Taxonomy and phylogeny of the "Tegenaria-Malthonica"-complex (Araneae, Agelenidae), using morphological and molecular data

Agelenidae (Araneae) constitutes a spider family currently comprising 42 genera and 514 described species (Platnick, 2010). In Europe Tegenaria and Malthonica are the most species rich genera of the family. The latest version of “World Spider Catalogue” (version 10.5) lists 32 Malthonica and 55 Tegenaria species (plus 1 subspecies). Based upon available specimens from museum collections and field excursions, the taxonomy of the Tegenaria/Malthonica-complex is investigated applying morphological and molecular methods. Parsimony and Bayesian analyses, performed individually or with combined data, of three gene sections (CO1, NADH subunit 1, 28S) and 88 morphological characters showed that the genera Malthonica and Tegenaria, in their present compositions, are poly- or paraphyletic. The constituent taxa of the Tegenaria/Malthonica-complex are form four monophyletic clades. The four clades are recovered in all analyses and are well supported by posterior probability, jackknife or bremer support. The relationships between the four clades are not resolved and remain unknown. Based upon these phylogenetic results a merging of all four clades to one monophyletic group is not possible because then other well established groups (e. g. Histopona or genera of Textricini or Agelenini) would have to be included too. The four clades are attributed, therefore, generic: Tegenaria, Malthonica, Aterigena n. gen. and Eratigena n. gen. While the generic concept defintion for Malthonica by Barrientos & Cardoso (2007) is supported by the present analyses, Tegenaria has to be redefined and the new genera Aterigena n. gen. and Eratigena n. gen. are added here. In addition, eleven species (one in Aterigena n. gen., two in Eratigena and eight in Tegenaria) and the males of three species are newly described and 17 new synonyms are proposed here. The new generic concepts necessitate numerous new or revised combinations (rev. stat. or n. comb.). Due to the lack of specimens or diagnostic descriptions, four species remain unplaced and one taxon is regarded as “nomen dubium”. Additional information is given and taxonomic changes are proposed for some extra European Malthonica and Tegenaria species. For most of the included European taxa, supplementary information or redescriptions with figures are provided. In addition, dichotomous keys for the European agelenid genera and for all Aterigena n. gen., most European Eratigena n. gen. and Tegenaria species are provided

First records and data about the biology of Cyclosa oculata (Araneae: Araneidae) in Switzerland

Die Radnetzspinne Cyclosa oculata (Walckenaer, 1802) wurde an elf Orten in der Nordwestschweiz nachgewiesen. Alle Fundorte lagen in Buntbrachen mit relativ hohem Anteil abgestorbener Vegetation vom Vorjahr, relativ niedriger Vegetationshöhe und geringem Anteil von Gräsern an der Vegetation. C. oculata baute ihr kleines Radnetz in Bodennähe, tief in der Vegetation. Unter den ecribellaten Radnetzspinnen Mitteleuropas ist C. oculata einzigartig, da sie manchmal ein rudimentäres Netze baut und verwendet, da sie ihre Kokons in das Netz einbaut, und da sie ein dauerhaftes Detritus-Stabiliment baut. Aufgrund unserer Beobachtungen nehmen wir an, dass das Stabiliment C. oculata zur Tarnung dient.The orb-web spider Cyclosa oculata (Walckenaer, 1802) was found at eleven localities in north-western Switzerland. All records were from wildflower strips ("Buntbrachen") with a relatively high proportion of dried vegetation from the previous year, a relatively low vegetation height and a low proportion of grasses in the vegetation. C. oculata built its vertical orb-web near the ground, deep in the vegetation. Among ecribellate orb-web spiders in Central Europe, C. oculata is unique because it sometimes builds rudimentary webs on which it stays, because it builds its cocoons into the web, and because its stabilimentum is long-lasting and consists largely of debris. Based on our observations, we deduce that the stabilimentum of C. oculata serves as camouflage

Zoropsis spinimana (Araneae: Zoropsidae) first record in Germany

The first two records of Zoropsis spinimana (Dufour, 1820) in Germany are presented together with a further discovery of the species in Central Switzerland. A spreading of the species from South to North along traffic routes is supposed and climate change is suggested as a possible reason for the species establishing itself in Central Europe

Drassodes lapidosus and Drassodes cupreus (Araneae: Gnaphosidae) - a never-ending discussion

Drassodes lapidosus and Drassodes cupreus (Araneae: Gnaphosidae) – a never-ending discussion. According to PLATNICK (2006) the taxa Drassodes lapidosus (Walckenaer, 1802), the type species of the genus Drassodes (Westring, 1851), and Drassodes cupreus (Blackwall, 1834) are two valid species. However, GRIMM (1985) merged them into one taxon. Different taxonomists have separated these species by the positions of the teeth in the frontal margin of the chelicerae and by the proportions of the palpal segments in males. Females are separated by the proportions of different features in the epigyne. The altitude at which they occur is used for separation, too. The aim of this paper is to discuss whether these characteristics really allow the separation of these two taxa. In order to solve this taxonomical problem, 116 male and 108 female specimens from Central Europe were examined. The variation of the mentioned characters is shown. Spearman’s rho correlations and factor analyses are presented. The results show that there are transitions between the two taxa D. lapidosus and D. cupreus and, thus, they cannot be separated using the diagnostic features currently available

Treffen der deutschsprachigen Arachnologen und 3. Mitgliederversammlung der Arachnologischen Gesellschaft e.V. vom 1. - 3. Oktober in Bern (CH)

Am Naturhistorischen Museum der Burgergemeinde Bern wurde im Herbst 2004 das Treffen der deutschsprachigen Arachnologen durchgeführt. Ein interessantes Programm mit 15 Vorträgen, Postern und einer Filmvorführung bot sich den 39 angemeldeten Teilnehmern

Revision of the Histopona italica group (Araneae: Agelenidae), with the description of two new species

FIGURES 9–10. Histopona fioni sp. n.: eyes in frontal and dorsal view. Scale = 1.0 mm.Published as part of Bolzern, Angelo, Pantini, Paolo & Isaia, Marco, 2013, Revision of the Histopona italica group (Araneae: Agelenidae), with the description of two new species, pp. 23-41 in Zootaxa 3640 (1) on page 28, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3640.1.2, http://zenodo.org/record/28364

Ponsoonops and Bipoonops.

70 pages : illustrations (some color) ; 26 cm. Part of the goblin spider Planetary Biodiversity Inventory (PBI) project. (Introduction)Two new genera, Ponsoonops and Bipoonops, are established for groups of species characterized by sexually dimorphic dorsal abdominal scutum expression (with a scutum present in males but not females), male palps with a separate cymbium and bulb, and a patterned abdomen. Both genera belong therefore to the Varioonops complex, represented now by three described Neotropical genera. Members of Ponsoonops are united by three putative synapomorphies in males: a "pierlike" dorsal scutum completely fused to the epigastric scutum, a patch of short setae ventrodistally on metatarsi I and II, and a short anteromedian protrusion on the endites. Female Ponsoonops specimens differ from other members of the Varioonops complex in having small lateral sclerites at the epigynal area and a smooth sternum. Members of Bipoonops share a large, irregularly shaped, rather indistinct dark spot posteriorly on the carapace, a putative synapomorphy, and a moderately rugose sternum surface; males are characterized by a distinct, bipartite conductor. A total of 22 Ponsoonops species, 21 new to science, are described: P. duenas, P. hamus, and P. tacana from Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize, P. bilzi, P. lucha, P. samadam, P. sanvito, and P. viejo from Costa Rica, P. bollo, P. boquete, P. coiba, P. fanselix, P. frio, P. lerida, P. mirante, P. panto, P. salimsa, and P. vuena from Panama, P. pansedro from Colombia, P. micans (Simon, transferred from Dysderoides) from Venezuela, P. yumuri from Cuba, and P. lavega from the Dominican Republic. Bipoonops is described for three new species found on the western slope of the Andes in Ecuador: B. baobab, B. pucuna, and B. tsachila

Varioonops.

66 pages : illustrations (some color) ; 26 cm. Part of the oonopid PBI project. (Introduction)A new genus, Varioonops, is established for a group of species characterized by sexual dimorphism in abdomen morphology (with a dorsal scutum present in males but not females), male palps with a separate cymbium and bulb, and a patterned abdomen. The closest relatives of the new genus appear to be three similar, but as yet undescribed, Neotropical genera that share those characters, but the members of Varioonops are united by a putative synapomorphy that does not seem to occur in those undescribed groups: a granulated sternum. Attention is drawn to the cymbial cone, a structure (possibly a receptor) found near the tip of the cymbium in Varioonops, members of the Orchestininae, and at least some soft-bodied members of the Oonopinae. A total of 23 new species are described: V. cafista (the type species), V. velsala, V. montesta, V. spatharum, V. poas, V. varablanca, V. tortuguero, V. veragua, V. heredia, and V. girven from Costa Rica, V. ramila and V. sansidro from Costa Rica and Panama, V. funator and V. cerrado from Panama, V. edvardi and V. sinesama from Colombia, and V. yacambu, V. trujillo, V. pittieri, V. chordio, V. parlata, V. potaguo, and V. grancho from Venezuela