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 (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. </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 spider–human interactions, covering stories of spider–human encounters and biting events published from 2010–2020. 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

Taxonomic studies on seven species of the genus Opopaea (Araneae, Oonopidae) from Kenya

Seven species of the genus Opopaea Simon, 1892 from Kenya are recognized, including five new species: O. berlandi (Simon & Fage, 1922), O. kulczynskii (Berland, 1914), O. makadara Tong & Li, sp. nov. (♀♂), O. ngangao Tong & Li, sp. nov. (♀♂), O. ngulia Tong & Li, sp. nov. (♂), O. sheldrick Tong & Li, sp. nov. (♀♂), and O. wundanyi Tong & Li, sp. nov. (♀♂). Morphological descriptions and illustrations of all the species are given. All types are preserved in the National Museums of Kenya in Nairobi, Kenya (NMK)

Taxonomic studies on seven species of the genus Opopaea (Araneae, Oonopidae) from Kenya

Seven species of the genus Opopaea Simon, 1892 from Kenya are recognized, including five new species: O. berlandi (Simon & Fage, 1922), O. kulczynskii (Berland, 1914), O. makadara Tong & Li, sp. nov. (♀♂), O. ngangao Tong & Li, sp. nov. (♀♂), O. ngulia Tong & Li, sp. nov. (♂), O. sheldrick Tong & Li, sp. nov. (♀♂), and O. wundanyi Tong & Li, sp. nov. (♀♂). Morphological descriptions and illustrations of all the species are given. All types are preserved in the National Museums of Kenya in Nairobi, Kenya (NMK)

On the species of the genus Mistaria Lehtinen, 1967 studied by Roewer (1955) from Africa (Araneae, Agelenidae)

Eleven species of the spider family Agelenidae Koch, 1837 are reviewed based on the type material and transferred from the genus Agelena Walckenaer, 1805 to Mistaria Lehtinen 1967. These species occur in various African countries as indicated and include: M. jaundea (Roewer, 1955), comb. nov. (♂, Cameroon), M. jumbo (Strand, 1913), comb. nov. (♂♀, Central & East Africa), M. kiboschensis (Lessert, 1915), comb. nov. (♂♀, Central & East Africa), M. keniana (Roewer, 1955), comb. nov. (♀, Kenya), M. lawrencei (Roewer, 1955), comb. nov. (♀, Zimbabwe), M. longimamillata (Roewer, 1955), comb. nov. (♀, Mozambique), M. moschiensis (Roewer, 1955), comb. nov. (♀, Tanzania), M. mossambica (Roewer, 1955), comb. nov. (♀, Mozambique), M. nyassana (Roewer, 1955), comb. nov. (♀, Malawi), M. teteana (Roewer, 1955), comb. nov. (♂, Mozambique) and M. zuluana (Roewer, 1955), comb. nov. (♀, South Africa)

The first record of Telemidae from Kenya, with the description of two new species (Arachnida, Araneae)

Volume: 725Start Page: 1End Page: 1

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 spider-human interactions, covering stories of spider-human encounters and biting events published from 2010-20204. 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