 28 Deutschland     

Central nervous projection patterns of trichobothria and other cuticular sensilla in the wandering spider Cupiennius salei (Arachnida,Araneae)

Summary Central projections of mechano-and chemoreceptors on the legs and pedipalps of the wandering spider Cupiennius salei were traced by anterograde cobalt fills. The primary afferent fibres from trichobothria, tactile hairs, lyriform organs and contact chemoreceptive hairs enter the leg ganglia and pedipalpal ganglia ventrally. On their way through these ganglia there is very little arborization. The main areas of arborization are in the sensory longitudinal tracts in the suboesophageal nervous mass. The central projections of all mechano-and chemoreceptors examined show somatotopic organization. Sensilla located proximally on the legs are represented in dorsally located sensory longitudinal tracts, whereas those located on distal leg segments enter more ventral tracts. The afferent fibres of receptors of identifical modality on a specific segment of all legs and of the pedipalps overlap in the same tracts. No indication for a tonotopic arrangement of the trichobothrial afferences was found, which might have been associated with the mechanical frequency tuning of the trichobothria known from other experiments. The convergence of the projections of different types of receptors in the sensory longitudinal tracts is considered to be an anatomical basis for their functional interaction in behaviour. Both the convergence of the projections of receptors from the same segment of different legs and the somatotopy are connectivity patterns possibly associated with the orientation of the spiders towards mechanical or chemical cues.     

Six new species of the spider genus Spiricoelotes species (Araneae,Agelenidae) from caves in Jiangxi,China

Six new species of the spider genus Spiricoelotes Wang, 2002 are described, Spiricoelotes anshiensis Chen & Li, sp. n. (♂♀), Spiricoelotes chufengensis Chen & Li, sp. n. (♂♀), Spiricoelotes nansheensis Chen & Li, sp. n. (♂♀), Spiricoelotes taipingensis Chen & Li, sp. n. (♂♀), Spiricoelotes xianheensis Chen & Li, sp. n. (♂♀) and Spiricoelotes xiongxinensis Chen & Li, sp. n. (♀). All new species were collected from caves in Jiangxi Province, China.     

Description of three liocranid spider species from Korea (Araneae: Liocranidae)

Three liocranid spider species are described with illustrations: a new species, Agroeca bonghwaensis n. sp. and two species new to Korean spider fauna, Agroeca montana Hayashi, 1986 and Scotina palliardii (Koch, 1881). The occurrence of the genus Scotina Menge, 1873 is also recorded from Korea for the first time.     

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.。     

Aerial dispersal in relation to habitat in eight wolf spider species (Pardosa,Araneae, Lycosidae)

Summary In the eight Pardosa species studied, aerial dispersal occurs generally in the young instars. The climatic conditions, particularly wind but also temperature and humidity, affect the occurrence of aerial dispersal. Within the different systematic groups in the genus, species with relatively high and relatively low dispersal capacities occur. These differences in dispersal capacity are discussed in relation with the abundance and stability of the habitat, in which the species are found.     

Ecological structure of the West Siberian forest-steppe spider community (Arachnida,Araneae) and its comparison with the ground-beetle (Coleoptera,Carabidae) community

An investigation of the spatiotemporal management of the ground-dwelling spider community has been carried out at the continuous habitat gradient from the forest outlier center to the meadowland center in the southern part of the forest-steppe zone of Novosibirsk oblast in 2007?2008. We apply two sampling methods which complete each other: pitfall trapping and hand separation of soil samples. Eighty-three species of spiders from 14 families are determined. Spiders are most abundant in the early summer and less abundant in the middle of summer. Representatives of different families are of maximum abundance in different sites: Lycosidae and Gnaphosidae mainly in the forest and Philodromidae in the solonetz meadow. The distribution of diversity and abundance of spiders and ground beetles throughout the habitat gradient are generally similar. This is contradictory to the spatial interactions of these two groups in Arctic and extreme ecosystems. Niche distinguishing between ground beetles and spider species is not only topical. It includes the usage of different strata of vegetation, various seasonal activity, and trophic specialization.     

The spider family Filistatidae (Araneae) in Iran

All species of Filistatidae occurring in Iran are surveyed. Zaitunia akhanii sp. n. is described on the basis of female specimens collected in Tehran province, and the previously unknown male of Sahastata sinuspersica Marusik, Zamani & Mirshamsi, 2014 is described for the first time. Also, the endogynes of the holotypes of Zaitunia alexandri Brignoli, 1982, Zaitunia medica Brignoli, 1982 and Zaitunia persica Brignoli, 1982 are illustrated. Including these results, the number of Iranian species of Filistatidae is increased to seven, which indicates the highest species-richness of this family in the Western Palaearctic.