An Overview of Species Concept used in Spiders Taxonomy with an Emphasis on Mating Structures

Although arachnology has a long-standing history but the main progress in spiders taxonomy is related to the Golden Age of Araneology. Indeed, from this period onward the copulatory organs (primary and secondary structures) found their true positions in new species description and delimitation. But it is surprising that only a few arachnologists have taken a clear stand about species, considering the inordinate number of concepts. According to the importance of species in taxonomy, the aim of this paper is to present an acceptable definition of the species concept and to investigate the role of copulatory structures in species identification. Studies have shown that species are reproductive communities that are genetically isolated from such other communities. Proceeding relatively independently evolution in different species implies that the species concept is not a universal and comprehensive concept for all the species. On the other hand, as the genital traits often evolve faster than other morphological characters, the role of genital traits is undeniable in distinguishing closely related species and species delimitation. Anyway, there is no certainty about the species-specificity of the copulatory structures. As a final result, it should be noted that variation studies and morphological-molecular congruence analyses will probably advance our knowledge to understand the significance of copulatory structures in the systematics of different spider species

New data on the wolf spiders of Iran (Arachnida: Aranei: Lycosidae), with a description of two new species

New taxonomic and faunistic data on 25 species in 13 genera of Lycosidae from Iran are provided. Two new species Alopecosa pekari sp.n. (male) and Trochosa marusiki sp.n. (male) are diagnosed and described from West Azerbaijan Province. The genus Draposa Kronestedt, 2010 and the species Draposa oakleyi (Gravely, 1924), Evippa eltonica Dunin, 1994, Karakumosa turanica Logunov et Ponomarev, 2020 and K. zyuzint Logunov et Ponomarev, 2020 are recorded from Iran for the first time. Thirteen new provincial records are also provided. The known lycosid fauna of Iran contains now 81 species

A new Pardosa species from northern Iran (Araneae, Lycosidae)

Shafaie, Sepideh, Mirshamsi, Omid, Aliabadian, Mansour, Moradmand, Majid, Marusik, Yuri M. (2018): A new Pardosa species from northern Iran (Araneae, Lycosidae). Zootaxa 4387 (2): 350-364, DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4387.2.

Supplementary information of: Dynamic Evolution of Size and Color in the Highly Specialized Zodarion Ant-Eating Spiders

   Ecological specialists constitute relevant case studies for understanding the mechanisms, potential and limitations of evolution. The species-rich and strictly myrmecophagous spiders of the genus Zodarion show diversified defense mechanisms, including myrmecomorphy of different ant species and nocturnality. Using hyRAD, a phylogenomic technique designed for sequencing poorly preserved specimens, we reconstructed the phylogeny of Zodarion using 52 (~ a third of the nominal) species that cover its phylogenetic and distributional diversity. We then estimated the evolution of body size and color, traits that have diversified noticeably and are linked to defense mechanisms, across the group. Our genomic matrix of 300 loci led to a well-supported phylogenetic hypothesis that uncovered two main clades inside Zodarion. Ancestral state estimation revealed the highly dynamic evolution of body size and color across the group, with multiple transitions and convergences in both traits, which we propose is likely indicative of multiple transitions in ant specialization across the genus. Our study will allow the informed targeted selection of Zodarion taxa of special interest for research into the group’s remarkable adaptations to ant specialization. It also exemplifies the utility of hyRAD for phylogenetic studies using museum material.</p