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Babu, Nishi, Caleb, John T.D., Jani, Maitry, Uma, Divya, Prasad, G. (2022): On the taxonomy and distribution of the orb-weaving spider Philoponella feroka (Bradoo, 1979) n. comb. from India (Araneae, Uloboridae). Zootaxa 5087 (3): 497-500, DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5087.3.8

Three species of the genus Miagrammopes O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1870 are described from China, including two new species, M. rutundus Liang & Xu, n. sp. from Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and M. auriculatus Cai & Xu, n. sp. from Tibet Autonomous Region, and one known species, M. bifurcatus Dong, Yan, Zhu & Song, 2004. The female of M. bifurcatus is described for the first time. Both detailed illustration and a distribution map of the three species are provided.

Behavior is often phylogenetically informative and detailed descriptions of behavior have been used to support taxonomic relationships in several groups, such as birds, lizards, and arthropods. Web building behavior has provided informative traits to several spider families, but observations are lacking for other families, such as wall spiders Oecobiidae. Recent phylogenetic hypotheses based on molecular traits placed oecobiids either close to cribellate orb weavers (Uloboridae) or to long- spinneret spiders (Hersiliidae). Here, we describe for first time the web construction behavior and details of the web design in the oecobiid Oecobius concinnus Simon 1893 (Oecobiidae). We compare them with uloborid and araneoid orb weavers. If Oecobiidae and Uloboridae are closely related, we expect that O. concinnus share some web construction behaviors with these orb weavers. Video recordings and analyses of web structures suggest the sequence of web construction (radii, then sticky spiral construction) and the arrangement of cribellate threads are possible homologies between Oecobiidae and orb weavers, supporting a close relationship of Oecobiidae with Uloboridae. Universidad de Costa Rica/[111-C0-252]/UCR/Costa Rica UCR::Vicerrectoría de Investigación::Unidades de Investigación::Ciencias Básicas::Centro de Investigación en Estructuras Microscópicas (CIEMIC) UCR::Vicerrectoría de Docencia::Ciencias Básicas::Facultad de Ciencias::Escuela de Biología

We report the presence of Uloborus walckenaerius Latreille, 1806 and Oxyopes heterophthalmus (Latreille, 1804) in Poland. Two females and a juvenile of U. walckenaerius and a male of O. heterophthalmus were recorded in a heathland in the western part of the country, in Lower Silesia. Both species are known from similar habitats in neighbouring regions in eastern Germany (Brandenburg and Saxony). Heathlands in Poland may have great importance in maintaining populations of these two species, and some other rare invertebrates. The habitat requires management activities.

Spider webs are a good example of how phenotypic traits can be adjustable to the physical structure of the environment. Orb-web spiders of the family Uloboridae sometimes form aggregations inside webs of other spider species. In the present study, we focused on the system of Uloboridae associated with webs of the spider Aglaoctenus (Lycosidae). Because of the conformation of Aglaoctenus webs, the direction of prey flow in the central and peripheral positions of the Uloboridae aggregations is vertical and horizontal, respectively. The inclination of Uloboridae orb-webs, in relation to the ground, tends to be closer to horizontal in the centre and vertical in the periphery, whereas other characteristics of the orb-webs and spiders do not differ between the positions. Structural differences between centre and periphery were not enough to explain the inclination pattern of the orb-webs, at least regarding the method we used to measure the micro-habitat structure in this study. Our results support the view of ...

During the 1960s to 1980s Charles-Emanuel Ketterer collected and identified spiders mostly from Wallis (Switzerland) without almost any contacts to other arachnologists. His collection is documented accurately by a datasheet per sample. Considering the possibilities at that time, the identifications were highly accurate. The 836 samples re-determined cover 249 species. Four of them represent first records for Switzerland: Altella lucida (Simon, 1874), Agyneta suecica Holm, 1950, Neon rayi (Simon, 1875), and Hyptiotes flavidus (Blackwall, 1862). A further nine species would have been first records if Ketterer had published his data at that time.

An annotated list of 124 species of spiders from 18 families from the Naurzum Reserve (Kostanay Region, Kazakhstan) is presented. The following species are recorded for the fauna of Kazakhstan for the first time: Cheiracanthium virescens (Sundevall, 1832), Zelotes fuscus (Thorell, 1875), Z. pseudogallicus Ponomarev, 2007, Alopecosa kovblyuki Nadolny et Ponomarev, 2012, A. steppica Ponomarev, 2007, Arctosa pseudoleopardus Ponomarev, 2007, Trochosa robusta (Simon, 1876), Zora nemoralis (Blackwall, 1861), Pisaura novicia (L. Koch, 1878), Robertus heydemanni Wiehle, 1965, Ozyptila simplex (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1862). Four species are determined indistinctly: Gnaphosa cf. cumensis Ponomarev, 1981, Haplodrassus cf. caspius Ponomarev et Belosludtsev, 2008, Erigoninae gen. sp., Aelurillus cf. v-insignitus (Clerck, 1758). The spider fauna of the Naurzum Reserve includes 134 species from 18 families considering literature data.

Maternal care in spiders often involves behaviors associated with the protection of eggs and spiderlings against parasitoids and predators (including conspecifics). The females of several species have been documented to move their egg sacs away from natural enemies or to invest in active defense behaviors against web invaders, such as parasitoid wasps or araneophagic spider species, to protect their brood. In this study, we present observations of protective behavior by Uloborus sp. females carrying egg sacs. We also investigated whether brood size and female size influence female aggressive behaviors and response time against an artificial source of disturbance. Females carrying egg sacs almost immediately perceived and reacted aggressively against the artificial stimulus, whereas females without egg sacs moved away or ran to the web margins, avoiding the source of disturbance. The aggressive response was independent of clutch size and female body size, indicating that all females will risk interacting with potential agents of egg mortality. This systematic response by all females with egg sacs may be important for reducing the incidence of attack by the egg predator wasp Bathyzonus sp. (Ichneumonidae).

In several animals, males produce substances that block the copulatory openings and ducts of females. We investigated variation in presence of “mating plugs” (MPs) in the spider Philoponella tingens. We studied the frequency of MPs in the wild and MP deposition and permanence in isolated females. In the field, over half of females had MPs, but all females collected without MPs were also mated. We identified two causes of MP absence in mated females: aggressive female prevention of plugging and MP loss. We suggest that future research should focus on understanding why MPs are lost in some females, the role of females in MP loss, and the fitness effects of plugging prevention and MP loss for both sexes.

Technical nanofibre production is linked to high voltage, because they are typically produced by electrospinning. Spiders on the contrary have evolved a way to produce nanofibres without high voltage. These spiders are called cribellate spiders and produce nanofibres within their capture thread production. It is suggested that their nanofibres are frictionally charged when being brushed over a continuous area on the calamistrum, a comb-like structure at the metatarsus of the fourth leg. Although there are indications that electrostatic charges are involved in the formation of the threads structure, final proof is missing. We proposed three claims to validate this hypothesis: 1. The removal of any charge during or after thread production has an influence on the structure of the thread, 2. The characteristic structure of the thread can be regenerated by charging, and 3. The thread is attracted to, respectively repelled from differently charged objects. None of these three claims were proven true. Furthermore, mathematical calculations reveal that even at low charges, the calculated structural assembly of the thread does not match the observed reality. Electrostatic forces are therefore not involved in the production of cribellate capture threads.

Spiders eating diaspores (seeds and fruits) from myrmecochorous plants – i.e. those adapted to distribution by ants – is recorded here for the first time as a new case of herbivory in these typical predators. Having found seeds of Costus dubius (Afzel.) K. Schum. (1904) trapped in the web of a Parasteatoda spider (Theridiidae), tests with available myrmecochorous seeds and spiders in the greenhouses of the Botanical garden of the P. J. Safarik University in Kosice (Slovakia) were carried out. Parasteatoda spiders can actively collect C. dubius seeds near their webs and feed on them for a long time. Diaspores with elaiosomes (nutrient-rich appendages) from five other myrmecochorous plant species thrown directly into webs of Parasteatoda sp. and Uloborus plumipes Lucas, 1846 (Uloboridae), another spider species very abundant at this location, were also consumed. These initial observations show that the special chemical composition of elaiosomes, which imitates insect prey primarily for ants, can be attractive for some spider species too. Considering the tested taxa, in the case of Uloboridae contact with such food sources is improbable in their typical niches. However, at least some Theridiidae could also consume myrmecochorous diaspores in nature, especially if they are near source plants or paths of ants transporting these diaspores.

This catalogue lists 1,084 species of spiders (three identified to genus only) in 311 genera from 53 families currently recorded from Texas and is based on the "Bibliography of Texas Spiders" published by Bea Vogel in 1970. The online list of species can be found at http://pecanspiders.tamu.edu/spidersoftexas.htm. Many taxonomic revisions have since been published, particularly in the families Araneidae, Gnaphosidae and Leptonetidae. Many genera in other families have been revised. The Anyphaenidae, Ctenidae, Hahniidae, Nesticidae, Sicariidae and Tetragnathidae were also revised. Several families have been added and others split up. Several genera of Corinnidae were transferred to Phrurolithidae and Trachelidae. Two genera from Miturgidae were transferred to Eutichuridae. Zoridae was synonymized under Miturgidae. A single species formerly in Amaurobiidae is now in the Family Amphinectidae. Some trapdoor spiders in the family Ctenizidae have been transferred to Euctenizidae. Gertsch and Mulaik started a list of Texas spiders in 1940. In a letter from Willis J. Gertsch dated October 20, 1982, he stated "Years ago a first listing of the Texas fauna was published by me based largely on Stanley Mulaik material, but it had to be abandoned because of other tasks." This paper is a compendium of the spiders of Texas with distribution, habitat, collecting method and other data available from revisions and collections. This includes many records and unpublished data (including data from three unpublished studies). One of these studies included 16,000 adult spiders belonging to 177 species in 29 families. All specimens in that study were measured and results are in the appendix. Hidalgo County has 340 species recorded with Brazos County at 323 and Travis County at 314 species. These reflect the amount of collecting in the area.

We provide the regional catalogue of the spider species of Aosta Valley (NW Italy, Graian and Pennine Alps) based on literature records and original material collected from 2011 to 2013 in the frame of a collaboration project between the University of Torino and the Regional Museum of Natural Sciences of Aosta Valley. The revision of 1162 literature records scattered in 37 papers published between 1878 and 2015 provided a list of 382 species potentially occurring in this region. On the base of taxonomical and faunistic arguments discussed in the text, we here revise the literature and exclude 74 species from the list, of which seven of unlikely occurrence and 67 in need of verification. The original data here presented raise the total number of species occurring in this region to 384, grouped in 182 genera and 36 families. For each species reported in the catalogue, we provide new collection data, previous literature records, the known distribution and the habitat in which they occurred. Compared...

Orb-web building spiders (Araneae: Araneoidea, Uloboridae) can be considered as territorial central place foragers. In territorial central place foragers, the optimal foraging arena is circular, with the forager sitting in its centre. In orb webs, the spider's orientation (head up or head down) whilst waiting for prey on the hub of its web and the downwards-upwards asymmetry of its running speeds are the probable causes for the observed deviation of the hub from the web's centre. Here, we present an analytical model and a more refined simulation model to analyse the relationships amongst the spider's running speeds, its orientation whilst waiting for prey and the vertical asymmetry of orb webs. The results of our models suggest that (a) waiting for prey head down is generally favourable because it allows the spider to reach the prey in its web on average quicker than spiders waiting head up, (b) the downwards-upwards running speed asymmetry, together with the head-down orientation of most spiders, are likely causes for the observed vertical asymmetry of orb webs, (c) waiting head up can be advantageous for spiders whose downwards-upwards running speed asymmetry is small and who experience high prey tumbling rates and (d) spiders waiting head up should place their hub lower than similar spiders waiting head down.

Predators may utilize signals to exploit the sensory biases of their prey or their predators. The inclusion of conspicuous silk structures called decorations or stabilimenta in the webs of some orb-web spiders (Araneae: Araneidae, Tetragnathidae, Uloboridae) appears to be an example of a sensory exploitation system. The function of these structures is controversial but they may signal to attract prey and/or deter predators. Here, we test these predictions, using a combination of field manipulations and laboratory experiments. In the field, decorations influenced the foraging success of adult female St. Andrew’s Cross spiders, Argiope keyserlingi: inclusion of decorations increased prey capture rates as the available prey also increased. In contrast, when decorations were removed, prey capture rates were low and unrelated to the amount of available prey. Laboratory choice experiments showed that significantly more flies (Chrysomya varipes; Diptera: Calliphoridae) were attracted to decorated webs. However, decorations also attracted predators (adult and juvenile praying mantids, Archimantis latistylus; Mantodea: Mantidae) to the web. St. Andrew’s Cross spiders apparently resolve the conflicting nature of a prey- and predator-attracting signal by varying their decorating behaviour according to the risk of predation: spiders spun fewer decorations if their webs were located in dense vegetation where predators had greater access, than if the webs were located in sparse vegetation.

The Pantropical spider clade Nephilidae is famous for its extreme sexual size dimorphism, for constructing the largest orb-webs known, and for unusual sexual behaviors, which include emasculation and extreme polygamy. We synthesize the available data for the genera Nephila, Nephilengys, Herennia and Clitaetra to produce the first species level phylogeny of the family. We score 231 characters (197 morphological, 34 behavioral) for 61 taxa: 32 of the 37 known nephilid species plus two Phonognatha and one Deliochus species, 10 tetragnathid outgroups, nine araneids, and one genus each of Nesticidae, Theridiidae, Theridiosomatidae, Linyphiidae, Pimoidae, Uloboridae and Deinopidae. Four most parsimonious trees resulted, among which successive weighting preferred one ingroup topology. Neither an analysis of an alternative data set based on different morphological interpretations, nor separate analyses of morphology and behavior are superior to the total evidence analysis, which we therefore propose as the working hypothesis of nephilid relationships, and the basis for classification. Ingroup generic relationships are (Clitaetra (Herennia (Nephila, Nephilengys))). Deliochus and Phonognatha group with Araneidae rather than Nephilidae. Nephilidae is sister to all other araneoids (contra most recent literature). Ethological data, although difficult to obtain and thus frequently missing for rare taxa, are phylogenetically informative. We explore the evolution of selected morphological and behavioral characters, discuss and redefine the homology of palpal sclerites, disprove semientelegyny in spiders, trace the newly interpreted evolution of the orb web, and show that nephilid genital morphologies coevolve with sexual behaviors and extreme sexual size dimorphism. Phylogenetic interpretations of behavior suggest new insights into spider biology and avenues for future research. © The Willi Hennig Society 2007.

The spider genus Metabus (Tetragnathidae) previously included nine species: the type M. gravidus O. P.-Cambridge, 1899 – junior synonym of Leucauge ocellata (Keyserling) – from Central America and eight species from Chile. In this paper, the classification of the Metabus species-complex is revised, and two new genera, with three new species and five new combinations, are described. Allende gen. nov. is created for four Chilean species not congeneric with the type of Metabus: the type A. puyehuensis sp. nov., A. patagiatus (Simon) comb. nov., A. nigrohumeralis (F. O. P.-Cambridge) comb. nov. and A. longipes (Nicolet) comb. nov. Further additions to the Chilean fauna are under the new genus Mollemeta gen. nov.– created for M. edwardsi (Simon) comb. nov.– and three new species of Chrysometa: C. acinosa sp. nov., C. levii sp. nov. and C. maitae sp. nov.Metabus now includes four species: M. ocellatus (Keyserling) comb. nov., M. debilis (O. P.-Cambridge) comb. nov., M. ebanoverde sp. nov. and M. conacyt sp. nov. All of these species were included in a phylogenetic analysis of 38 tetragnathid and 12 orbicularian outgroup terminals scored for 105 morphological and behavioural characters. The results suggest that Metabus as previously circumscribed is polyphyletic. The phylogenetic relationships within tetragnathids are briefly discussed. © 2007 The Linnean Society of London, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2007, 151, 285–335.

Both the uloborid Philoponella vicina and the araneid Gasteracantha cancriformis spiders sometimes placed silk stabilimenta on non-orb “resting webs” that consisted of only one or a few lines. These webs completely lacked sticky silk, so their stabilimenta could not function to attract prey. Some non-orbs were built by spiders when their orb webs are damaged. These observations contradict the prey attraction camouflage hypothesis for stabilimentum function, but are compatible with the spider camouflage and web advertisement to avoid web destruction hypotheses.

Description of Sybota compagnuccii a new spider species from Patagonia, Argentina (Araneae, Uloboridae). Sybota compagnuccii new species is described for the Argentinian Patagonia (Neuquen, Rio Negro and Chubut Provinces). Relationships with the previously described Sybota species are discussed.

Spider silk production has been studied intensively in the last years. However, capture threads of cribellate spiders employ an until now often unnoticed alternative of thread production. This thread in general is highly interesting, as it not only involves a controlled arrangement of three types of threads with one being nano-scale fibres (cribellate fibres), but also a special comb-like structure on the metatarsus of the fourth leg (calamistrum) for its production. We found the cribellate fibres organized as a mat, enclosing two parallel larger fibres (axial fibres) and forming the typical puffy structure of cribellate threads. Mat and axial fibres are punctiform connected to each other between two puffs, presumably by the action of the median spinnerets. However, this connection alone does not lead to the typical puffy shape of a cribellate thread. Removing the calamistrum, we found a functional capture thread still being produced, but the puffy shape of the thread was lost. Therefore, the calamistrum is not necessary for the extraction or combination of fibres, but for further processing of the nano-scale cribellate fibres. Using data from Uloborus plumipes we were able to develop a model of the cribellate thread production, probably universally valid for cribellate spiders.

We present an annotated checklist of the spiders (Arachnida Cuvier, 1812; Araneae Clerck, 1757) of the Site of Community Importance and Special Area of Conservation IT1160056 “Alpi Marittime” (NW Italy). The checklist is based on literature records and unpublished material collected from 2007 to 2013 within the first European All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory coordinated by the European Distributed Institute of Taxonomy (EDIT). The examination of the literature provided a list of 113 species recorded for the study area between 1890 and 2013, scattered in 35 publications. The new data provided here raise the total number of species known for the study area to 295, grouped in 147 genera and 31 families. We recorded a remarkable percentage (9%) of endemic species, including rare endemic elements poorly known in literature, such as Vesubia jugorum (Simon, 1881); Troglohyphantes konradi Brignoli, 1975; Nesticus morisii Brignoli, 1975 and Turinyphia clairi (Simon, 1884). For each species we report detail...

Feeding by uloborid spiders is unusual in several respects: cheliceral venom glands are absent; prey wrapping is extensive (up to several hundred metres of silk line) and severely compresses the prey; the spider’s mouthparts usually never touch the prey; and the entire surface of the prey is covered with digestive fluid. This paper presents observations on Philoponella vicina O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1899, which provide possible causal links between these traits. The spider begins ingesting soon after it wets the prey, gaining access to the prey’s interior through a broken cuticle that was broken during wrapping and by digestion of the prey’s membranes. The more abundant of the two types of wrapping lines is also digested, but the remaining shroud of wrapping silk is dense and filters digested prey particles. Robust setae on the palpal tarsus and the spread position of the anterior legs during feeding probably protect the spider from contact with the digestive fluid. Spiders extracted about 65% of the wet contents of the prey, but feeding was slow and involved substantial water evaporation. We propose that selection in uloborid ancestors to recover wrapping silk led to increased wetting of the prey’s surface and that compressive wrapping facilitated this wetting. These traits could have led to loss of the now superfluous cheliceral poison glands. Instituto Smithsoniano de Investigaciones Tropicales (STRI) Universidad de Costa Rica Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama, USA UCR::Vicerrectoría de Docencia::Ciencias Básicas::Facultad de Ciencias::Escuela de Biología

SUMMARY Orb-web weaving spiders depend upon the mechanical performance of capture threads to absorb the energy of flying prey. Most orb-weavers spin wet capture threads with core fibers of flagelliform silk. These threads are extremely compliant and extensible due to the folding of their constituent proteins into molecular nanosprings and hydration by a surrounding coating of aqueous glue. In contrast, other orb-weavers use cribellate capture threads, which are composite structures consisting of core fibers of pseudoflagelliform silk surrounded by a matrix of fine dry cribellar fibrils. Based on phylogenetic evidence, cribellate capture threads predate the use of viscid capture threads. To better characterize how pseudoflagelliform and cribellar fibrils function, we investigated the mechanical performance of cribellate capture threads for three genera of spiders (Deinopis, Hyptiotes and Uloborus). These taxa spin very diverse web architectures, ranging from complete orbs to evolutionarily reduced triangle webs and cast nets. We found that the pseudoflagelliform core fibers of these webs were stiffer and stronger, but also less extensible, than flagelliform silk. However,cribellate capture threads achieved overall high extensibilities because the surrounding cribellar fibrils contributed substantially to the tensile performance of threads long after the core pseudoflagelliform fibers ruptured. In the case of Deinopis capture threads, up to 90% of the total work performed could be attributed to these fibrils. These findings yield insight into the evolutionary transition from cribellate to viscid capture threads.

Twelve new species of the family Uloboridae are described from China under the names, Hyptiotes fabaceus, H. solanus, Miagrammopes paraorientalis, Octonoba ampliata, O. aurita, O. dentata, O. digitata, O. paralingshanensis, O. paravarians, O. serratula, Philoponella lingulata and P. pisiformis. A key to Chinese genera of the family Uloboridae is presented.

Little is known about how a prey species' cognitive limitations might shape a predator's prey-capture strategy. A specific hypothesis is investigated: predators take advantage of times when the prey's attention is focussed on its own prey. Portia fimbriata, an araneophagic jumping spider (Salticidae) from Queensland, is shown in a series of 11 experiments to exploit opportunistically a situation in which a web-building spider on which it preys, Zosis genicularis (Uloboridae), is preoccupied with wrapping up its own prey. Experimental evidence supports three conclusions: (1). while relying on optical cues alone, P. fimbriata perceives when Z. genicularis is wrapping up prey; (2). when busy wrapping up prey, the responsiveness of Z. genicularis to cues from potential predators is diminished; and (3). P. fimbriata moves primarily during intervals when Z. genicularis is busy wrapping up prey. P. fimbriata's strategy is effective partly because the wrapping behaviour of Z. genicularis masks the web signals generated by the advancing P. fimbriata's footsteps and also because, while wrapping, Z. genicularis' attention is diverted away from predator-revealing cues.

Sticky prey capture threads are produced by many members of the spider infraorder Araneomorphae. Cribellar threads are plesiomorphic for this clade, and viscous threads are apomorphic. The outer surface of cribellar thread is formed of thousands of fine, looped fibrils. Basal araneomorphs produce non-noded cribellar fibrils, whereas more derived members produce noded fibrils. Cribellar fibrils snag and hold rough surfaces, but other forces are required to explain their adherence to smooth surfaces. Threads of Hypochilus pococki (Hypochilidae) formed of non-noded fibrils held to a smooth plastic surface with the same force under low and high humidities. In contrast, threads of Hyptiotes cavatus and Uloborus glomosus (Uloboridae) formed of noded fibrils held with greater force to the same surface at intermediate and high humidities. This supports the hypothesis that van der Waals forces allow non-noded cribellar fibrils to adhere to smooth surfaces, whereas noded fibrils, owing to the hydrophilic properties of their nodes, add hygroscopic forces at intermediate and high humidities. Thus, there appear to have been two major events in the evolution of adhesive mechanisms in spider prey capture thread: the addition of hydrophilic nodes to the fibrils of cribellar threads and the replacement of cribellar fibrils by viscous material and glycoprotein glue. © 2002 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2002, 77, 1–8.

The individual spatial position in spider colonies may influence foraging success and predation risk. Philoponella vittata form aggregates using other spider's webs as support for their small orbs. In this study we investigated the individuals' spatial distribution relative to their size, the relation between spider abundance and success of prey capture, and the frequency of individuals capturing prey in central and peripheral positions, in webs constructed by four host species. Smaller individuals were found mainly in the peripheral positions and, in central positions, small and large individuals occurred in a frequency that was, respectively, lower and higher than the expected. The percentage of spiders consuming prey, however, had no relation to spider density and position. This suggests that the distribution pattern could be determined by factors other than food availability, such as the avoidance of parasitism and predation.

Web damage during prey capture in Hyptiotes paradoxus (C.L.KOCH 1834)(Uloboridae) H. paradoxus - well known for its characteristic triangular web - has frequentlybeen described to always completely collapse its web when catching prey. The aim of thepresent article is to show that this is not the case, and to discuss how the myth of the obligatecomplete collapse of the web has arisen and why it survived so well. Key words: Araneae, triangle spider, prey capture, meme INTRODUCTIONWe are often faced with the problem that we cannot research everythingourselves and we therefore have to rely on published descriptions by others.Unfortunately, these descriptions are sometimes not very accurate or evenincorrect, especially descriptions that have been copied from yet otherdescriptions. Repeated copying inevitably leads to errors – we are allfamiliar with the telephone game where children sit in a circle and the firstchild whispers a phrase into the ear of the second one, and this one repeatswhat it has understood into the ear of the third one, and so on until finally thelast one says aloud what it has understood - usually something not evenremotely resembling what the first child had started with. In science we haveto deal with similar problems; WALTER (1999) describes nicely how theoriginally inaccurate description of the prey spectrum of Eresus cinnaberinuswas altered and became even less correct over time with repeated copying.The aim of the present article is to show the similar fate of the descriptionof the web damage during prey capture in Hyptiotes paradoxus, to do awaywith the misconception that H. paradoxus will always completely collapse itsweb when catching prey, and discuss why nevertheless many descriptionsrefer to such a complete collapse.H. paradoxus is one of only two orb-weaving uloborid spiders in Centraland Northern Europe (HEIMER & NENTWIG 1991). It is usually found on

The life history and reproductive activity of the Uloborid spider Octonoba sybotides were investigated. The seasonal change in the size distribution of the O. sybotides population at the study site showed that this spider has two generations per year: an overwintering generation and a summer generation. The overwintering generation hibernates from late November to early March as the juvenile stages. The duration of egg incubation varied greatly through the reproductive season, and seemed to be related to the total effective temperature. The number of eggs in each egg sac was significantly correlated with the weight of the mother. O. sybotides constructs a horizontal orb-web that frequently contains dimorphic stabilimenta (spiral and linear). The weights and condition indices of spiders showed that the spiders on webs with spiral stabilimenta to be in poorer energetic condition than spiders on webs with linear stabilimenta. The proportion of spiders on webs with spiral stabilimenta was negatively correlated with the prey abundance in their environment. The frequencies of spiral and linear stabilimenta in a population seem to be influenced by prey abundance, and prey-limited conditions induce the majority of O. sybotides to construct webs with spiral stabilimenta.

The cribellum is an oval spinning field whose spigots produce silk fibrils that form the outer surfaces of the primitive prey capture threads found in aerial spider webs. A comparison of the cribella and cribellar capture threads of 13 species of spiders representing seven families (Amaurobiidae, Desidae, Dictynidae, Filistatidae, Neolanidae, Oecobiidae, and Uloboridae) confirms that the stickness of a cribellar thread is directly related to the number of spigots on a spider's cribellum. This comparison also demonstrates that the origin of orb-weaving spiders from ancestors that constructed less highly organized webs was associated with increases in both the weight-specific number of cribellum spigots and the weight-specific stickiness of cribellar prey capture threads. In contrast to other cribellate spiders, the number of cribellum spigots of orb-weaving species of the family Uloboridae scales to spider mass. Thus, the origin of orb-weaving spiders involved not only behavioural changes that stylized and restricted the placement of cribellar threads, but also included morphological changes that increased the stickiness of these capture threads by endowing them with more cribellar fibrils.

The influence of food supply on the type of stabilimentum built by Octonoba sybotides, an uloborid spider, was investigated in a laboratory experiment. Spiders were separated into two groups that built distinct stabilimenta (linear or spiral), | and then further subdivided into two different feeding groups (food-deprived and food-supplemented). Food-deprived spiders (a fruit fly every 10 d) tended to form spiral stabilimenta, whereas food-supplemented spiders (a fruit fly every 2 d) tended to form linear stabilimenta. Furthermore, there was a significant difference in the distribution of stabilimentum forms before and after egg production. After egg production, which involves a large expenditure of energy, spiders tended to form spiral stabilimenta. Thcse results suggest that the spider's energetic state influences the type of stabilimentum built by O vbotides, and that hunger induces the spider to form spiral stabilimenta.

1. The replacement of dry, fuzzy cribellar prey capture thread by viscous, adhesive capture thread was a major event in the evolution of orb-weaving spiders. Over 95% of all orb-weaving species now produce adhesive threads. 2. Adhesive thread achieves its stickiness with a much greater material economy than does cribellar thread. 3. Transformational analyses show that, relative to spider mass, adhesive orb-weavers invest less material per mm of capture thread and produce stickier capture threads than do cribellate orb-weavers. 4. The total cost of producing an orb-web that contains cribellar thread is reduced by 32% when a spider recycles its silk and another 34% when these capture threads are replaced by adhesive threads of equal stickiness. 5. The increased economy with which adhesive capture thread achieves its stickiness may have been an important factor that favoured the origin and success of modern orb-weaving spiders that produce adhesive capture threads.

This phylogenetic analysis of 31 exemplar taxa treats the 12 families of Araneoidea (Anapidae, Araneidae, Cyatholipidae, Linyphiidae, Mysmenidae, Nesticidae, Pimoidae, Symphytognathidae, Synotaxidae, Tetragnathidae, Theridiidae, and Theridiosomatidae). The data set comprises 93 characters: 23 from male genitalia, 3 from female genitalia, 18 from cephalothorax morphology, 6 from abdomen morphology, 14 from limb morphology, 15 from the spinnerets, and 14 from web architecture and other behaviour. Criteria for tree choice were minimum length parsimony and parsimony under implied weights. The outgroup for Araneoidea is Deinopoidea (Deinopidae and Uloboridae). The preferred shortest tree specifies the relationships ((Uloboridae, Deinopidae) (Araneidae (Tetragnathidae ((Theridiosomatidae (Mysmenidae (Symphytognathidae, Anapidae))) ((Linyphiidae, Pimoidae) ((Theridiidae, Nesticidae) (Cyatholipidae, Synotaxidae))))))). The monophyly of Tetragnathidae (including metines and nephilines), the symphytognathoids, theridiid-nesticid lineage, and Synotaxidae are confirmed. Cyatholipidae are sister to Synotaxidae, not closely related to either the Araneidae or Linyphiidae, as previously suggested. Four new clades are proposed: the cyatholipoids (Cyatholipidae plus Synotaxidae), the «spineless femur clade» (theridioid lineage plus cyatholipoids), the «araneoid sheet web builders» (linyphioids plus the spineless femur clade), and the «reduced piriform clade» (symphytognathoids plus araneoid sheet web builders). The results imply a coherent scenario for web evolution in which the monophyletic orb gives rise to the monophyletic araneoid sheet, which in turn gives rise to the gumfoot web of the theridiid-nesticid lineage. While the spinning complement of single pairs of glands does not change much over the evolution of the group, multiple sets of glands are dramatically reduced in number, implying that derived araneoids are incapable of spinning many silk fibers at the same time.

Prey capture threads are essential to the operation of spider orb-webs because they prevent insects that have been intercepted from escaping before a spider can subdue them. The volume of material invested in a web's capture threads is related to spider weight and is the same for primitive orb-weavers that produce cribellar capture thread and modern orb-weavers that produce adhesive capture thread. However, as adhesive capture thread achieves greater stickiness relative to its volume, adhesive orb-webs have a greater total stickiness and, consequently, a greater prey capture potential than cribellate orb-webs. These differences appear to have favoured the transition from cribellate to adhesive capture threads and the success of adhesive orb-weavers, which include 95% of all orb-weaving species. Differences in the thread economy and the total stickiness of webs constructed by spiders of different weights also suggest that adhesive orb-weavers should grow more rapidly and be capable of attaining a larger size than cribellate orb-weavers.

Spider orb webs are made of sticky prey capture threads supported by a scaffold of nonsticky threads. Capture threads produced by members of the family Uloboridae are formed of thousands of dry, proteinaceous silk fibrils. From measurements of the diameters and lengths of fibers that form the sticky and nonsticky threads of uloborids, this study determines the volume of silk these webs contain. It employs a transformational analysis to examine the relationship between spider size and the silk volume and total stickiness of webs produced by four orb-weaving species and four species that spin simpler webs. Despite differences in web design, web-monitoring behavior, and spider size, a web's total silk volume is directly related to spider weight. A web's prey capture potential, as determined by its total stickiness and total capture area, is also directly related to spider weight. The volume of silk fibrils responsible for a web's stickiness is related to spider weight, whereas the volume of its support eleme...

Three new species of the uloborid genus Orinomana Strand, O. penelope n. sp. from Ecuador, O. viracocha n. sp. from Peru, and O. florezi n. sp. from Colombia, are described. Additionally, the male of O. ascha Grismado, from Northwestern Argentina, is described for the first time. This material includes the first males known of the genus, providing diagnostic characters for its recognition; the complex and massive embolus with several branches is proposed as a synapomorphy of the genus.

The communal orb-weaving spider, Philoponella republicana,was observed in the subtropical moist forest of Southeast Peru. These spiders live in colonies of conspecifics whose individual orbs are connected by silk. The wrapping of a prey prior to feeding is a large component of the prey capture process because P. republicanahas no venom with which to kill an insect. Wrapping time was the only aspect of prey capture that was strongly correlated with the size of the insect captured. Occasionally we observed several individuals working together to wrap a prey item. These joint efforts were more frequent on prey larger than the capturing spider. Although group captures accounted for only 5.5% of captures, they represented 14.7% of the biomass obtained. A comparison of the relationship between wrapping time and prey size for solitary and group efforts suggested that, by working together, the spiders reduced their total handling time. In most cases only one spider fed on the captured prey.

Two new species of the spider genus Philoponella (Uloboridae) are described from Taiwan and Borneo, South East Asia, under the names, Philoponella nigromaculata (Taiwan) and P. sabah (Borneo).

A colony of Philoponella raffrayi (SIMON, 1891) was observed in the undergrowth of the secondary forest of the Forest Research Institute of Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The communal web was made up of 1) numerous females' orb-webs surrounding the colony, 2) strong sustainable silks which constitute irregular framework of the colony, and 3) irregular webs forming the center of the colony where males dominantly exist. The numbers of adult females, adult males, and juvenile females were 61, 15 and 2, respectively. The distribution of the developmental stages of the individuals in the colony indicates that the spiders have matured simultaneously. Three other species of spiders, Portia sp., Leucauge sp. and Argyrodes sp., were collected in the colony of P. raffrayi.

Ballooning refers to the aerial displacement of spiders made possible by friction between rising air and strands of silk. The phenomenon is widespread in the order Araneae and is thought to be the primary means by which spiders disperse over long distances. Only recently have attempts been made to understand the aerodynamic constraints under which ballooning spiders must operate. The current study was stimulated by the cogent theoretical work of HUMPHREY (1987), and provides the first empirical data on the physical forces acting on spiders about to become airborne and on those that are already airborne. The data indicate (1) that both the silk and the spider's body provide the drag necessary for ballooning, (2) that fluid dynamic models overestimate the difficulty of becoming and remaining airborne, (3) that the spider has both postural and silk length control over drag development, (4) and that only very small spiders can rely on ballooning for dispersal over long distances.

When disturbed, Uloborus glomosus either remain in position at the hub of their orb webs, jump from the web, move to the edge of the web, or shake the web. Juveniles more frequently exhibited moving and jumping responses, whereas the majority of adults jumped from the web or remained in position. Adults with linear stabilimenta tended to shake their webs in the morning and to jump from their webs in the evening. Juveniles with linear stabilimenta shook their webs in the afternoon and evening, whereas those with circular stabilimenta tended to move to the edge of the web or shake the web during all times of day. Adult females with egg-sac chains were usually aligned with the egg sacs and tended to remain in position when disturbed. Both adults and juveniles lacking stabilimenta or egg-sac chains tended to jump from their webs or move to the edge of their webs. Spiders filmed in a natural setting responded to contact by insects. Predatory wasps repeatedly flew near the spiders without eliciting a response. A tethered predatory wasp held above both juveniles and adults in the laboratory also failed to elicit responses from the spiders. The data agree with the hypothesis that moving to the edge of, shaking, and jumping from the web may be predator avoidance strategies elicited by direct contact.

A list of spider species recorded from the Parque Estadual Mata São Francisco, Paraná, Brazil was compiled based on 7,942 specimens, of which 2,872 are adults (36.15%) and 5,071 are juveniles (63.85%). Adults were identified as belonging to 45 families, 140 genera and 209 species and morphospecies (101 nominal species and 108 morphotypes). Forty-one species were recorded for the first time from the state of Paraná, most of them belonging to Araneidae (14), Oonopidae (4), Theridiidae (4), and Uloboridae (3). Conifaber guarani Grismado, 2004 and Oonops nigromaculatus Mello- Leitão, 1944 were recorded for the first time from Brazil. These results place Paraná as the sixth state with the highest number of records of spiders from Brazil, currently 465 species. This study increases in 10% the number of species recorded from Paraná, and the Atlantic Forest fragment becomes one of the most well sampled areas in the state, with 20% of all known species in Paraná. © 2014 Check List and Authors.

Three new species of the spider genus Philoponella Mello-Leitao, 1917 are described: Philoponella opelli n. sp. from Brazil and Ecuador, and Philoponella fluviidulcifis n. sp. , and Philoponella duopunctata n. sp. from Brazil. New records for Philoponella vittata (Keyserling, 1881), P. republicana (Simon, 1891), P. fasciata (Mello-Leitao, 1917) and P. divisa Opell, 1979 are provided for Brazil and Ecuador.

A new species of the uloborid spider, Octonoba yoshidai, is described using the specimens collected in Takarajima Is., the Tokara Isls., Japan. This new species can be distinguished from Octonoba grandiconcava by epigynum having posterior projection, or the shape of median apophysis bulb of male palp.

This checklist records 631 spider species and subspecies belonging to 49 families in Israel. Species distributions are given in both generalised (by main geographic areas of the country) and detailed (by localities) form. Twenty-seven records are considered as doubtful and another ten are based on misidentifications. A historical survey is provided. Each record is presented in its original combination. The list is dominated by members of the families Gnaphosidae and Salticidae (20.0% and 17.1% of total species, respectively). The level of regional endemism exceeds 37.0%.

Miagrammopes correai Piza, 1944, M. zenzesi (Mello-Leitao, 1945) and M. lacteovittatus Mello-Leitao, 1947 are synonymized with Miagrammopes guttatus Mello-Leitao, 1937. Synonymies are based on morphological data from specimens recently collected compared with the recovered type of M. lacteovittatus, and the types M. correai and M. zenzesi, as well as data from original descriptions. The male of Miagrammopes guttatus is redescribed and the female is described for the first time. Lectotypes are designated for M. correai and M. lacteovittatus.

I studied the relationship between prey consumption and colony size in the orb spiderPhiloponella semiplumosa. Observations of unmanipulated colonies showed that prey biomass per juvenile spider was positively correlated with colony size, indicating that prey consumption was highest in the largest colonies observed. In contrast, the relationship between prey biomass per adult female and colony size was curvilinear; prey consumption tended to be highest in intermediatesized colonies. Adult female cephalothorax width was positively correlated with colony size. Number of egg sacs per adult female tended to be highest in intermediate-sized colonies. Prey biomass per juvenile was lower in experimentally reduced colonies than in large control colonies. Aerial-arthropod abundance was not correlated with colony size, and experimental prey supplementation did not affect colony size. Thus, the relationship between prey consumption and colony size was influenced by coloniality directly, rather than by a correlation between prey abundance at a site and colony size.