World Checklist of Opiliones species (Arachnida). Part 2: Laniatores – Samooidea, Zalmoxoidea and Grassatores incertae sedis

Including more than 6500 species, Opiliones is the third most diverse order of Arachnida, after the megadiverse Acari and Araneae. This database is part 2 of 12 of a project containing an intended worldwide checklist of species and subspecies of Opiliones, and it includes the members of the suborder Laniatores, infraorder Grassatores of the superfamilies Samooidea and Zalmoxoidea plus the genera currently not allocated to any family (i.e. Grassatores incertae sedis). In this Part 2, a total of 556 species and subspecies are listed.Fil: Kury, Adriano Brilhante. Universidade Federal Do Rio de Janeiro. Museu Nacional; BrasilFil: Souza, Daniele R.. Universidade Federal Do Rio de Janeiro. Museu Nacional; BrasilFil: Pérez González, Abel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales ; Argentin

The first fossil cyphophthalmid harvestman from Baltic amber

The first fossil cyphophthalmid harvestman (Opiliones: Cyphophthalmi) from Palaeogene (Eocene) Baltic amber is described. This is only the third fossil example of this basal harvestman lineage; the others being from the probably slightly younger Bitterfeld amber and the much older, early Cretaceous, Myanmar (Burmese) amber. Although incomplete and lacking most of the appendages, the new Baltic amber fossil can be identified as a female. The somatic characters preserved, especially spiracle morphology and the coxo-genital region, allow it to be assigned with some confidence to the extant genus Siro Latreille, 1796 (Sironidae). This fossil is formally described here as Siro balticus sp. nov. It resembles modern North American Siro species more than modern European ones, and can be distinguished principally on its relatively large size and the outline form of the body

Spider diversity (Arachnida: Araneae) in Atlantic Forest areas at Pedra Branca State Park, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

BACKGROUND: There has never been any published work about the diversity of spiders in the city of Rio de Janeiro using analytical tools to measure diversity. The only available records for spider communities in nearby areas indicate 308 species in the National Park of Tijuca and 159 species in Marapendi Municipal Park. These numbers are based on a rapid survey and on an one-year survey respectively. NEW INFORMATION: This study provides a more thorough understanding of how the spider species are distributed at Pedra Branca State Park. We report a total of 14,626 spider specimens recorded from this park, representing 49 families and 373 species or morphospecies, including at least 73 undescribed species. Also, the distribution range of 45 species was expanded, and species accumulation curves estimate that there is a minimum of 388 (Bootstrap) and a maximum of 468 species (Jackknife2) for the sampled areas. These estimates indicates that the spider diversity may be higher than observed.Fil: Castanheira, Pedro. Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro; BrasilFil: Pérez González, Abel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; ArgentinaFil: Baptista, Renner L. C.. Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro; Brasi

First record of Hypsocephalus dahli in Switzerland with a review of its distribution, ecology and taxonomy (Araneae, Linyphiidae)

The spider species Hypsocephalus dahli (Lessert, 1909) is recorded for the first time in Switzerland from museum material collected in 1974. The information given in the literature and unpublished data on this rare species are summarised including an annotated distribution map. All published pictures of males are compared with the holotype. Figures of the male palp and the vulva of the Swiss specimens are provided

Arthropoda associated to the olive crop in Southern Portugal (Algarve)

The main objective of this work was to study the abundance and diversity of arthropods associated with the olive crop (Olea europea L.), in southern Portugal. The trials were carried out in two different olive groves, one located in Olhão and the other located in Loulé, both in the integrated mode of production. The sampling techniques used in the trials consisted of pitfall traps, yellow sticky traps with and without sexual pheromone, delta pheromone traps (the pheromone lure in the trap attracts the adult moth) and sampling of leaves, flowers and fruits. The results obtained in the trials indicate that the arthropods associated with the olive crop belong to the following classes: Arachnida (order: Araneae), Chilopoda, Entognatha (order: Collembola) and Insecta. Among these groups, most specimens belonged to the class Insecta, followed by Arachnida, Entognatha and Chilopoda. Regarding to the Insecta class the orders and families that inhabit the olive ecosystem are: Diptera (Syrphidae and Tephritidae), Coleoptera (Carabidae, Chrysopidae, Curculionidae and Staphylinidae), Hemiptera (Anthocoridae and Miridae), Homoptera (Coccidae and Psyllidae), Hymenoptera (Braconidae, Encyrtidae, Eulophidae, Trichogrammatidae and Formicidae), Lepidoptera (Hyponomeutidae), Neuroptera (Chrysopidae) and Thysanoptera (Phlaeothripidae).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The sejugal furrow in camel spiders and acariform mites

Camel spiders (Arachnida: Solifugae) are one of the arachnid groups characterised by a prosomal dorsal shield composed of three distinct elements: the pro-, meso- and metapeltidium. These are associated respectively with prosomal appendages one to four, five, and six. What is less well known, although noted in the historical literature, is that the coxae of the 4th and 5th prosomal segments (i.e. walking legs 2 and 3) of camel spiders are also separated ventrally by a distinct membranous region, which is absent between the coxae of the other legs. We suggest that this essentially ventral division of the prosoma specifically between coxae 2 and 3 is homologous with the so-called sejugal furrow (the sejugal interval sensu van der Hammen). This division constitutes a fundamental part of the body plan in acariform mites (Arachnida: Acariformes). If homologous, this sejugal furrow could represent a further potential synapomorphy for (Solifugae + Acariformes); a relationship with increasing morphological and molecular support. Alternatively, outgroup comparison with sea spiders (Pycnogonida) and certain early Palaeozoic fossils could imply that the sejugal furrow defines an older tagma, derived from a more basal grade of organisation. In this scenario the (still) divided prosoma of acariform mites and camel spiders would be plesiomorphic. This interpretation challenges the textbook arachnid character of a peltidium (or ‘carapace’) covering an undivided prosoma

Agroeca dentigera and Entelecara omissa (Araneae: Liocranidae, Linyphiidae) found in Sweden

The rare spider species Agroeca dentigera Kulczyński, 1913 (Liocranidae) and Entelecara omissa O. P.-Cambridge, 1902 (Linyphiidae), have been found in a small coastal freshwater fen in Lomma (55°42'N 13°4'E), north of Malmö in Scania in southernmost Sweden. A. dentigera was also found on a salt water meadow south of Malmö. Both species have been found only in a few wet localities in Europe. Entelecara depilata Tullgren, 1955, is a junior synonym of Entelecara omissa O. P.-Cambridge, 1902, new synonymy

Checklist of American Uloboridae (Arachnida: Araneae)

Names, synonyms, and distributions uloborid spiders known from North, Central, and South America are provided

Diversity and distribution of spiders (Arachnida: Araneae) in dry ecosystems of North Rhine-Westphalia (Germany)

The present study provides a robust data set for ecological planning and conservation of dry ecosystems in western Germany in general and North Rhine-Westphalia in particular. We summarised all available data from recent publications that dealt with spiders in dry ecosystems of North Rhine-Westphalia. Additionally, so far unpublished results of a detailed investigation regarding spiders in sand habitats of the Westphalian Bay that was conducted between 2006 and 2008 are presented. The analysis focussed on the habitat types according to Annex I of the EU Habitats Directive and related habitats. The investigation areas were scattered in the federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia. The data set comprised a total of 84436 individuals from 371 species and 28 families. Overall, an endangerment status is assigned to 68 species. Of these, 12 spiders are in imminent danger of becoming extinct. Two species, Erigonoplus globipes and Meioneta simplicitarsis, are believed to be extinct in North Rhine-Westphalia. Seven species (Dictyna major, Mastigusa arietina, Micaria formicaria, Styloctetor romanus, Thanatus striatus, Theridion uhligi and Xysticus ferrugineus) are new to the arachnofauna of North Rhine-Westphalia