“High Tide or Low Tide”: Desis bobmarleyi sp. n., a new spider from coral reefs in Australia’s Sunshine State and its relative from Sāmoa (Araneae, Desidae, Desis)

Spiders of the genus Desis Walckenaer, 1837 (Araneae: Desidae) are water-adapted spiders and live in the intertidal zone on reefs, marine debris and under rocks. Here, we describe a new intertidal species from tropical Queensland and name it after Bob Marley, whose song “High Tide or Low Tide” inspired us as it lives in a “high tide low tide” habitat. We also re-describe a close morphological relative, Desis vorax L. Koch, 1872 from Sāmoa. This species was described some 150 years ago from the Godeffroy Collection which holds the oldest major collection of Australasian and Pacific spiders, now mainly hosted in the Centre of Natural History in Hamburg (CeNak). A third species, Desis hartmeyeri Simon, 1909, was described from juvenile specimens only and is considered a nomen dubium. “None but ourselves can free our minds.” Bob Marley, Redemption Song (1980)

New goblin spider genus Prethopalpus.

113 p. : ill., maps ; 26 cm.The new goblin spider genus Prethopalpus is restricted to the Australasian tropics, from the lower Himalayan Mountains in Nepal and India to the Malaysian Peninsula, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and Australia. Prethopalpus contains those species with a swollen palpal patella, which is one to two times the size of the femur, together with a cymbium and bulb that is usually separated, although it is largely fused in four species. The type species Opopaea fosuma Burger et al. from Sumatra, and Camptoscaphiella infernalis Harvey and Edward from Western Australia are newly transferred to Prethopalpus. The genus consists of 41 species of which 39 are newly described: P. ilam Baehr ([male, female]) from Nepal; P. khasi Baehr ([male]), P. madurai Baehr ([male]), P. mahanadi Baehr ([male, female]), and P. meghalaya Baehr ([male, female]) from India; P. bali Baehr ([male]), P. bellicosus Baehr and Thoma ([male, female]), P. brunei Baehr ([male, female]), P. deelemanae Baehr and Thoma ([male]), P. java Baehr ([male, female]), P. kranzae Baehr ([male]), P. kropfi Baehr ([male, female]), P. leuser Baehr ([male, female]), P. magnocularis Baehr and Thoma ([male]), P. pahang Baehr ([male]), P. perak Baehr ([male, female]), P. sabah Baehr ([male, female]), P. sarawak Baehr ([male]), P. schwendingeri Baehr ([male, female]), and P. utara Baehr ([male, female]) from Indonesia and Malaysia; and P. alexanderi Baehr and Harvey ([male]), P. attenboroughi Baehr and Harvey ([male]), P. blosfeldsorum Baehr and Harvey ([male]), P. boltoni Baehr and Harvey ([male, female]), P. callani Baehr and Harvey ([male, female]), P. cooperi Baehr and Harvey ([male]), P. eberhardi Baehr and Harvey ([male, female]), P. framenaui Baehr and Harvey ([male, female]), P. humphreysi Baehr and Harvey ([male, female]), P. kintyre Baehr and Harvey ([male]), P. scanloni Baehr and Harvey ([male]), P. pearsoni Baehr and Harvey ([male]), P. julianneae Baehr and Harvey ([male]), P. maini Baehr and Harvey ([male, female]), P. marionae Baehr and Harvey ([male, female]), P. platnicki Baehr and Harvey ([male, female]), P. oneillae Baehr and Harvey ([male]), P. rawlinsoni Baehr and Harvey ([male]), and P. tropicus Baehr and Harvey ([male, female]) from Australia and Papua New Guinea. Three separate keys to species from different geographical regions are provided. Most species are recorded from single locations and only three species are more widely distributed. A significant radiation of blind troglobites comprising 14 species living in subterranean ecosystems in Western Australia is discussed. These include several species that lack abdominal scuta, a feature previously used to define subfamilies of Oonopidae

Pelicinus.

43 p. : ill. (some col.) ; 26 cm.Although Pelicinus Simon and its type species P. marmoratus Simon were initially described from Saint Vincent in the Lesser Antilles, we hypothesize that Pelicinus is primarily an Old World genus, occurring natively in both southern Asia and Australasia. The type species has attained an anomalously pantropical distribution, and has been described at least eight times, in at least seven different genera; all those synonyms were based on island populations. Myrmopopaea jacobsoni Reimoser from Sumatra, Gamasomorpha minima Berland from the Phoenix Islands, Triaeris pusillus (Bryant) from the Virgin Islands, Scaphiella ula Suman from Hawaii, and P. mahei (Benoit) from the Seychelles are newly synonymized with P. marmoratus, and the species is newly recorded from the Bahama Islands, Brazil, Kenya, and the Marshall Islands. Myrmopopaea Reimoser and Harryoonops Makhan and Ezzatpanah are placed as junior synonyms of Pelicinus. The bulk of the species-level diversity of Pelicinus occurs in Australia. Here we treat only those members of the genus that occur outside that continent; 16 new species are described from Iran (P. sengleti), India (P. lachivala, P. madurai), Thailand (P. deelemanae, P. schwendingeri, P. sayam, P. khao), Laos (P. tham), Vietnam (P. duong), Malaysia (P. penang, P. johor), the Solomon Islands (P. churchillae), Fiji (P. raveni), and New Caledonia (P. monteithi, P. damieu, P. koghis)

Twenty years, eight legs, one concept: Describing spider biodiversity in Zootaxa (Arachnida: Araneae)

Zootaxa published more than a thousand papers on Araneae from 2002 to the present, including descriptions of 3,833 new spider species and 177 new genera. Here we summarise the key contributions of Zootaxa to our current knowledge of global spider diversity. We provide a historical account of the researchers that have actively participated as editors, and recognize the more than 1,000 reviewers without whom none of this would have been possible. We conduct a simple analysis of the contributions by authors and geographic region, which allows us to uncover some of the underlying trends in current spider taxonomy. In addition, we examine some of the milestones in twenty years of spider systematic research in Zootaxa. Finally, we discuss future prospects of spider taxonomy and the role that Zootaxa and its younger sister journal Megataxa will play in it. We would like to dedicate this contribution to the memory of Norman I. Platnick, a crucial figure in the advancement of spider systematics.Fil: Jäger, Peter. Senckenberg Research Institute; AlemaniaFil: Arnedo, Miquel. Universidad de Barcelona; EspañaFil: Fernandes de Azevedo, Guilherme Henrique. San Diego State University; Estados UnidosFil: Baehr, Barbara. Queensland Museum; AustraliaFil: Bonaldo, Alexandre B.. Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi; BrasilFil: Haddad, Charles R.. University of the Free State; SudáfricaFil: Harms, Danilo. Universitat Hamburg; AlemaniaFil: Hormiga, Gustavo. The George Washington University; Estados UnidosFil: Labarque, Facundo Martín. Universidade Federal do São Carlos; Brasil. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; ArgentinaFil: Muster, Christoph. No especifíca;Fil: Ramirez, Martin Javier. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; ArgentinaFil: Santos, Adalberto J.. Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais; Brasi

Factors influencing the efficiency of generating genetically engineered pigs by nuclear transfer: multi-factorial analysis of a large data set

Background: Somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) using genetically engineered donor cells is currently the most widely used strategy to generate tailored pig models for biomedical research. Although this approach facilitates a similar spectrum of genetic modifications as in rodent models, the outcome in terms of live cloned piglets is quite variable. In this study, we aimed at a comprehensive analysis of environmental and experimental factors that are substantially influencing the efficiency of generating genetically engineered pigs. Based on a considerably large data set from 274 SCNT experiments (in total 18,649 reconstructed embryos transferred into 193 recipients), performed over a period of three years, we assessed the relative contribution of season, type of genetic modification, donor cell source, number of cloning rounds, and pre-selection of cloned embryos for early development to the cloning efficiency. Results: 109 (56%) recipients became pregnant and 85 (78%) of them gave birth to offspring. Out of 318 cloned piglets, 243 (76%) were alive, but only 97 (40%) were clinically healthy and showed normal development. The proportion of stillborn piglets was 24% (75/318), and another 31% (100/318) of the cloned piglets died soon after birth. The overall cloning efficiency, defined as the number of offspring born per SCNT embryos transferred, including only recipients that delivered, was 3.95%. SCNT experiments performed during winter using fetal fibroblasts or kidney cells after additive gene transfer resulted in the highest number of live and healthy offspring, while two or more rounds of cloning and nuclear transfer experiments performed during summer decreased the number of healthy offspring. Conclusion: Although the effects of individual factors may be different between various laboratories, our results and analysis strategy will help to identify and optimize the factors, which are most critical to cloning success in programs aiming at the generation of genetically engineered pig models

Climate-Relevant Ocean Transport Measurements in the Atlantic and Arctic Oceans

Ocean circulation redistributes heat, freshwater, carbon, and nutrients all around the globe. Because of their importance in regulating climate, weather, extreme events, sea level, fisheries, and ecosystems, large-scale ocean currents should be monitored continuously. The Atlantic is unique as the only ocean basin where heat is, on average, transported northward in both hemispheres as part of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC). The largely unrestricted connection with the Arctic and Southern Oceans allows ocean currents to exchange heat, freshwater, and other properties with polar latitudes

Figs. 117–120 in Revision of the Australian Spider Genus Habronestes (Araneae: Zodariidae). Species of New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory

Figs. 117–120. Habronestes pictus species-group epigynes, ventral view (above), vulvae, dorsal view (below): (117, 118) H. monocornis n.sp.; (119, 120) Habronestes raveni n.sp. Scales 0.5 mm.Published as part of <i>Baehr, Barbara, 2003, Revision of the Australian Spider Genus Habronestes (Araneae: Zodariidae). Species of New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory, pp. 343-376 in Records of the Australian Museum 55 (3)</i> on page 371, DOI: 10.3853/j.0067-1975.55.2003.1389, <a href="http://zenodo.org/record/10092723">http://zenodo.org/record/10092723</a&gt

Figs. 138–143 in Revision of the Australian Spider Genus Habronestes (Araneae: Zodariidae). Species of New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory

Figs. 138–143. New South Wales, showing collection localities: (138) species of Habronestes australiensis species-group; (139) species of Habronestes macedonensis species-group; (140–143) species of Habronestes pictus species-group.Published as part of <i>Baehr, Barbara, 2003, Revision of the Australian Spider Genus Habronestes (Araneae: Zodariidae). Species of New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory, pp. 343-376 in Records of the Australian Museum 55 (3)</i> on page 375, DOI: 10.3853/j.0067-1975.55.2003.1389, <a href="http://zenodo.org/record/10092723">http://zenodo.org/record/10092723</a&gt

Figs. 98–110 in Revision of the Australian Spider Genus Habronestes (Araneae: Zodariidae). Species of New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory

Figs. 98–110. Habronestes pictus species-group male palps, LTA ventral view: (98) Habronestes bradleyi (Pickard-Cambridge); (99) Habronestes grayi n.sp.; (100) Habronestes piccolo n.sp.; (101) Habronestes jocquei n.sp.; (102) Habronestes grahami n.sp.; (103) Habronestes minor n.sp.; (104) Habronestes helenae n.sp.; (105) Habronestes wilkiei n.sp.; (106) Habronestes giganteus n.sp.; (107) Habronestes longiconductor n.sp.; (108) Habronestes pictus (Koch); (109) Habronestes raveni n.sp.; (110) Habronestes hunti n.sp. Scales 0.25 mm.Published as part of <i>Baehr, Barbara, 2003, Revision of the Australian Spider Genus Habronestes (Araneae: Zodariidae). Species of New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory, pp. 343-376 in Records of the Australian Museum 55 (3)</i> on page 369, DOI: 10.3853/j.0067-1975.55.2003.1389, <a href="http://zenodo.org/record/10092723">http://zenodo.org/record/10092723</a&gt

Figs. 27–30 in Revision of the Australian Spider Genus Habronestes (Araneae: Zodariidae). Species of New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory

Figs. 27–30. Habronestes macedonensis species-group male palps, ventral view (above), lateral view (below): (27–28) Habronestes rawlinsonae n.sp.; (29–30) H. hebronae n.sp. Scales 0.5 mm.Published as part of <i>Baehr, Barbara, 2003, Revision of the Australian Spider Genus Habronestes (Araneae: Zodariidae). Species of New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory, pp. 343-376 in Records of the Australian Museum 55 (3)</i> on page 351, DOI: 10.3853/j.0067-1975.55.2003.1389, <a href="http://zenodo.org/record/10092723">http://zenodo.org/record/10092723</a&gt