Natural history of Phoneutria boliviensis (Araneae: Ctenidae): habitats, reproductive behavior, postembryonic development and prey-wrapping

Volume: 42Start Page: 303End Page: 31

Web construction of Linothele macrothelifera (Araneae: Dipluridae)

Volume: 41Start Page: 70End Page: 7

Morphological and molecular evidence support the taxonomic separation of the medically important Neotropical spiders Phoneutria depilata (Strand, 1909) and P. boliviensis (F.O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1897) (Araneae, Ctenidae)

The species of the genus Phoneutria (Ctenidae), also called banana spiders, are considered amongst the most venomous spiders in the world. In this study we revalidate P. depilata (Strand, 1909), which had been synonymized with P. boliviensisis (F.O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1897), using morphological and nucleotide sequence data (COI and ITS-2) together with species delimitation methods. We synonymized Ctenus peregrinoides, Strand, 1910 and Phoneutria colombiana Schmidt, 1956 with P. depilata. Furthermore, we designated Ctenus signativenter Strand, 1910 as a nomen dubium because the exact identity of this species cannot be ascertained with immature specimens, but we note that the type locality suggests that the C. signativenter syntypes belong to P. depilata. We also provide species distribution models for both species of Phoneutria and test hypotheses of niche conservatism under an allopatric speciation model. Our phylogenetic analyses support the monophyly of the genus Phoneutria and recover P. boliviensis and P. depilata as sister species, although with low nodal support. In addition, the tree-based species delimitation methods also supported the separate identities of these two species. Phoneutria boliviensis and P. depilata present allopatric distributions separated by the Andean mountain system. Species distribution models indicate lowland tropical rain forest ecosystems as the most suitable habitat for these two Phoneutria species. In addition, we demonstrate the value of citizen science platforms like iNaturalist in improving species distribution knowledge based on occurrence records. Phoneutria depilata and P. boliviensis present niche conservatism following the expected neutral model of allopatric speciation. The compiled occurrence records and distribution maps for these two species, together with the morphological diagnosis of both species, will help to identify risk areas of accidental bites and assist health professionals to determine the identity of the species involved in bites, especially for P. depilata

Corrigenda: Morphological and molecular evidence support the taxonomic separation of the medically important Neotropical spiders Phoneutria depilata (Strand, 1909) and P. boliviensis (F.O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1897) (Araneae, Ctenidae). ZooKeys 1022: 13–50. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1022.60571

In a recent publication (Hazzi & Hormiga 2021) we demonstrated that there are two species under the name of the ctenid spider Phoneutria boliviensis (F.O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1897) and used the name Phoneutria depilata (Strand, 1909) for this second species, which in the past had been treated as a junior synonym of boliviensis. We proposed that “Ctenus peregrinoides Strand, 1910” was a new junior synonym of Phoneutria depilata. We note here that such synonymy is an error. Strand did not use the name “Ctenus peregrinoides” as valid when he proposed it (valid as opposed to, for example, “if this were a new species, here is a name”), which means that his provisional name is not available for nomenclatural purposes. Thus, formally treating “peregrinoides” as a junior synonym is inconsequential because Strand’s name is not available in a nomenclatural sens

Web building and prey wrapping behavior of Aglaoctenus castaneus (Araneae: Lycosidae: Sosippinae)

Volume: 45Start Page: 177End Page: 19

New records and geographical distribution of ctenid spiders (Araneae: Ctenidae) in Colombia

Hazzi, Nicolás A., Valderrama-Ardila, Carlos, Brescovit Daniele Polotow, Antonio D., Simó, Miguel (2013): New records and geographical distribution of ctenid spiders (Araneae: Ctenidae) in Colombia. Zootaxa 3709 (3): 243-254, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3709.3.

A geographic distribution database of the cassava whitefly complex (Hemiptera, Aleyrodidae) and their associated parasitoids and hyperparasitoids (Hymenoptera)

Whiteflies (Hemiptera, Aleyrodidae) are represented by more than 1500 herbivorous species around the world. Some of them are notorious pests of cassava (Manihot esculenta), a primary food crop in the tropics. Whitefly populations are regulated mainly by Hymenopteran parasitoids. Despite their importance, neither the distribution of cassava whiteflies, nor that of their associated parasitoids, is well documented. This paper therefore reports observational and specimen-based occurrence records of cassava whiteflies and their associated parasitoids and hyperparasitoids. The dataset consists of 1,311 distribution records documented by the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) between 1975 and 2012. The specimens are held at CIAT’s Arthropod Reference Collection (CIATARC). Eleven species of whiteflies, 14 species of parasitoids and one species of hyperparasitoids are reported. Approximately 66% of the whitefly records belong to Aleurotrachelus socialis and 16% to Bemisia tuberculata. The parasitoids with most records are Encarsia hispida, Amitus macgowni and E. bellottii for A. socialis; and E. sophia for B. tuberculata. The complete dataset is available in Darwin Core Archive format via the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)

A geographic distribution database of the Neotropical cassava whitefly complex (Hemiptera, Aleyrodidae) and their associated parasitoids and hyperparasitoids (Hymenoptera)

Volume: 545Start Page: 75End Page: 8