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Female‐biased sexual size dimorphism stands as a widespread evolutionary pattern. Fecundity selection, favouring larger females with greater reproductive output, is a leading explanation. However, larger body sizes demand greater energy intake, potentially hindering the evolution of extreme female sizes. Thus, the evolution of more lucrative foraging tactics may allow for an increase in size. Hence, coupled with selection against larger males, fecundity selection should result in larger SSD in species with more lucrative foraging strategies. Crab spiders are sit‐and‐wait predators that hunt in several plant substrata. Species that forage on flowers or employ prey‐luring strategies likely have access to higher food intake than other species. We extracted body size measurements of 614 crab spider species from 43 genera and classified them based on their foraging strategy. Our findings show that foraging strategies that provide higher energy input (EFS) result in larger SSD. Statistical estimates indicate that females have a cephalothorax width 91% larger than males in EFS species, compared to 26% larger females than males in non‐EFS species. These differences possibly arise due to larger females and smaller males. The effects on male size reduction might result from scramble competition, whereas the increase in female size is likely due to fecundity selection. These results suggest that the shift towards more lucrative foraging strategies may have been a key event in body size and SSD evolution in crab spiders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Predation exerts a profound influence on the evolution of camouflage and detection abilities in both predators and prey. For instance, flower‐visiting spiders need to ensure their concealment when ambushing on flowers, which compels pollinators to check any spider cues cautiously before landing. Although numerous studies have examined the visual camouflage of spiders deceiving bees, little is known regarding whether spiders also employ olfactory camouflage. Additionally, the detection of spiders by dipteran insects is often overlooked, despite them being major non‐bee pollinators. Here, we explored the detection ability of dipteran pollinators and the crypsis skill of spiders from both olfactory and vision perspectives using the housefly Musca domestica L. (Diptera: Muscidae) as prey, the crab spider Ebrechtella tricuspidata (Fabricius) (Araneae: Thomisidae) as predators and chamomile Matricaria recutita L. (Asteraceae) as substrates. Our olfactory experiments revealed that experienced houseflies could respond to and avoid spider odour. However, this response did not appear to be innate, as naive individuals showed no aversion. Moreover, experienced houseflies did not have any avoidance behaviours to the mixed odours of spider and flower, indicating that spiders achieved olfactory crypsis utilizing floral scent. Our vision experiments and visual modelling demonstrated that houseflies could detect spiders positioned on flower. Surprisingly, instead of avoiding them, houseflies exhibited a preference for flowers occupied by female spiders, suggesting the attractive nature of female spider colouration. This paper provides evidence for the first time that crab spiders use floral scent to achieve olfactory crypsis and proposes a potential yellow‐signalling mechanism for crab spiders to attract insects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chilies are being increasingly favored worldwide, with an increasing growing area. As limited information is available about the population dynamic of arthropod communities in chilies under field conditions, the aim of our survey was to observe aphids and their natural enemies under various agrotechnological factors to improve IPM for chilies. The Yellow Scotch Bonnet (YSB) and Trinidad Scorpion Butch T (TSBT) chili varieties were investigated. Two plant spacings (30 vs. 40 and 40 vs. 60 cm in YSB and TSBT, respectively) and two watering rates (40 min/day; 20 min every second day) were applied with three replicates. Ten plants per plot/date were checked visually from July to September each year. In 2019, significantly more Chrysopidae eggs and significantly fewer Coccinellidae eggs were found under less watering. The number of Chrysopidae larvae and Coccinellidae pupae and larvae was significantly higher, whereas that of Chrysopidae eggs and Thomisidae individuals was significantly lower in the less-irrigated plots in 2021. In the same year, significantly more Coccinellidae adults were detected in the TSBT cultivar, and the number of Chrysopidae eggs and larvae and Coccinellidae pupae was significantly lower under decreased plant spacing. Predators preferred plots with an increased plant distance and plants with higher aphid pressure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The meadow spittlebug Philaenus spumarius L. (Hemiptera: Aphrophoridae) is a xylem‐sap feeder and the most abundant and widespread vector of Xylella fastidiosa (Xanthomonadales: Xanthomonadaceae) throughout Europe. Control strategies for the disease are based on containment and eradication measures regulated by the European Union. Within the context of biological control, the use of natural enemies aims at limiting the insect vector population in agroecosystems. Spiders are generalist predators with potential as biological control agents occupying all the habitats within crops. Crab spiders (Thomisidae) could be potential natural enemies against P. spumarius. The functional response (FR) of a predator represents the intake rate as a function of food availability and allows estimating feeding behaviour parameters such as the prey handling time and attack rate. However, spiders often kill more prey than they consume, unveiling their capacity as natural enemies. We assessed and compared the FR of Xysticus acerbus (Thomisidae) fed on P. spumarius in the laboratory considering (1) the total number of dead individuals and (2) only the consumed ones. We found that although both FRs were of type‐II, they significantly differed. The values of attack rate and handling time for consumed were 0.1 and 3.6, respectively, while for dead, the attack rate was 0.3 and 1.1, being both significantly different. Moreover, the number of overkilled individuals reached a plateau at the highest prey densities. Xysticus acerbus could be a potential natural enemy of P. spumarius. Nevertheless, we suggest that the effect of including the killed but not consumed prey individuals in FR studies using wasteful killing predators should be considered and further studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The multitrophic relationships between plants, pollinators, florivores and spiders that predate floral visitors influence plant reproductive success, and some plant characteristics influence the choices of these animals. The aim of this study was to integrate the global data on these multitrophic relationships and answer the following questions. How are the studies distributed by biomes? What are the groups of plants, pollinators, florivores, spiders and prey recorded? What plant features explain the presence of florivores and spiders? What is the effect of spiders on fruit set? A systematic literature review was carried out to extract the necessary information. The most frequently observed families of plants, pollinators, florivores, spiders and prey were, respectively, herbaceous Asteraceae, Apidae (bees), Chrysomelidae (beetles), Thomisidae (spiders) and Bombyliidae (flies). The choice of flowers by florivores was explained by floral longevity. The choice of flowers by spiders was explained by life-form, symmetry, shape, pollination unit (more frequent in isolated flowers than in inflorescences) and resource (nectar). Spiders had a neutral general effect on fruit set, indicating that the study scale influenced the result. An important knowledge gap concerns the influence of florivores on fruit set. Studies that follow standardized methodologies are necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monaeses israeliensis Levy, 1973 is recorded from Cape Aya, Crimean Peninsula. This is also the first record of this species in Ukraine. Comments on the geographical distribution and diagnostic illustrations of this species are given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The thomisid spider Synema globosum (Fabricius, 1775) is widely distributed in the Palaearctic realm and is particularly common in southern parts of zones with a temperate climate. Seven subspecies have been described; the widely distributed nominotypical subspecies, S. g. globosum and six with much more restricted ranges. As of now, just two subspecies are still recognised as valid while the others have been synonymized with the nominate subspecies. This study now revalidates S. g. canariense Dahl, 1907 (subsp. reval.) based on findings from molecular and comparative morphological analysis. We also argue that the synonymization of the subspecies S. g. daghestanicum Utochkin, 1960 and the species S. japonicum Karsch, 1879 with S. globosum in Ono (1988) is formally correct, but needs further investigation with modern methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The spider genus Stiphropus Gerstaecker, 1873 currently includes 21 extant species that are distributed in Africa (12) and Asia (9). Four species, S. falciformus Yang, Zhu & Song, 2006, S. myrmecophilus Huang & Lin, 2020, S. ocellatus Thorell, 1887 and S. soureni Sen, 1964, are currently known from China. New information: The mismatched female of S. falciformus is reported as a new species: S. qianlei sp. n. (♂♀). The unknown male of S. soureni Sen, 1964 is described for the first time. Photos and morphological descriptions are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two new species of crab spider are described from the Xiaolong Mountains in Gansu Province, China: Ebelingia spirala sp. nov. (♂♀) and Lysiteles longensis sp. nov. (♂♀). Detailed morphological characters, a distribution map, photographs, and illustrations of the habitus and copulatory organs are given for each species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This short paper reports a thomisid species which is new for the Turkish araneofauna. The characteristic features and photographs of Ozyptila rigida (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1872) are presented in addition to its distribution map. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the complex interplay of factors shaping polymorphic changes within individuals represents a longstanding conundrum in biology. Some crab spiders (Thomisidae) are examples of sit-and-wait predators that can change their body coloration. Many factors may influence crab spider color polymorphism with multiple explanations receiving various levels of support. Here we examined the daytime and nighttime activities and predator and prey interactions for two yellow-white polymorphic crab spiders, Thomisus labefactus and Ebrechtella tricuspidatus in the field. We thereupon conducted a manipulative experiment using dummies with color morphs visibly resembling the spiders when placed on background-matched flowers. We measured the spectra reflected from the dummies and their floral backgrounds and used insect visual models to determine if they are likely to be visible to a range of insects by night and day. We found that both color morphs of each species were more active by night than by day. Our visual models revealed that the spider's bodies were unlikely to be cryptic. Together, these results suggest that the crab spiders might exploit flower colorations during the night but not during the day. They also indicated that explanations of why crab spiders utilize certain color polymorphs are context dependent and will vary with time, and whether predators, prey, or both, are present. Significance statement: Crab spiders are an excellent model for investigating a long-standing challenge in evolutionary biology: understanding the causes and consequences of polymorphic coloration in animals. Studies have postulated a range of explanations with some support for each. Broader studies encompassing all interactions between spiders and their predators and prey across the day and night are urgently needed. Here we combined an around-the-clock spider activity survey with field experiments and insect visual models to show that the types of interactions between spider color morphs and their predators and prey differ over the day and night. Our study suggests that outcomes of experiments examining the adaptive drivers of polymorphisms may be dependent upon the context within which the observations were made, and that examining interactions across temporal contexts is required to fully uncover the various drivers of the polymorphisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

O. B. Lower described, in 1911, the hesperiine skipper Telicota augias mesoptis Lower, 1911, but he neither stated the number of specimens before him nor designated a holotype. Our investigations indicate that Lower had at least 11 syntypes (7 males, 4 females), which are now registered in the Australian Museum, Sydney and South Australian Museum, Adelaide (SAMA). At least two authors (G. A. Waterhouse in 1933, and M. J. Parsons in 1998) attempted to resolve the taxonomy of mesoptis but neither of them made a valid lectotype designation in that the syntype they specified cannot be located and unambiguously identified to act as the unique type of the taxon. Thus, we designate a male specimen in SAMA (registration number: SAMA Database No. 31-001600) as the lectotype to become the unique bearer of the name mesoptis. This action does not affect the name or rank of the taxon, rather it constitutes a formal subsequent fixation since Lower’s name was introduced 110 years ago. With regard to nomenclature, the taxonomic status of mesoptis has changed several times, both in terms of rank and with the species or genus in which it has been combined. Currently, the correct nomenclature is Telicota paceka mesoptis Lower, 1911 and we recommend that this name be used to designate the Australian population rather than Telicota mesoptis mesoptis Lower, 1911 in which it has been known for the past 87 years (since 1934).

The crab spider genus Bassaniana Strand, 1928 consists of six species mainly distributed in North America and Far East Asia. Two species of them, Bassaniana decorata (Karsch, 1879) and Bassaniana ora Seo, 1992, are known in Korea so far.A new crab spider, Bassaniana birudis sp. nov. is described, based on a male collected from Gumi-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do, South Korea. Distribution records are provided, as well as photos of habitus and illustrations of the male copulatory organ. The type specimens of this study are deposited in the collection of the Nakdonggang National Institute of Biological Resources (NNIBR) and Konkuk University (KKU), South Korea.

The present checklist of spider fauna of Karnataka is the outcome of the compilation of all published literature up to July 30, 2022. A total of 393 species of spiders described under 194 genera belonging to 39 families are enlisted that have been described and/or recorded from 24 out of 31 districts of Karnataka. Additionally, a total of 165 species belonging to 30 families recorded from different districts of Karnataka were identified only upto generic level and 41 species of spiders belonging to 14 families seem to be misidentified and all these species have been excluded from the total list of spiders of the state. The maximum number of spider species were recorded from Bengaluru Urban district (147 species) followed by Mysuru (132 species), Dakshina Kannada (105 species), Shivamogga (101 species), Chikkamagaluru (71 species), Tumakuru (62 species), Kalaburagi (53 species), Chamarajanagara and Koppal (50 species each) and less than 50 species in other districts. The largest family recorded in Karnataka is Araneidae (79 species, 28 genera), Salticidae (72 species, 41 genera), Lycosidae (33 species, 9 genera), Thomisidae (32 species, 17 genera), Theridiidae (26 species, 13 genera), Tetragnathidae (25 species, 6 genera), Gnaphosidae (13 species, 10 genera), Sparassidae (13 species, 3 genera), Oxyopidae (12 species, 2 genera), Theraphosidae (11 species, 5 genera), and less than 10 species in other 29 families. No faunal survey of spiders so far conducted in 7 districts of Karnataka. Most of the national parks and wildlife sanctuaries, forest areas, agricultural fields, human dwellings etc. of Karnataka still await intensive and extensive survey programmes to record a near complete spider fauna. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A fragmented landscape, which contains a patchwork of vegetated hospitable areas and a barren intervening matrix, may reduce gene flow in a population and over time result in an increase in population structure.We tested this prediction in crab spiders (Mecaphesa celer (Hentz, 1847)) inhabiting isolated habitat patches in the lava matrix of Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve, Idaho, USA.Using reduced‐representation genomic sequencing, we did not find evidence of population structure due to a reduction in gene flow among habitat patches.Instead, our results show strong evidence of panmixia likely due to abundant juvenile dispersal and possible connectivity to outer regions surrounding the lava flows despite the species' habitat specificity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Synema Simon, 1864 is a relatively large genus of family Thomisidae Sundevall, 1833 and currently includes 124 species distributed worldwide, except for the Polar Regions. However, Synema can be regarded as being poorly represented in China, with only seven species, three of which are endemic. New information A new spider species of the genus Synema from Guiyang City in China, is described under the name of S. guiyang J. Zhang, Q. Lu & H. Yu, sp. nov. Detailed descriptions and photographs of the new species are provided. DNA barcodes (a partial fragment of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I gene, COI) of the species were obtained to confirm matching of the sexes and for future use in molecular studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A list of 34 thomisid species belonging to 21 genera collected in Jangxi Province of China is provided. Five new species are described: Angaeus xieluae Liu, sp. nov. (♂♀), Lysiteles subspirellus Liu, sp. nov. (♀), Oxytate mucunica Liu, sp. nov. (♀), Pharta lingxiufengica Liu, sp. nov. (♀), Stephanopis xiangzhouica Liu, sp. nov. (♀). A new combination is proposed: Ebelingia forcipata (Song & Zhu, 1993) comb. nov. (ex. Ebrechtella Dahl, 1907). Previously unknown females of E. forcipata (Song & Zhu, 1993), Oxytate bicornis Liu, Liu & Xu, 2017, and Xysticus lesserti Schenkel, 1963 are described for the first time. Stephanopis O Pickard-Cambridge, 1869, a genus previously known from Australasia and South America, is recorded from the Asian mainland for the first time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report the first records of the poorly known crab spider Tmarus longicaudatusMillot, 1942 in Mauritania, Namibia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The new record in Mauritania extends the distribution of the species by almost 2750 km to the west from the closest and type locality in Niger. The new record in Namibia is 1000 km north of the closest locality in South Africa. New records in the UAE are more than 900 km east of the closest locality in central Saudi Arabia. Using all available records, we present the known distribution of the species and its climate-based predicted range, indicating a wide distribution in arid to semi-arid regions. Considering its wide expected distribution, extending throughout Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, integrative taxonomic studies are needed to clarify the species status of this masquerading spider. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Establishing species boundaries is one of the challenges taxonomists around the world have been tackling for centuries. The relation between intraspecific and interspecific variability is still under discussion and in many taxa it remains understudied. Here the hypothesis of single versus multiple species of the crab spider Synema globosum (Fabricius) is tested. The wide distribution range as well as its high morphological variability makes this species an interesting candidate for re-evaluation using an integrative approach. This study combines information from barcoding, phylogenetic reconstruction based on mitochondrial CO1 and ITS2 of more than 60 specimens collected over a wide range of European localities, and morphology. The findings show deep clades with up to 6% mean pairwise distance in the CO1 barcode without any biogeographical pattern. The nuclear ITS2 gene did not support the CO1 clades. Morphological assessment of somatic and genital characters in males and females and a morphometric analysis of the male palp uncovered high intraspecific variation that does not match the CO1 or ITS2 phylogenies or biogeography either. Screening for endosymbiotic Wolbachia bacteria was conducted and only a single infected specimen was found. Several scenarios might explain these inconsistent patterns. While the deep divergences in the barcoding marker might suggest cryptic or ongoing speciation or geographical isolation in the past, the lack of congruent variation in the nuclear ITS2 gene or the studied morphological character systems, especially the male palp, indicates that S. globosum might simply be highly polymorphic both in terms of its mtDNA and morphology. Therefore, more data on ecology and behaviour and full genome sequences are necessary to ultimately resolve this taxonomically intriguing case. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, two species are newly recognized from Turkey. One is new to science, described as Ozyptila kahramanmarasensis sp. n. on the basis of a male specimen from Kahramanmaraş Province. The other, Oxyptila patellibidensLevy, 1999 is found for the first time in Şanlıurfa Province. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indian sandalwood Santalum album L. plantations in Karnataka were surveyed to study the diversity and abundance of spider fauna. A total of 1,244 individuals belonging to 56 spider species in 40 genera under 14 families were recorded in the sandalwood plantations. Among the spider families recorded, Araneidae was the most dominant with 15 species in nine genera followed by Salticidae with 13 species in 10 genera, Thomisidae with seven species in four genera, Oxyopidae with four species in three genera, Uloboridae with four species in a genus, and Theridiidae by three species each under three genera. Lycosidae and Sparassidae are represented by two species under two genera each. The families Cheiracanthiidae, Clubionidae, Hersiliidae, Philodromidae, and Pholcidae are represented by a species each. The pruning of sandalwood revealed a significant negative effect on the occurrence and distribution of spiders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A list of spiders is provided (Arachnida: Araneae), collected in April 2019 in the south-west of Turkey (Antalya Province, Kemer district). In total 95 species from 28 families have been recorded. Sintula karineae spec. nov. is described based on female specimens. Brigittea innocens (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1872), a relatively unknown and poorly documented species, is redescribed. Besides the newly described member of Sintula, further eight species are new for the fauna of Turkey: Canariphantes nanus (Kulczyński, 1898), Cyclosa algerica Simon, 1885, Hogna effera (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1872), Lepthyphantes magnesiae Brignoli, 1979, Oecobius navus Blackwall, 1859, Phrurolithus azarkinae Zamani & Marusik, 2020, Pseudeuophrys rhodiensis Schäfer, 2018 and Theridion helena Wunderlich, 2011. One female of Ozyptila Simon, 1864 (Araneae: Thomisidae) is described and illustrated and possibly represents the unknown female of O. spirembola Wunderlich, 1995, but no accompanying male was collected. Moreover, the findings of several other species already known from Turkey represent important records for the local fauna: Berinda cooki Logunov, 2012, Harpactea sturanyi (Nosek, 1905), Heriaeus setiger (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1872), Improphantes turok Tanasevitch, 2011, Mermessus denticulatus (Banks, 1898), Nomisia orientalis Dalmas, 1921, Philodromus femurostriatus Muster, 2009, Tegenaria faniapollinis Brignoli, 1978, Tegenaria vankeerorum Bolzern, Burckhardt & Hänggi, 2013 and Zaitunia kunti Zonstein & Marusik, 2016. Photos and drawings of most of these species are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant invasions can have major impacts on ecosystems and influence global species diversity. In Central Europe, Himalayan balsam (Impatiens glandulifera) and American goldenrods (Solidago canadensis and S. gigantea) are important invaders often establishing dense and homogeneous stands, especially in urban and other disturbed habitats. We investigated their impacts on plant-dwelling spiders (abundance, family structure, guild structure) and potential spider prey items during flowering season within an urbanized landscape using a paired design comparing invaded and native reference vegetation plots. In general, flowering American goldenrods and Himalayan balsam had no significant impacts on the spider family composition. Invasion of American goldenrods further had no effect on total spider abundance and potential prey item abundance. In contrast, goldenrods showed a significantly increased crab spider (Thomisidae) abundance while being less inhabited by web builders. Himalayan balsam negatively influenced free hunters and running crab spider (Philodromidae) abundance, while we found no effects on other groups and total spider abundance. For Himalayan balsam, potential prey item abundance was higher than in native vegetation stands. Notwithstanding that our results only represent a snapshot of the system, they suggest that large-scale removal of urban goldenrod stands during flowering season might negatively influence local spider abundance, especially of crab spiders. Management efforts should therefore be accompanied by compensation measures to avoid disruptive effects on local plant-dwelling spider communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A female of Borboropactus bituberculatus Simon, 1884 has been reported from Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India for the first time. Diagnostic characters are provided for the species, as well as new photographs or illustrations of the genital organs of the species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fens and wet meadows are important mountain wetland types, but influences onassemblage structure of associated invertebrates are poorly understood compared with other aspects of the ecology of these habitats. We sought to determine the relative contributions of terrestrial and aquatic invertebrates to diversity and abundance in these wetlands, the extent to which terrestrial and aquatic invertebrate assemblages differ with wetland type, and to what degree the aquatic assemblages vary as a function of slow sheet flow. We compared assemblages in fens and wet meadows, with and without flow, at 80 backcountry sites dispersed across the 6200 km2 landscape of Yosemite, Sequoia,and Kings Canyon National Parks in the Sierra Nevada mountains of California,U.S.A., using standard aquatic and terrestrial sweep netting. Cicadellid leafhoppers, aphids, and thomisid crab spiders were the most abundant terrestrial taxa. Cicadellids,Lepidoptera, anthomyiid, muscid, chloropid, and ephydrid flies, and thomisids were more abundant in fens than in wet meadows. Only mirid leaf bugs were significantly more abundant in wet meadows than fens. Sphaeriid clams and chironomid midges dominated aquatic assemblages both with and without flow. Chloroperlid stoneflies, mites, clams, and flatworms were all more abundant in flow, and Hemiptera and mosquitos were significantly more abundant in quiescent water. Mosquitos were more abundant in wet meadows, but there were few other population differences as a functionof wetland type. Terrestrial diversity was 1.1 to 2.0 times that of aquatic diversity,depending on metric and habitat. Fens had greater terrestrial abundance, richness,evenness, and diversity than wet meadows; there were fewer differences as a function of wetland type for aquatic fauna. Presence or absence of slow sheet flow had more effect on these aquatic assemblages than did wetland type. Cluster analyses, ordination, and multi-response permutation procedures were generally consistent with the univariate results. Vegetation-based wetland classifications should be extrapolated to faunal assemblages with caution, particularly for aquatic invertebrates.

The gut microbiomes of insects were known to have great impact on their physiological properties for survival like nutrition, behavior, and health. In nature, spiders are one of the main predators of insects, and yet their gut microbiomes remain unclear. It is important to explore the gut microbiomes of spiders in the wild to gain an insight on the host–bacterial relationship. Here, we studied the diversity and structure of gut bacterial communities of seven spider species belonging to two families, i.e., Thomisidae and Oxyopidae, from different states of India. Our data revealed a total of 16 bacterial phyla with Proteobacteria as the predominant group in Thomisidae and Firmicutes in Oxyopidae. The core bacterial communities in the spider guts include the genera of Acinetobacter, Staphylococcus, Corynebacterium, Cutibacterium, and Pseudomonas. The genus Paraclostridium was observed for the first time and only in one spider species, i.e., Peucetia viridans. Our data also indicated a higher gut bacterial community similarity between spider species belonging to Thomisidae as compared to those belonging to Oxyopidae bacteria. Furthermore, PICRUSt2 analysis predicted the presence of nine active functional metabolic pathways related to the metabolism of fatty acids and sugar, degradation of organic compounds, and biosynthesis of vitamin E.

The poorly known crab spider Ozyptila aculipalpaWunderlich, 1995 (Araneae, Thomisidae) was originally described on the basis of a male specimen from Iran. The species is redescribed here using new specimens collected from Turkey. The previously unknown female of this species is described for the first time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study of spiders was conducted in 2016 to 2018 around five sites of Dharoi Reservoir, North Gujarat. The study was planned to determine the spider diversity at various habitats like Natural forest, Grassland, Hilly area, and agriculture area. A total of 981 samples were collected using various methods like line transects, visual searching, vegetation beating, sweep netting, beating sheets, aerial hand collection, ground hand collection, and hand-picking, etc. Out of a total of 142 species of spiders belonging to 86 genera and 25 families were recorded. Most numerical dominant families were Araneidae and Salticidae followed by Thomisidae, Tetragnathidae, Sparassidae, and other families that contribute less than 5% in total recorded spiders. This region has detected more than 43% of Indian spiders families. The result of this study pointed out the high conservation importance of natural forest for the existence of spiders' fauna. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our understanding of the extraordinary mechanical and physico-chemical properties of spider silk is largely confined to the fibers produced by orb-weaving spiders, despite the diversity of foraging webs that occur across numerous spider families. Crab spiders (Thomisidae) are described as ambush predators that do not build webs, but nevertheless use silk for draglines, egg cases and assembling leaf-nests. A little-known exception is the Australian thomisid Saccodomus formivorus, which constructs a basket-like silk web of extraordinary dimensional stability and structural integrity that facilitates the capture of its ant prey. We examined the physical and chemical properties of this unusual web and revealed that the web threads comprise microfibers that are embedded within a biopolymeric matrix containing additionally longitudinally-oriented submicron fibers. We showed that the micro- and submicron fibers differ in their chemical composition and that the web threads show a remarkable lateral resilience compared with that of the major ampullate silk of a well-investigated orb weaver. Our novel analyses of these unusual web and silk characteristics highlight how investigations of non-model species can broaden our understanding of silks and the evolution of foraging webs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, Bassaniodes pseudorectilineus (Wunderlich, 1995) (Thomisidae) populations were investigated genetically using the mitochondrial COI gene region. The haplotypes of the populations were determined, network analyses and neutrality tests were performed, and a BEAST (Bayesian evolutionary analysis sampling tree) was created. The populations were not completely separated from each other and that ongoing gene flow was maintained between the populations. The Bassaniodes pseudorectilineus population expanded from south to north and it is thought that the ancestral population is in the south. In addition, the study enabled recording of the taxon in genetic databases for the first time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Data on the spider fauna from the forest ecosystems of the Děvín National Nature Reserve (South Moravia, Czech Republic) are presented. The research was carried out on 15 randomly chosen research plots in oak-hornbeam forest stands within different management regimes. Spider sampling was done by pitfall trapping from May to October 2016. Overall, 3683 adult spiders belonging to 22 families, 70 genera and 116 species were collected. The families Linyphiidae, Lycosidae, Gnaphosidae and Thomisidae exhibited high species richness. The most abundant species were Pardosa lugubris (Walckenaer, 1802) and Trochosa terricola Thorell, 1856. Faunistically remarkable species were Atypus piceus (Sulzer, 1776), Drassyllus villicus (Thorell, 1875), Gnaphosa montana (L. Koch, 1866), Panamomops affinis Miller & Kratochvíl, 1939 and Walckenaeria monoceros (Wider, 1834). The record of Gnaphosa montana is one of the first accounts of this psychrophilic spider from European lowlands. Of the identified species, 23 are listed in the Red List of Threatened Species in the Czech Republic (EN - 1 species, VU - 12 species, LC - 10 species). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The crab spider Xysticus brevidentatus Wunderlich, 1995 is one of the most rarely recorded thomisids in Europe. A new record of this species from Bosnia and Herzegovina, the northernmost of its currently known distribution, is presented together with first photographic illustrations of both adult sexes and the diagnostic genital characteristics. The paper also gives information on the habitat for the first time and discusses the known records of the species on the Balkan Peninsula and in southern Italy. The latter record needs further verification due to the recently revealed presence of the highly similar Xysticus macedonicus Šilhavý, 1944 in the same region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deforestation and land-cover changes have transformed the Argentinian Dry Chaco into a mosaic dominated by crops and ranch fields. Although land-use activities are seen as one of the major driving forces of biodiversity loss, the specific impacts in this ecoregion are poorly understood. In this study, we analyse the effects of land uses and management on ground-dwelling spiders in agroecosystems of the Dry Chaco, in the North of Argentina. We identified four land-use classes: secondary forests, pastures, orchards, and crops. Additionally, 15 environmental variables were recorded within these land-use classes. Management, tree cover and species richness of trees, shrubs and herbs were the most important variables determining spider community composition. Three families, lycosids (Lycosidae), thomisids (Thomisidae), and zodariids (Zodariidae), were associated as taxonomic indicators as well as functional indicators of the different groups of land uses; thus suggesting that functional traits of ground-dwelling spiders reflect habitat changes within the agricultural landscape they inhabit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1. Crab spiders (Thomisidae) are common flower‐visiting spiders that ambush prey on inflorescences. As such, they require specific flowers or substrates for hunting, which are most often selected using sensory cues (e.g. vision). However, few studies have examined the visual preference of crab spiders for particular flowers. In this study, the visual preferences of the crab spider Ebrechtella tricuspidata for different inflorescence characteristics (e.g. colour and shape) were investigated. 2. The results showed that adult spiders explored all colours and shapes, whereas juvenile spiders displayed an overall preference for long (red) and short (purple) wavelength colours. Thus, differences in colour were not particularly important for E. tricuspidata with regard to visual attractiveness and selection. 3. However, inflorescence shape (e.g. tulip) was found to be a more desirable trait for selection, which was probably due to the provision of shelter. 4. These results also suggest that male preference for female spiders depended somewhat on the background colour (wavelength) of the flower on which the female was located. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two exotic spider species are reported for the first time in Argentina: Ozyptila praticola (C.L. Koch) (Thomisidae) and Microctenonyx subitaneus (O. Pickard-Cambridge) (Linyphiidae), being the former the first record from the southern hemisphere. The specimens were found in the leaf litter and under tree barks of modified environments in three localities in the southeast coast of Buenos Aires province. We propose the monitoring and study of the ecology of these new spider populations in order to elucidate potential risk for the local fauna. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stephanopoides is a genus of crab spiders (Thomisidae), currently composed of four species distributed only in the Neotropics, from Panama to Argentina. In this study, we redescribe Stephanopoides cognata, including a description of the male, previously unknown, and an updated description of the female epigynum. The examination of 12 arachnological collections allowed us to update the geographic records of the genus, including the first report of occurrence of Stephanopoides in Venezuela and Colombia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several new spider specimens, belonging to the superfamily Palpimanoidea, are described from the Middle–Upper Jurassic Haifanggou Formation (early assemblage of the Yanliao Biota) of Inner Mongolia, China. Two new genera and species, and a new species in the genus Sinaranea Selden, Huang & Ren, 2008, are described. Caestaranea jurassica gen. et sp. nov. is described on the basis of several adult males, typified by boxing-glove shaped pedipalps, as well as females and juveniles. Onychopalpus thomisoides gen. et sp. nov. is the largest palpimanoid known, and its habitus resembles that of a crab spider (Thomisidae) in having large, laterigrade anterior legs with rows of macrosetae on the femora and a squat, rotund opisthosoma. However, the distinctive adult male pedipalp bears a pectinate claw, so the holotype specimen is a subadult male; the other specimens referred to this species are smaller juveniles. Three new specimens of Sinaranea metaxyostraca Selden, Huang & Ren, 2008, including two adult males, are described here, and the new species S. brevicrus sp. nov., which has shorter legs than the type species, is described from an adult male and an adult female. These new palpimanoids substantially increase the diversity of the superfamily in the Middle Jurassic, and the unusual Onychopalpus provides evidence for a different mode of life for these spiders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The male of Bassaniodes bufo (Dufour, 1820), collected from Kelkit Valley, is recorded for the first time for Turkish spider fauna. Its habitus and palp are illustrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of reindeer Rangifer tarandus L. grazing on the ground-dwelling spider assemblage in Northern Finland was studied. Changes in species richness, abundance and evenness of spider assemblages were analyzed in relation to changes in vegetation and environmental factors in long term grazed and ungrazed sites as well as sites that had recently switched from grazed to ungrazed and vice versa. Grazing was found to have a significant impact on height and biomass of lichens and other ground vegetation. However, it seemed not to have an impact on the total abundance of spiders. This is likely caused by opposing family and species level responses of spiders to the grazing regime. Lycosid numbers were highest in grazed and linyphiid numbers in ungrazed areas. Lycosidae species richness was highest in ungrazed areas whereas Linyphiidae richness showed no response to grazing. Four Linyphiidae, one Thomisidae and one Lycosidae species showed strong preference for specific treatments. Sites that had recovered from grazing for nine years and the sites that were grazed for the last nine years but were previously ungrazed resembled the long term grazed sites. The results emphasize the importance of reindeer as a modifier of boreal forest ecosystems but the impact of reindeer grazing on spiders seems to be family and species specific. The sites with reversed grazing treatment demonstrate that recovery from strong grazing pressure at these high latitudes is a slow process whereas reindeer can rapidly change the conditions in previously ungrazed sites similar to long term heavily grazed conditions.