16 research outputs found
Southern African vernacular names of Solifugae (Arachnida) and their meanings
The order Solifugae (Arachnida) often has the word âspiderâ (e.g. sunspider, camelspider) or âscorpionâ (e.g.
windscorpion) as the main descriptor in its common names. Being neither a spider nor a scorpion, we suggest
âsolifugeâ, derived from the scientific name of the order, as the most neutral English vernacular name for these
arachnids. Southern Africa is rich in solifuge diversity, which is also reflected in the rich and imaginative local
vernacular names of this group. These names allude to myths associated with solifuges, to their characteristic
behaviours, or to their unique and striking morphology. Here we briefly translate and discuss 40 vernacular
terms used for solifuges in 25 languages and dialects in southern Africa (Botswana, Malawi, Namibia, South
Africa, and Zimbabwe), plus seven names in five languages in East Africa. Recognising solifuges as a distinct
group, referred to by its own set of vernacular names, seem to be more common in rural, compared to urban
areas. The conservation of indigenous names of animals might be inextricably linked to the conservation of
these animals.https://journals.co.za/journal/entoam2023Zoology and Entomolog
Host plant availability and nest-site selection of the social spider Stegodyphus dumicola Pocock, 1898 (Eresidae)
An animalsâ habitat defines the resources that are available for its use, such as host plants or
food sources, and the use of these resources are critical for optimizing fitness. Spiders are abundant
in all terrestrial habitats and are often associated with vegetation, which may provide structure for
anchoring capture webs, attract insect prey, or provide protective function. Social spiders construct
sedentary communal silk nests on host plants, but we know little about whether and how they make
nest-site decisions. We examined host plant use in relation to host plant availability in the social
spider Stegodyphus dumicola Pocock, 1898 (Eresidae) across different arid biomes in Namibia and
analysed the role of host plant characteristics (height, spines, scent, sturdiness) on nest occurrence.
Host plant communities and densities differed between locations. Spider nests were relatively more
abundant on Acacia spp., Boscia foetida, Combretum spp., Dichrostachys cinerea, Parkinsonia africana,
Tarchonanthus camphoratus, and Ziziphus mucronatus, and nests survived longer on preferred plant
genera Acacia, Boscia and Combretum. Spider nests were relatively more abundant on plants higher
than 2 m, and on plants with thorns and with a rigid structure. Our results suggest that spiders
display differential use of host plant species, and that characteristics such as rigidity and thorns
confer benefits such as protection from browsing animals.SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIALS : Table S1. Proportion of potential host plant species (Plant) and Stegodyphus
dumicola Pocock, 1898 nests (Nest) for each plant species, per study site. Empty cells indicate that the
species was not found in the study sites. Total sample size (Sample size line) is given both for the
number of plants (Plants (N=)) and the number of plants with a nest (Nests (N=)) for each study site.
OT = unknown host plant species in Otavi, WH = unknown host plant species in Windhoek.This research was funded by The Danish Council for Independent Research, grant number DFFâ6108-00565, Novo Nordisk Foundation Interdisciplinary Synergy Grant numberâNNF16OC0021110, and a postdoctoral grant from The Villum Foundation.http://www.mdpi.com/journal/insectsZoology and Entomolog
Orb-web spider Argiope (Araneidae) as indigenous arrow poison of G/ui and G//ana San hunters in the Kalahari
Hunting has been crucial in early human evolution. Some San (Bushmen) of southern Africa still practice their indigenous hunting. The use of poisons is one remarkable aspect of their bow-and-arrow hunting but the sources, taxonomic identifications of species used, and recipes, are not well documented. This study reports on fieldwork to investigate recent indigenous hunting practices of G/ui and G//ana San communities in the Central Kalahari Game Reserve (CKGR), Botswana. Here we discuss their use of spider poison. The hunters use the contents of the opisthosoma (âabdomenâ) of a spider as sole ingredient of the arrow poison and discard the prosoma that contains the venom-glands. Using taxonomic keys, we identified the spider as the garden orb-web spider Argiope australis (Walckenaer 1805) (Araneidae). The huntersâ choice of this species is remarkable given the scientific perception that A. australis is of little medical importance. The species choice raises questions about how the spider fluids could kill game, particularly when the prosoma, which contains the venom glands, is not used. Possibilities include trauma, as a source of pathogens, or abdomen- containing toxins. Based on characteristics of Argiope Audouin 1826, we hypothesize that the choice of this species for arrow poisons might have evolved from the recognition of aposematic signalling or spiritual symbolism. Indigenous knowledge (IK) is an important source for advances in biotechnology but is in decline worldwide. The study contributes to the documentation of the San people, and their ancient IK, which is threatened by marginalization, political pressures, and climate change
Smallholder agriculture in African dryland agroecosystems has limited impact on trophic group composition, but affects arthropod provision of ecosystem services
DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT : Data will be made available on request.Agricultural intensification is a major driver of biodiversity loss, but the majority of studies highlighting these
threats come from industrialised agriculture in temperate countries of the global North. However, more than
30% of global food production is produced by smallholder farmers, particularly in Africa. We know very little
about the impact of these farming practices on arthropod communities and associated ecosystems in dryland
agroecosystems. We investigated the trophic group composition of arthropod communities (detritivorous, her-
bivorous, predatory & mixed feeders) and levels of associated ecosystem functions in replicated maize fields,
paired adjacent natural bushveld habitats and the edge habitats between them in north-eastern Namibia and
central-eastern Botswana during the dry and wet seasons. Predator activity densities differed significantly be-
tween habitats depending on the season, with higher numbers in natural habitats in the wet season but lower
numbers in the dry season compared to maize fields. In general, edge habitats had higher numbers of predators
than the other habitats. Predator attack rates on artificial caterpillars in both seasons and dung removal in the
wet season were higher in habitats with natural vegetation (natural and edge). However, dung removal in the dry
season and herbivory in the wet season were highest in the maize fields, the latter due to high level of fall
armyworm infestation. Wet season multifunctionality was higher in natural habitats in Botswana, and to a lesser
extent in Namibia, than in maize fields. Smallholder agriculture is not detrimental to decomposers, herbivores
and mixed feeders compared to adjacent natural habitats, but may be detrimental to the provision of some
ecosystem services. These results highlight the challenge of sustainably managing dryland agricultural land that
is marginal for crop production, while providing smallholders with an optimal environment to benefit from the
ecosystem services associated with arthropod communities. New conservation agriculture practices need to
support the production of higher and more stable yields over time, while maintaining the limited impact of
smallholder agriculture on biotic communities.http://www.elsevier.com/locate/ageeZoology and EntomologySDG-02:Zero HungerSDG-15:Life on lan
The global spread of misinformation on spiders
In the internet era, the digital architecture that keeps us connected and informed may also amplify the spread of misinformation. This problem is gaining global attention, as evidence accumulates that misinformation may interfere with democratic processes and undermine collective responses to environmental and health crises1,2. In an increasingly polluted information ecosystem, understanding the factors underlying the generation and spread of misinformation is becoming a pressing scientific and societal challenge3. Here, we studied the global spread of (mis-)information on spiders using a high-resolution global database of online newspaper articles on spiderâhuman interactions, covering stories of spiderâhuman encounters and biting events published from 2010â20204. We found that 47% of articles contained errors and 43% were sensationalist. Moreover, we show that the flow of spider-related news occurs within a highly interconnected global network and provide evidence that sensationalism is a key factor underlying the spread of misinformation
The global spread of misinformation on spiders
Non peer reviewe
An expert-curated global database of online newspaper articles on spiders and spider bites
Mass media plays an important role in the construction and circulation of risk perception associated with animals. Widely feared groups such as spiders frequently end up in the spotlight of traditional and social media. We compiled an expert-curated global database on the online newspaper coverage of human-spider encounters over the past ten years (2010-2020). This database includes information about the location of each human-spider encounter reported in the news article and a quantitative characterisation of the content-location, presence of photographs of spiders and bites, number and type of errors, consultation of experts, and a subjective assessment of sensationalism. In total, we collected 5348 unique news articles from 81 countries in 40 languages. The database refers to 211 identified and unidentified spider species and 2644 unique human-spider encounters (1121 bites and 147 as deadly bites). To facilitate data reuse, we explain the main caveats that need to be made when analysing this database and discuss research ideas and questions that can be explored with it.Peer reviewe
An expert-curated global database of online newspaper articles on spiders and spider bites
Mass media plays an important role in the construction and circulation of risk perception associated with animals. Widely feared groups such as spiders frequently end up in the spotlight of traditional and social media. We compiled an expert-curated global database on the online newspaper coverage of human-spider encounters over the past ten years (2010â2020). This database includes information about the location of each human-spider encounter reported in the news article and a quantitative characterisation of the contentâlocation, presence of photographs of spiders and bites, number and type of errors, consultation of experts, and a subjective assessment of sensationalism. In total, we collected 5348 unique news articles from 81 countries in 40 languages. The database refers to 211 identified and unidentified spider species and 2644 unique human-spider encounters (1121 bites and 147 as deadly bites). To facilitate data reuse, we explain the main caveats that need to be made when analysing this database and discuss research ideas and questions that can be explored with it. </p
The global spread of misinformation on spiders
In the internet era, the digital architecture that keeps us connected and informed may also amplify the spread of misinformation. This problem is gaining global attention, as evidence accumulates that misinformation may interfere with democratic processes and undermine collective responses to environmental and health crises. In an increasingly polluted information ecosystem, understanding the factors underlying the generation and spread of misinformation is becoming a pressing scientific and societal challenge. Here, we studied the global spread of (mis-)information on spiders using a high-resolution global database of online newspaper articles on spiderâhuman interactions, covering stories of spiderâhuman encounters and biting events published from 2010â2020. We found that 47% of articles contained errors and 43% were sensationalist. Moreover, we show that the flow of spider-related news occurs within a highly interconnected global network and provide evidence that sensationalism is a key factor underlying the spread of misinformation. </p
Ultrastructural characterization of Hexisopus psammophilus (Arachnida: Solifugae: Hexisopodidae) spermatozoa in comparison to other solifuge spermatozoal traits
Volume: 39Start Page: 280End Page: 28