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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 MistariaLehtinen 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).

Agelena orientalis C. L. Koch, 1837 Agelena orientalis: Levy 1996: 86, figs. 4–8 (♂ ♀); Kovblyuk & Kastrygina 2011: 274, figs. 1–3, 7–9, 13–15, 19–20, 23–24, 27 (♂ ♀). For a complete list of taxonomic references, see World Spider Catalog (2020). Remarks: This species is well known; therefore, we do not provide figures or a redescription. Distribution: West Palaearctic, from Italy to Kyrgyzstan, south to Israel. Records in Iran: Alborz, Gilan, Golestan, Khuzestan, Kurdistan, Mazandaran, North Khorasan, Qazvin, Tehran (Zamani et al. 2020) ., Published as part of Zamani, Alireza & Marusik, Yuri M., 2020, A review of Agelenini (Araneae: Agelenidae: Ageleninae) of Iran and Tajikistan, with descriptions of four new genera, pp. 368-386 in Arachnology 18 (4) on page 371, DOI: 10.13156/arac.2020.18.4.368, http://zenodo.org/record/3925217, {"references":["LEVY, G. 1996: The agelenid funnel-weaver family and the spider genus Cedicus in Israel (Araneae, Agelenidae and Cybaeidae). Zoologica Scripta 25: 85 - 122.","KOVBLYUK, M. M. & KASTRYGINA, Z. A. 2011: On two closely related funnel-web spider species, Agelena orientalis C. L. Koch, 1837, and A. labyrinthica (Clerck, 1757) (Aranei: Agelenidae). Arthropoda Selecta 20: 273 - 282.","WORLD SPIDER CATALOG 2020: World spider catalog, version BA. C. Bern: Natural History Museum, online at http: // wsc. nmbe. ch","ZAMANI, A., MIRSHAMSI, O., MARUSIK, Y. M. & MORADMAND, M. 2020: The checklist of the spiders of Iran, version BCBC, online at http: // www. spiders. ir"]}

Agelena Walckenaer, 1805 Agelena: Lehtinen 1967: 346; Zhu, Wang & Zhang 2017: 66. Type species: Araneus labyrinthicus Clerck, 1757 by original designation. Remarks: Agelena, with 48 valid species, is the largest genus in Agelenini. It is known from Africa, the Palaearctic and south Asia (India, Nepal and South-East Asia). Almost half of the species are known by one sex, or even juveniles (21♀, 2♂, 1 juv.). Judging by the shape of the copulatory organs, it seems that all species occurring outside of the Palaearctic, and some Palaearctic species, are misplaced in the genus. Below, we provide a diagnosis only for species which have male palps similar to that in the generotype: A. babai Tanikawa, 2005, A. chayu Zhang, Zhu & Song, 2005, A. cuspidata Zhang, Zhu & Song, 2005, A. labyrinthica (Clerck, 1757), A. limbata Thorell, 1897, A. orientalis C. L. Koch, 1837, and A. sylvatica Oliger, 1983. Diagnosis: Males of Agelena can be distinguished from other Agelenini by having a prolateral bulge on the bulb (embolic base extending the tegulum), which is lacking in other genera., Published as part of Zamani, Alireza & Marusik, Yuri M., 2020, A review of Agelenini (Araneae: Agelenidae: Ageleninae) of Iran and Tajikistan, with descriptions of four new genera, pp. 368-386 in Arachnology 18 (4) on page 370, DOI: 10.13156/arac.2020.18.4.368, http://zenodo.org/record/3925217, {"references":["LEHTINEN, P. T. 1967: Classification of the cribellate spiders and some allied families, with notes on the evolution of the suborder Araneomorpha. Annales Zoologici Fennici 4: 199 - 468.","ZHU, M. S., WANG, X. P. & ZHANG, Z. S. 2017: Fauna Sinica: Invertebrata Vol. 5 E: Arachnida: Araneae: Agelenidae and Amaurobiidae. Beijing: Science Press."]}

Agelena labyrinthica (Clerck, 1757) Agelena labyrinthica: Kovblyuk & Kastrygina 2011: 278, figs. 4– 6, 10–12, 16–18, 21–22, 25–26, 28 (♂ ♀); Zhu, Wang & Zhang 2017: 72, figs. 1–2, 7A–C, 9A–B, 11E, 18A–E (♂ ♀). For a complete list of taxonomic references (total of 91), see World Spider Catalog (2020). Remarks: This species is well known; therefore, we do not provide figures or a redescription. Distribution: This is the only species of the genus that is known across the entire Palaearctic, from the Iberian Peninsula to Japan. Records in Iran and TaMikistan: Iran: Ardabil, Gilan, Golestan, Mazandaran, Semnan, Tehran (Zamani et al. 2020). Tajikistan: northwest and southwest (Andreeva 1976)., Published as part of Zamani, Alireza & Marusik, Yuri M., 2020, A review of Agelenini (Araneae: Agelenidae: Ageleninae) of Iran and Tajikistan, with descriptions of four new genera, pp. 368-386 in Arachnology 18 (4) on pages 370-371, DOI: 10.13156/arac.2020.18.4.368, http://zenodo.org/record/3925217, {"references":["KOVBLYUK, M. M. & KASTRYGINA, Z. A. 2011: On two closely related funnel-web spider species, Agelena orientalis C. L. Koch, 1837, and A. labyrinthica (Clerck, 1757) (Aranei: Agelenidae). Arthropoda Selecta 20: 273 - 282.","ZHU, M. S., WANG, X. P. & ZHANG, Z. S. 2017: Fauna Sinica: Invertebrata Vol. 5 E: Arachnida: Araneae: Agelenidae and Amaurobiidae. Beijing: Science Press.","WORLD SPIDER CATALOG 2020: World spider catalog, version BA. C. Bern: Natural History Museum, online at http: // wsc. nmbe. ch","ZAMANI, A., MIRSHAMSI, O., MARUSIK, Y. M. & MORADMAND, M. 2020: The checklist of the spiders of Iran, version BCBC, online at http: // www. spiders. ir","ANDREEVA, E. M. 1976: Pauki TaMikistana. Dushanbe: Donish. [in Russian]"]}

Agelena labyrinthica (Clerck, 1757) MATERIAL. ��� Les Allemands, ruderal areas, 1400 m, 01.VII.2017, Rollard leg., 2♀, MNHN. CHOROTYPE. ��� PAL. MACROHABITAT. ��� Ruderal areas., Published as part of Milano, Filippo, Mammola, Stefano, Rollard, Christine, Leccia, Marie-France & Isaia, Marco, 2019, An inventory of the spider species of Barcelonnette (France), with taxonomic notes on Piniphantes agnellus n. comb. (Araneae, Linyphiidae), pp. 29-58 in Zoosystema 41 (4) on page 32, DOI: 10.5252/zoosystema2019v41a4, http://zenodo.org/record/3718482

Agelenini occurring in Iran and Tajikistan are reviewed. As a result, four new genera are established: Persiscapegen. n., to include P. caspicasp. n. (♂♀, Mazandaran, northern Iran), P. ecbatanasp. n. (♂♀, Hamedan, western Iran), P. nassirkhaniisp. n. (♂, Lorestan, southwestern Iran), P. zagrosensissp. n. (♂, Ilam, western Iran), P. caucasica (Guseinov, Marusik & Koponen, 2005) comb. n. (♀, Greece, Turkey, Georgia, Azerbaijan), P. gideoni (Levy, 1996) comb. n. (♂♀, Turkey to Israel, Iran), and P. levyi (Guseinov, Marusik & Koponen, 2005) comb. n. (♂♀, Azerbaijan) (all three comb. n. ex. Agelescape). Extreme morphological variation occurs in the copulatory organs of females of this genus leading us to synonymize Agelescape duniniGuseinov, Marusik & Koponen, 2005syn. n. (♂♀, Azerbaijan) with P. gideoni and A. talyshicaGuseinov, Marusik & Koponen, 2005syn. n. (♀, Azerbaijan) with P. levyi, recorded in Iran for the first time. AgelescapeLevy, 1996 is redefined to include only two species: A. livida (Simon, 1875) and A. affinis (Kulczynski, 1911); Gorbiscapegen. n., to include G. gorbachevisp. n. (♂♀, Dushanbe, Khatlon, western Tajikistan) and G. agelenoides (Walckenaer, 1841) comb. n. (♂♀, Western Mediterranean, ex. Agelena); Asiascapegen. n., to include A. parthicasp. n. (♂♀, Golestan, North Khorasan, northeastern Iran); Persilenagen. n., to include P. sengletisp. n. (♀, Ilam, western Iran). In addition, Agelena tadzhikaAndreeva, 1976 (♂♀, Tajikistan and northern Ciscaspian region) is transferred to BenoitiaLehtinen, 1967 (= Benoitia tadzhika (Andreeva, 1976) comb. n.).

Carnivorous plants and spiders are known to compete for resources. In North America, spiders of the genus Agelenopsis are known to build funnel-webs, using Sarracenia purpurea pitchers as a base, retreat and storage room. They also very likely profit from the insect attraction of S. purpurea. In a fen in Europe, S. purpurea was introduced ~65 years ago and co-occurs with native insect predators. Despite the absence of common evolutionary history, we observed native funnels-spiders (genus Agelena) building funnel webs on top of S. purpurea in similar ways as Agelelopsis. Furthermore, we observed specimen of the raft-spider (Dolmedes fimbriatus) and the pygmy-shrew (Sorex minutus) stealing prey-items out of the pitchers. We conducted an observational study, comparing plots with and without S. purpurea, to test if Agelena were attracted by S. purpurea, and found that their presence indeed increases Agelena abundance. Additionally, we tested if this facilitation was due to the structure provided for building webs or enhanced prey availability. Since the number of webs matched the temporal pattern of insect attraction by the plant, we conclude that the gain in food is likely the key factor for web installation. Our results provide an interesting case of facilitation by an introduced plant for a local predator, which has developed in a very short time scale.

Cragin (1886) mentions Agelenopsis naevia (Walckenaer 1841) (listed as Agelena naevia Bosc.), as being “the commonest of spiders, building its geometric web in corners of houses and outbuildings” in Shawnee County. Although this species was reported as being common statewide by Scheffer (1904), this name was also applied to spiders that were subsequently described as separate species in the genus by later workers. A revision that became the standard taxonomic reference of the genus Agelenopsis contains Kansas records of several species, including Agelenopsis oklahoma (Gertsch 1936), Agelenopsis spatula Chamberlin and Ivie 1935, and A. naevia (Chamberlin and Ivie 1941). Fitch (1963) recorded aspects of the biology of the three species of Agelenopsis found on the University of Kansas Fitch Natural History Reservation (FNHR) in northeastern Kansas, namely Agelenopsis pennsylvanica (C. Koch 1843), A. naevia, and A. oklahoma. A synopsis of the spiders of Meade County reported observations of juvenile Agelenopsis presumed to be A. oklahoma in the short grass prairie ecosystem in the southwestern corner of the state (Fitch and Fitch 1966). More recent investigations by Ayoub et al. (2005) and Paison (1997) provided information concerning the biogeography, phylogeny, and speciation history of the genus, and included new Kansas records of Agelenopsis aleenae Chamberlin and Ivie1935, Agelenopsis emertoni Chamberlin and Ivie 1935, A. oklahoma and A. pennsylvanica. A range map of Agelenopsis aperta (Gertsch 1934) includes the extreme southwestern corner of the state, although no Kansas records are provided (Ayoub et al. 2005). Therefore, based on published accounts, Kansas is the home of 6 or possibly 7 species of funnelweb spiders of the genus Agelenopsis.

Agelena labyrinthica (Clerck, 1757) Material examined. Site 7 (b: 1 ♂). Distribution. Europe, Russia, Korea, Japan, Mongolia, China, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Iran, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey (Komnenov, 2014). Chorotype. Eurasian., Published as part of Marjan Komnenov, Eva Pitta, Konstantina Zografou & Maria Chatzaki, 2016, Discovering the still unexplored arachnofauna of the National Park of Dadia-Lefkimi-Soufli, NE Greece: a taxonomic review with description of new species, pp. 1-66 in Zootaxa 4096 (1) on page 34, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4096.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/263078, {"references":["Komnenov, M. (2014) Spider fauna of the Osogovo Mt. Range, Northeastern Macedonia. Fauna Balkana, 2, 1 - 267."]}

Only few electron microscopic studies exist on the structure of the main eyes (anterior median eyes, AME) of web spiders. The present paper provides details on the anatomy of the AME in the funnel-web spider Agelena labyrinthica. The retina consists of two separate regions with differently arranged photoreceptor cells. Its central part has sensory cells with rhabdomeres on 2, 3, or 4 sides, whereas those of the ventral retina have only two rhabdomeres on opposite sides. In addition, the rhabdomeres of the ventral retina are arranged in a specific way: Whereas in the most ventral part they form long tangential rows, those towards the center are detached and are arranged radially. All sensory cells are wrapped by unpigmented pigment cell processes. In agelenid spiders the axons of the sensory cells exit from the middle of the cell body; their fine structure and course through the eye cup is described in detail. In the central part of the retina efferent nerve fibres were found forming synapses along the distal region of the receptor cells. A muscle is attached laterally to each eye cup that allows mainly rotational movements of the eyes. The optical performance (image resolution) of these main eyes with relatively few visual cells is discussed.

Agelena labyrinthica (Clerck, 1757) (Fig. 3) NEW DATA. — ♂ Donnas: Pramotton, 322 m, in the hedge of a garden 27.VII.2009, 1 ♀, leg. Paschetta. LITERATURE. — Pesarini 1997; [Isaia 2005]. CHOROTYPE. — PAL. MACROHABITAT. — Synantropic habitats. NOTES. — Isaia (2005) listed this species in his previous regional checklist on the base of Pesarini (1997), who did not provided specifical records for Aosta Alley but reported it for the whole of Italy. On this base, Rossi & Bosio (2012) considered it doubtful. The occurrence of the species in Aosta Valley is here validated by new original data., Published as part of Paschetta, Mauro, Christille, Claretta, Marguerettaz, Fabio & Isaia, Marco, 2016, Regional catalogue of the spiders (Arachnida, Araneae) of Aosta Valley (NW Italy), pp. 49-125 in Zoosystema 38 (1) on page 53, DOI: 10.5252/z2016n1a3, http://zenodo.org/record/4578074, {"references":["PESARINI C. 1997. - I ragni (Arachnida Araneae) del Monte Barro (Italia, Lombardia, Lecco). Memorie della Societa italiana di Scienze naturali, Museo civico di Storia naturale di Milano 27: 251 - 263.","ISAIA M. 2005. - Check list of spiders (Arachnids, Araneae) of Aosta Valley (Italy) with a new record for Italian fauna. Revue valdotaine d'Histoire naturelle 59: 25 - 43.","ROSSI G. & BOSIO F. 2012. - Elenco delle specie di ragni (Arachnida, Araneae) note per la Valle d ' Aosta. Revue valdotaine d'Histoire naturelle 66: 45 - 88."]}

1. The spider Agelena labyrinthica Cl. determined its home direction by integrating the information of each element of the outgoing path to the prey in continuous interaction with the incident light. 2. A vector hypothesis explaining how the direction and the length of the homing track was determined was verified: if the azimuth of the incident light was displaced by 90 degrees as soon as the spider had reached a certain point on the web, the vector of the theoretical course originating from this point was rotated by about 60 degrees. The end point of this rotated vector ("fictitious retreat point") was not only the goal for the homing course from this point, but also for the course originating from any other point of the web. 3. Spiders starting at the fictitious retreat point did not keep straight courses. Their movements were either at random or they were directed in slightly preferred directions caused by the phototactic influence of the previously performed outward course. 4. If the light had been displaced before the spider was lifted from the web, the lifting had no effect on the orientation performance. 5. The mean distance between the points of direction changes and the starting points varied linearly with the mean length of the outward course; therefore these distances were used as an indication for the distance orientation. 6. Contrary to all other formerly published hypotheses on the photomenotactic orientation of arthropods MITTELSTAEDTs' hypothesis about the homing of Agelena, which is similar to my vector hypothesis, is compatible with the data compiled by this investigation.

1. A kleptoparasitic spider, Argyrodes kumadai, is known to use phylogenetically unrelated host species in different regions - Cyrtophora moluccensis (Araneidae) in south-west Japan and Agelena sil ...

A new agelenid genus, Allagelena, gen. nov. (Type species: Agelena bistriata Grube, 1861), is erected. Four species, Agelena bistriata Grube, 1861; Agelena difficilis Fox, 1936; Agelena gracilens C. L. Koch, 1841; and Agelena opulenta (L. Koch, 1878), are transferred to the new genus. The male of A. bistriata is described for the first time. The relationships among the Chinese genera of Agelenidae is given. The new genus appears to be a sister group of Agelena.

The Japanese spiders of the genus Agelena are revised. The occurrence of A. limbata Thorell 1897, A. opulenta Koch 1878, and A. labylinthica (Clerck 1757) are recomfirmed. A. donggukensis Kim 1996 is newly recorded from Japan and the male of the species is described for the first time. A new species, A. babai, is described based on the specimens collected from Amami-oshima Is. of the Ryukyus.

Spiders are generalist predators, abundant in terrestrial ecosystems, and hence good candidates for interspecific competitive constraints. Contrary to these premises, evidence of interspecific competition in web‐weaving spiders is ambiguous, and new experiments on natural communities are interesting. This paper reports on an experiment designed to test competitive effects in a natural community of web‐weaving spiders, accomplished by selective removal of each of the three locally dominant species: Araneus marmoreus, Argiope bruennichi, and Agelena labyrinthi‐ca. No statistically significant difference was found among control plots and the plots where one of the three species had been removed, for any of the variables measured, but the small number of replicates limited statistic power. Considering only effect direction, and not statistical significance, these removal experiments supported competitive effects on community structure, habitat overlap, and spider body size. On the other hand, effects...

The funnel-weaver spiders of the family Agelenidae in Israel are revised along with spiders of the excluded genus Cedicus, here placed in the Cybaeidae. Although the webs are conspicuous and abundant only very few members of these families have been reported thus far from the East Mediterranean fauna. Altogether 19 species of agelenids are described with detailed diagnostic illustrations, including eight new records and six species new to science. With the biological and zoogeographical information revised and all type and non-type material pertinent to the fauna reexamined, the occurrence of Lycosoides and Maimuna in the Middle East has been verified while Textrix is absent. Agelena is represented only by a single species. Two Mediterranean species are newly placed in Benoitia, and a new genus Agelescape has been erected to accommodate three species. Tegenaria proves to be the largest indigenous genus and includes some of the long-legged spiders in Israel. The relationships of Cedicus and its two species in Israel are addressed. The new species described are: Agelescape gideoni, Maimuna carmelica, M. meronis, Tegenaria mediterranea, T. epacris, T. angustipalpis and Cedicus israeliensis.

The number of chromosomes of the funnel-web spider Agelena limbata is reported to be 2n=42 (40+X1X2) in males and 44 (40+X1X1X2X2) in females based on the observation of three populations from western Honshu, Japan. These numbers do not conform to those reported by SUZUKI (1954) where the diploid number in male was interpreted as 44 (42+X1X2). The disharmony in chromosome number between the two results may be attributable to the possible miscounting in SUZUKI's observation. Unlike previous reports on chromosomes of Agelena and most of other genera of spiders, A. limbata was shown to have some pairs of meta- or submetacentrics in its karyotype.

Seven allied species of the funnel-weaver spider genus Agelena Walckenaer, 1805, including the type species Agelena labyrinthica (Clerck, 1757), known to occur in Asia and Europe, are reviewed on the basis of the similarity of genital structures. Two new species are described: Agelena chayu sp. nov. and Agelena cuspidata sp. nov. The specific name A. silvatica Oliger, 1983 is revalidated. The female is newly described for A. injuria Fox, 1936. Two specific names are newly synonymized: Agelena daoxianensis Peng, Gong et Kim, 1996 with A. silvatica Oliger, 1983, and A. sublimbata Wang, 1991 with A. limbata Thorell, 1897. Some names are proposed for these species to represent some particular genital structures: conductor ventral apophysis, conductor median apophysis, conductor distal apophysis and conductor dorsal apophysis for male palp and spermathecal head, spermathecal stalk, spermathecal base and spermathecal apophysis for female epigynum.

Agelena limbata Thorell, 1897 (Figs. 25���30) Agelena limbata Thorell 1897: 255 (female syntype, from Mont(e) Carin Cheba, Burma, ZMUC 00008622, examined; female and juvenile syntype, from Carin Cheba, Burma, in NHRS, examined; Unknown number of female and male syntypes, in Museo civico di Storia Naturale, Genova, Italy, not examined); non B��senberg & Strand (1906). Agelena sublimbata Wang 1991: 410, figs. 21 ��� 23 (female holotype, male allotype, six female and one male paratypes from Mt. Xishan, Kunming, Yunnan, China, deposited in Hunan Biological Institute, Changsha, China, not examined); Song et al. 1999: 355, figs. 206C, N, 207F. (New synonymy) Additional material examined: Myanmar: China: Yunnan: Dali (25��42���N, 100��10���E), Mt. Cangshan, 3 males, 3 females, 30 May 2001, E.B. Yang leg. (MHBU); Jinhong (22��54���N, 100��48���E), Tropical Botanical Garden, 2 females, 25 June 2001, C. Zhang leg. (MHBU); Jinhong, 2 females, 23 July 2000, M.S. Zhu et al. leg. (MHBU); Menghai, Daluo (21��40���N, 100��03���E), 2 females, 31 July 2000, leg. M.S. Zhu et al. (MHBU); Mengla (21��29���N, 101��33���E), Mohan, 1 female, 25 July 2001, M.S. Zhu et al. leg. (MHBU); Yangbi (25��27���N, 99��54���E), 1 female, 6 July 1999, Z.Z. Yang leg. (MHBU); Yangbi, Pingpo (25��35���N, 100��04���E), 1 female, 10 August 2001, Z.Z. Yang leg. (MHBU); Zhengkang (23��55���N, 99��02���E), Junsai, 1 female, 10 August 2001, G.X. Luo leg. (MHBU); Yongsheng (26��42���N, 100��44���E), 1 female, 7 August 1999, Z.C. Pi leg. (MHBU); Kunming, Xishan (25��03���N, 102��36���E), 1 female, 5 March 2003 (matured till May. 7), Z.Z. Yang leg. (MHBU); Yunxian (24��26���N, 100��07���E), 2 males, 2 females, 21 July 2003, Z.Z. Yang (MHBU); Weixi (27��09���N, 99��17���E), 1 female, 11 August 2002, B.Y. Mao and J.S. Xu leg. (MHBU); Hekou (22��31���N, 103��59���E), 1 female, 23 August 1988, Y.C. Jiao and H.Z. Wang leg. (CYNU); Yuxi (24��22���N, 102��32���E), 2 females, 8 July 1983, H.Z. Wang leg. (CYNU); Ruili (24��00���N, 97��50���E), 1 female, 18 May 2004, Z.Z. Yang leg. (MHBU); Yingjiang (24��41���N, 97��56���E), Gangmen, 1 male, 16 May 2004 (matured till the end of May), Z.S. Zhang and Z.Z. Yang leg. (MHBU); Gongshan (27��43���N, 98��39���E), 1 male, 1 female, 2 May 2004 (matured till 12 May), Z.S. Zhang and Z.Z. Yang leg. (MHBU); Gongshan (27��43���N, 98��39���E), 1 female, 3 May 2004, Z.S. Zhang and Z.Z. Yang leg. (MHBU). Diagnosis: The species is similar to A. injuria (Figs. 19���24), but can be recognized by the arched patellar apophysis, the narrow conductor ventral apophysis, the small conductor median one, the weakly sclerotized conductor distal one, the big median apophysis of male palp; the large epigynal atrium and copulatory openings and the big spermathecal apophysis of females. Redescription: Male palp (Figs. 28���30), with a wide, arched patellar apophysis and two tibial ones. Tip of embolus acute. Apex of conductor with ventral, median and distal apophyses, all small. Median apophysis big and membranous, with acute tip. Epigyne (Figs. 26���27), with a big and oval atrium. Copulatory openings visible. Copulatory ducts saccate, anterior portions broad, gradually decreasing posteriorly in width. Spermathecal heads near the middle. Spermathecal stalks wide. Spermathecal apophyses present. Fertilization ducts situated behind spermathecal base. For further details see Thorell (1897) and Wang (1991). Distribution: China (Yunnan); Myanmar. Remarks: This species was described by Thorell (1897) without drawings. The figures of it given first by B��senberg & Strand (1906) were based on a misidentification, which was followed by other arachnologists since then. After the syntypes of A. limbata were examined, we are sure that A. limbata should also be revised. Topotypes of A. sublimbata were collected and examined; it was actually the same species as A. limbata. Thus, the distribution of this species should be reassigned and the name of A. silvatica Oliger, 1983, which was designated as a junior synonym of this species by Marusik & Koponen (2000), should be revalidated (see below)., Published as part of Zhang, Zhi-Sheng, Zhu, Ming-Sheng & Song, Da-Xiang, 2005, On Agelena labyrinthica (Clerck, 1757) and some allied species, with descriptions of two new species of the genus Agelena from China (Araneae: Agelenidae), pp. 45-63 in Zootaxa 1021 (1) on pages 56-57, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.1021.1.5, http://zenodo.org/record/5051778, {"references":["Thorell, T. (1897) Viaggio di Leonardo Fea in Birmania e regioni vicine. LXXIII. Secondo saggio sui Ragni birmani. I. Parallelodontes. Tubitelariae. Annali del Museo civico di storia naturale di Genova, (2) 37, 161 - 267.","Bosenberg, W. & Strand, E. (1906) Japanische Spinnen. Abhandlungen herausgegeben von der senckenbergischen naturforschenden Gesellschaft, 30, 93 - 422.","Wang, J. F. & Wang, X. P. (1991) Two new species of the agelenid spiders in China (Araneae: Agelenidae). Tangdu Journal, 6 (1), 40 - 43.","Song, D. X., Zhu, M. S. & Chen, J. (1999) The Spiders of China. Hebei Science and Technology Publishing House, Shijiazhuang, 640 pp.","Oliger, T. I. (1983) New species of spider families (Pholcidae, Clubionidae, Agelenidae) from the Lazovsky State Reserve. Zoologicheskij Zhurnal, 62, 627 - 629.","Marusik, Y. M. & Koponen, S. (2000) New data on spiders (Aranei) from the Maritime Province, Russian Far East. Arthropoda Selecta, 9, 55 - 68."]}

Agelena orientalis C. L. Koch, 1837 Agelena orientalis C. L. Koch 1837: 14 (male holotype from Greece: Nauplia, not examined); Brignoli 1976: 563, fig. 43; 1978: 502; Levy 1996: 86, figs. 48. Agelena syriaca C. L. Koch 1843: 110, fig. 827. Agelena taurica Thorell 1875a: 75. Agelena gracilens taurica Thorell 1875b: 81. Diagnosis: The species is similar to A. labyrinthica (Figs. 1���6), but can be distinguished from the latter by having the tip of embolus spiraled straightly, the acute tip of conductor median apophysis of male palp and the visible copulatory openings of the epigynum. Redescription: Male palp with a slightly narrow patellar apophysis and two tibial apophyses. Tip of embolus acute. Apex of conductor with three conspicuous apophyses, and the dorsal apophysis extending retrolaterally. Median apophysis membranous. Epigynum with a large atrium and distinct copulatory openings. Copulatory ducts saccate. Spermathecal heads arising from the inner part of the ball��like bases of spermathecae. Spermathecal stalks indistinct. Spermathecal apophyses present. Fertilization ducts situated behind the bases of spermathecal heads. For further detail see Levy (1996: 86, figs 4���8). Distribution: Italy to Central Asia, Iran Remarks: The genital structures of this species are here redescribed using new terms proposed in this paper, based on the precise figures of Levy (1996)., Published as part of Zhang, Zhi-Sheng, Zhu, Ming-Sheng & Song, Da-Xiang, 2005, On Agelena labyrinthica (Clerck, 1757) and some allied species, with descriptions of two new species of the genus Agelena from China (Araneae: Agelenidae), pp. 45-63 in Zootaxa 1021 (1) on page 58, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.1021.1.5, http://zenodo.org/record/5051778, {"references":["Koch, C. L. (1837) Ubersicht des Arachnidensystems. Nurnberg, Heft 1, 1 - 39.","Brignoli, P. M. (1976) Ragni di Grecia IX. Specie nuove o interessanti delle famiglie Leptonetidae, Dysderidae, Pholcidae ed Agelenidae (Araneae). Revue Suisse de Zoologie, 83, 539 - 578.","Levy, G. (1996) The agelenid funnel-weaver family and the spider genus Cedicus in Israel (Araneae, Agelenidae and Cybaeidae). Zoologica Scripta, 25, 85 - 122.","Koch, C. L. (1843) Die Arachniden. Nurnberg, Zehnter Band, 37 - 142.","Thorell, T. (1875 a) Verzeichniss sudrussischer Spinnen. Horae Societatis entomologicae Rossicae, 11, 39 - 122.","Thorell, T. (1875 b) Descriptions of several European and North African spiders. Konglige Svenska Vetenskaps-Akademiens Handlingar, 13 (5), 1 - 203."]}

Agelena limbata Thorell, 1879 Agelena silvatica Oligcr, 1983: 628, figs. 7 -1 1, syn.n. Material examined: 3♂ ♀, [10] S part Ussuri Reserve, 43��39'N 132��33'E, 29- 31.07.1998, YM; 1 ♀, [09] env. of Anisimovka Vill, 43��10'N 132��46' E, 24- 28.07.1998, YM; 2♀♀ [17] Lazovski Reserve, Korpad' Camp, 43��16'N 134��08' E, 6��� 9.08.1998, YM. COMMENTS. It is a rather common species in the Rus�� sian Far East. Study o f the topotype material o f A. silvatica proved identity of this species and A. limbata., Published as part of Marusik, Yuri M. & Koponen, Seppo, 2000, New data on spiders (Aranei) from the Maritime Province, Russian Far East, pp. 55-68 in Arthropoda Selecta 9 (1) on page 56, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.822713, {"references":["Oliger T. I. 1983. New species of spider families (Pholcidae, Clubionidae, Agelcnidae) from the Lazovskiy State Reserve / / Zool. Zhurn. Vol. 62. No. 4. P. 627 - 629 [in Russian, with English summary],"]}

Moving about the web the spider Agelena labyrinthica continuously adjusts the prospective return angle. The amount of path integration was indicated by two compromise angles, return angle e and goal angle ϕ (Fig. 2). The spider was primed to one of two perpendicular light azimuths, L1 or L2. Subsequently, the discrete effects of a 90° change in light azimuth on the return direction were recorded (Fig. 3). When primed to L1, and the spider was exposed to L2: (1) while homebound, the deviation from straight home was clockwise and largest, (2) both while outbound and returning, the deviation was smallest (Fig. 4), (3) while outbound, either during the first or second half of the outbound run, the deviations were between those obtained in (1) and (2). When the spider was primed to L1, but given L2 while outbound and L1 again while homebound, Agelena deviated counterclockwise, the most with L2 on during the entire outbound run, and less when L2 was available only during a portion of the outbound run. The degree of adjustment of the home path direction is not correlated with the actual path length but with the shortest distance (‘bee line’) between the two points during which the spider was exposed to one of the two light azimuths.

In the Nylsvley Nature Reserve, in the South African savanna, the spider community in 320 abandoned mammal burrows was investigated. Three species, Agelena ocellata (Agelenidae), Euprosthenops proximus (Pisauridae) and Smeringopus pallidus (Pholcidae), coexisted in the burrows. The number of individuals and the number of species inhabiting the burrows increased with burrow size. Gerbil burrows were apparently too small to provide space for more than one individual of any of the three species. Only the burrows of springhares, warthogs, and antbears contained more than one spider. When artificial burrows were provided a rapid increase in settlement resulted. Competition for space therefore seems to be the determining factor influencing the population size. A relatively low number of prey items (136, in 119 webs) were found in agelenid webs only. Kleptoparasitic ants were observed stealing prey items from the webs.

The spider Agelena labyrinthica (Clerck) orients its movements by means of polarized light even if the reflection pattern of the web is not visible. If the spider is not permitted to see the overhead source of polarized light while the reflection pattern from the substratum is still visible, its orientation is not influenced by rotation of the polaroid. For this reason Agelena's orientation by means of polarized light must be based on a direct perception of the light's plane of vibration.

With regard to the segmentation I have described, it will be seen that it differs considerably from that seen by Metschnikoff (9), who describes it as total; the ovum being divided into two, four, &c, segments. I saw nothing of such a division, nor does Newport, who observed the eggs of the same species as I did, record any such appearances. Newport's observations were made on the eggs of a species found in Madeira; that is in a hot climate; and as regards segmentation were not carried on by means of sections. As the amount and distribution of the food-yolk has a great influence on the segmentation, I think it probable that in my species the segmentation differs slightly from that in the species investigated by Metschnikoff. The difference, however, consisting in the external segmentation of the ovum is not, I think, a very important one. The segmentation of Julus terrestris, as I have described it, shows a remarkable resemblance to that found in Amphipods by Ulianin (14). He describes an external segmentation by means of shallow furrows formed in the surface of the ovum, which is composed in great part of food-yolk; in each space thus marked out, a large amoeba-like mass of protoplasm provided with a nucleus is present; the division of these protoplasmic masses coincides with the formation of the furrows. When the blastoderm is just about to be formed the furrows disappear. At the close of segmentation, then the ovum is exactly like the ovum of Julus terrestris inasmuch as the segments are represented by protoplasmic masses each of which is provided with a nucleus. The formation of the blastoderm, as I have described it, agrees in the main with that given by Metschnikoff for Strongylosoma. According to this author, on the fifth day isolated masses of cells make their appearance on the surface of the ovum and spread themselves round it to form the blastoderm. He was unable to trace the origin, of these masses of cells. What he saw was precisely what I have described in the earlier part of this paper. The formation of the blastoderm in Julus is, then, such as is generally found in tracheate development. The cells which at the conclusion of the blastoderm formation in Julus remain within the yolk, represent the endoderm, and have apparently been overlooked by Metschnikoff. The mode of formation of the mesoderm almost exactly resembles that described by Balfour (16) for Spiders. According, however, to this author the greater part of the cells of the keel or ridge are derived from the ectoderm, whereas in Julus the ectoderm furnishes the greater part of them. Balfour states that the keel in Spiders is probably the homologue of the mesoblastic groove of the insect blastoderm. Patten (12) describes a median longitudinal furrow in the ventral plate of Phriganids which gives rise to the mesoblast and to part of the endoderm. In Peripatus (17) the mesoblast originates from the primitive streak, i. e. from the indifferent tissue behind the blastopore, which can be called neither ectoderm nor endoderm. I think that all these structures are homologous. With regard to the cells which, as I have already mentioned, are employed, neither in the formation of the keel nor at a later period in the formation of the mesenteron, but remain in the body cavity as mesoderm cells directly descended from endoderm--Balfour states that in Agelena, after the establishment of the hypoblast the cells remaining in the yolk are not entirely hypoblastic, since they continue for the greater part of the development to give rise to fresh cells, which join tlie mesoblast. This is exactly what happens in Julus. Metschnikoff has described the formation of the bands of mesoblast and their division into somites, but his figures are difficult to understand, as he has not drawn either the cell outlines or the nuclei. The formation of the ventral flexure has been described by Metschnikoff, and, as I have already mentioned, was first seen by Newport. The flexure is, as I have before said, formed between the sixth and seventh post-cephalic segments; that iss it marks off from the rest of the body the long eighth segment in which the tissues are very imperfectly differentiated, and from which the anal segment has yet to be cut off. It is from this imperfectly differentiated segment that the future additional body segments are formed in the later stages of development. The mesenteron of the adult animal is, as was pointed out to me by the late Professor Balfour, marked with a series of constrictions corresponding with the external segmentation of the body, but no trace of such constrictions has as yet appeared. The wide separation of the nerve-cords in the embryo has, so far as I know, not been pointed out by any author. I propose to reserve for a future paper a more full description of the development of the nervous system, the circulatory system, and the segmentation of the embryo, as well as the account of the appendages and other points connected with the further development of the embryo. The above investigations were entirely carried on in the Cambridge Morphological Laboratory.

There have been but few studies of spider life histories; most of the work on these animals has been taxonomic and morphological. The Peckhams (1890), Fabre (1919), Peters (1931–1937) and others have studied various phases of spider behavior, and Savory (1928) summarized the work done on spiders. The writer has found no records of studies on the effect of temperature and humidity upon spiders. The present paper attempts to show the influence of these physical factors upon the early stages of Agelena naevia Walckenaer.

1. I explained about the influence given to the first larva of Atypus karschi by Agelena opulenta in the case of formation of their winter-colony. 2. There are four cases which are called the influences given by Agelena opuknta. a. The formation of the Atypus karschi's colony do not progress easily. b. It takes too much time to complete the colony. c. It is difficult for them to make the fixed colony. d. They make the fixed colony at the place of low value. 3. Every colony never mix one another. 4. Atypus karschi in the mixed group is weak against the Agelena opulenta in the closed ecosystem such as the petridishes, so their colonies are generally small and unstable, and the growth rate is very small. We saw this in Morishita's Iδ-index curves.

One of the most perfect “lock and key” adaptations known, the external reproductive organs in spiders are subject to considerable variations. Two extreme types of female reproductive organs are described in detail, and these in turn compared with the European species of the same genus. Thus it is shown that the reproductive system in the same genus of spiders may exhibit great differences in structure while all other characters remain more or less the same, the natural conclusion being that caution should be exercised in creating new or splitting up old genera on the basis of characters of the external reproductive system. The same applies to the male. Two extreme types of palpi are described and then compared with the palpi of the European species. In the case of the male, however, the differences seem to be of a less profound nature.

Background the use of specific but partially degenerate primers for nucleic acid hybridisations and PCRs amplification of known or unknown gene families was first reported well over a decade ago and the technique has been used widely since then. Results here we report a novel and successful selection strategy for the design of hybrid partially degenerate primers for use with RT-PCR and RACE-PCR for the identification of unknown gene families. The technique (named PaBaLiS) has proven very effective as it allowed us to identify and clone a large group of mRNAs encoding neurotoxin-like polypeptide pools from the venom of Agelena orientalis species of spider. Our approach differs radically from the generally accepted CODEHOP principle first reported in 1998. Most importantly, our method has proven very efficient by performing better than an independently generated high throughput EST cloning programme. Our method yielded nearly 130 non-identical sequences from Agelena orientalis, whilst the EST cloning technique yielded only 48 non-identical sequences from 2100 clones obtained from the same Agelena material. In addition to the primer design approach reported here, which is almost universally applicable to any PCR cloning application, our results also indicate that venom of Agelena orientalis spider contains a much larger family of related toxin-like sequences than previously thought. Conclusion with upwards of 100,000 species of spider thought to exist, and a propensity for producing diverse peptide pools, many more peptides of pharmacological importance await discovery. We envisage that some of these peptides and their recombinant derivatives will provide a new range of tools for neuroscience research and could also facilitate the development of a new generation of analgesic drugs and insecticides.