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Investigations of invertebrates in nine hothouses (tropical gardens) in Switzerland provided some spiders as by-catch. In total, we collected 136 spiders, of which 65 specimens represent 14 species from six families (the rest of the collection consisted of unidentifiable juveniles). Nine species are alien for Europe, one originates from the Mediterranean and four species are native to Central Europe. Four species represent first records for the Swiss fauna: Nesticidae: Nesticella mogera (Yaginuma, 1972), Oonopidae: Diblemma donisthorpei O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1909, Ischnothyreus peltifer (Simon, 1892) and Prida sechellensis (Benoit, 1979). These four species are discussed briefly and documented with photos.

Although originally described from St. Vincent in the Lesser Antilles, the goblin spider genus Ischnothyreus Simon appears to be an Old World taxon that is represented in the New World only by two presumably introduced, pantropical, synanthropic species: I. peltifer (Simon) and I. velox Jackson. Two specific names based on New World specimens (I. barrowsi Chamberlin and Ivie from Florida, and I. indressus Chickering from the Lesser Antilles) are placed as junior synonyms of I. velox, which is newly recorded from Mexico, Panama, Jamaica, Hispaniola, Venezuela, Brazil, Madagascar, the Philippines, the Marshall Islands, Hawaii, the Marquesas Islands, and New Caledonia. A third species, I. browni Chickering, that is supposedly from Costa Rica was apparently based on mislabeled specimens that are actually from the Philippines. The type specimens of I. browni resemble those of the Seychelle species Ischnothyrella jivani (Benoit) in that the dorsal abdominal scutum of males is extremely weak and that of...

Although Pelicinus Simon and its type species P. marmoratus Simon were initially described from Saint Vincent in the Lesser Antilles, we hypothesize that Pelicinus is primarily an Old World genus, occurring natively in both southern Asia and Australasia. The type species has attained an anomalously pantropical distribution, and has been described at least eight times, in at least seven different genera; all those synonyms were based on island populations. Myrmopopaea jacobsoni Reimoser from Sumatra, Gamasomorpha minima Berland from the Phoenix Islands, Triaeris pusillus (Bryant) from the Virgin Islands, Scaphiella ula Suman from Hawaii, and P. mahei (Benoit) from the Seychelles are newly synonymized with P. marmoratus, and the species is newly recorded from the Bahama Islands, Brazil, Kenya, and the Marshall Islands. Myrmopopaea Reimoser and Harryoonops Makhan and Ezzatpanah are placed as junior synonyms of Pelicinus. The bulk of the species-level diversity of Pelicinus occurs in Australia. Here ...

Males of the goblin spider genus Brignolia Dumitresco and Georgesco have palps that are heavily sclerotized, resembling those found in males of the genus Ischnothyreus Simon. Nevertheless, these palps have the dorsal depression (“fenestra”) previously considered synapomorphic for the genus Opopaea Simon (plus its likely synonym Epectris Simon), and the female genitalia also correspond closely to those of Opopaea species, with the addition of a posterior tube. Brignolia males lack the inflated and subbasally connected palpal patella characteristic of Opopaea (plus Epectris), and Brignolia is therefore hypothesized to represent the sister group of those taxa. The generic names Lisna Saaristo and Aridella Saaristo, each based on a single species from the Seychelle Islands, are newly synonymized with Brignolia. The type species, B. cubana Dumitresco and Georgesco, has attained a pantropical distribution, and has at least three earlier names; Xestaspis parumpunctata Simon from Sierra Leone, Gamasomorp...

The goblin spider genus Xyphinus Simon 1893 presents several peculiar characters, such as spines and spikes on carapace and abdomen in different sizes and shapes, strongly modified male palps with distinct apophyses and female epigastric modifications with sclerotized scapi, which can be short or long or even contorted. The genus is restricted to the Old World tropics, except for one species collected also in Australia; as revised here, the group currently comprises 20 species, 10 are newly described: X. holgeri sp. nov., X. deelemanae sp. nov., X. acutus sp. nov., X. sabal sp. nov., X. krabi sp. nov., X. infaustus sp. nov., X. rogerfedereri sp. nov., X. pachara sp. nov., X. baehrae sp. nov., and X. distortus sp. nov. Pseudotriaeris Brignoli 1974 is placed as junior synonym of Xyphinus.

The new genus Aposphragisma (Araneae, Oonopidae, Oonopinae) comprising the new species A. baltenspergerae, A. borgulai, A. brunomanseri, A. confluens, A. dayak, A. dentatum, A. draconigenum, A. hausammannae, A. helvetiorum, A. kolleri, A. menzi, A. monoceros, A. nocturnum, A. retifer, A. rimba, A. salewskii, A. scimitar, A. sepilok and A. stannum is described. It is characterised by very hard bodied, strongly sclerotized species with completely armoured prosoma and strongly sclerotized ventral and dorsal abdominal scuta. Aposphragisma gen. nov. is placed within the Gamasomorpha-group sensu Saaristo (2001). Descriptions and illustrations are given for all new species. A phylogenetic analysis based on 40 characters using Prethopalpus fosuma, Gamasomorpha asterobothros, G. cataphracta, G. seximpressa, Xestaspis biflocci, X. kandy and X. paulina as outgroup-taxa and Cortestina thaleri (Oonopidae, Sulsulinae) as the root is presented and discussed. Furthermore it is shown that females of Aposphragisma gen. nov. possess complex internal genitalia. The members of the new genus are ground-dwelling litter inhabitants restricted to Southeast Asian lowland and montane forests, with more than 60% of the species only known from single localities. They are presumed to be negatively affected by the massive destruction of pristine forest habitats within their range. This work has been conducted within the framework of the Planetary Biodiversity Inventory (PBI) of Oonopidae (see http://research.amnh.org/oonopidae).

We use an integrative taxonomic approach to revise the genus Anisopteromalus. In particular, we apply multivariate ratio analysis (MRA), a rather new statistical method based on principal component analysis (PCA) and linear discriminant analysis (LDA), to numerous body measurements and combine the data with those from our molecular analysis of Cytb and ITS2 genetic markers (on a subset of species) and all available published data on morphology, karyology, behaviour, host associations and geographic distribution. We demonstrate that the analysis of quantitative characters using MRA plays a major role for the integration of name-bearing types and thus for the association of taxa with names. Six species are recognized, of which two are new: A. cornis Baur sp.n. and A. quinarius Gokhman & Baur sp.n. For Anisopteromalus calandrae (Howard), a well-known, cosmopolitan parasitoid of stored-product pests, we have selected a neotype to foster continuity and stability in the application of this important name. The species was sometimes confused with the related A. quinarius sp.n., another cosmopolitan species that is frequently encountered in similar environments. We also show that several species originally described or later put under Anisopteromalus actually belong to different genera: Cyrtoptyx camerunus (Risbec) comb.n.; Meraporus glaber (Szelényi) comb.n.; Dinarmus schwenkei (Roomi, Khan & Khan) comb.n. Neocatolaccus indicus Ayyar & Mani is confirmed as a junior synonym of Oxysychus sphenopterae (Ferrière) syn.n. and Anisopteromalus calandrae brasiliensis (Domenichini) stat.rev. must be considered as a valid but doubtful taxon. This published work has been registered in ZooBank, http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:BDFE96D3-D0F4-4012-90F5-9A087F7F5864.

We use an integrative taxonomic approach to revise the genus Anisopteromalus. In particular, we apply multivariate ratio analysis (MRA), a rather new statistical method based on principal component analysis (PCA) and linear discriminant analysis (LDA), to numerous body measurements and combine the data with those from our molecular analysis of Cytb and ITS2 genetic markers (on a subset of species) and all available published data on morphology, karyology, behaviour, host associations and geographic distribution. We demonstrate that the analysis of quantitative characters using MRA plays a major role for the integration of name-bearing types and thus for the association of taxa with names. Six species are recognized, of which two are new: A. cornis Baur sp.n. and A. quinarius Gokhman & Baur sp.n. For Anisopteromalus calandrae (Howard), a well-known, cosmopolitan parasitoid of stored-product pests, we have selected a neotype to foster continuity and stability in the application of this important name. The species was sometimes confused with the related A. quinarius sp.n., another cosmopolitan species that is frequently encountered in similar environments. We also show that several species originally described or later put under Anisopteromalus actually belong to different genera: Cyrtoptyx camerunus (Risbec) comb.n.; Meraporus glaber (Szelenyi) comb.n.; Dinarmus schwenkei (Roomi, Khan & Khan) comb.n. Neocatolaccus indicus Ayyar & Mani is confirmed as a junior synonym of Oxysychus sphenopterae (Ferriere) syn.n. and Anisopteromalus calandrae brasiliensis (Domenichini) stat.rev. must be considered as a valid but doubtful taxon. This published work has been registered in ZooBank, http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:BDFE96D3-D0F4-4012-90F5-9A087F7F5864.

Three new species of the genus Ischnothyreus (I. tioman, I. tekek and I. namo) are described from Tioman Island off theeastern coast of Peninsular Malaysia. Two of the described species show peculiar cheliceral modifications that are discussed with respect to similar structures found in other families.

Based on a survey of a wide variety of oonopid genera and outgroups, we hypothesize new synapomorphies uniting the Oonopidae (minus the South African genus Calculus Purcell, which is transferred to the Orsolobidae). The groundplan of the tarsal organ in Oonopidae is hypothesized to be an exposed organ with a distinctive, longitudinal ridge originating from the proximal end of the organ, and a serially dimorphic pattern of 4-4-3-3 raised receptors on legs I–IV, respectively. Such organs typify the diverse, basal, and ancient genus Orchestina Simon. Several other genera whose members resemble Orchestina in retaining two plesiomorphic features (an H-shaped,transverse eye arrangement and a heavily sclerotized, thick-walled sperm duct within the male palp) are united by having tarsal organs that are partly (in the case of Cortestina Knoflach) or fully capsulate (in the case of Sulsula Simon, Xiombarg Brignoli, and Unicorn Platnick and Brescovit). The remaining oonopids are united by the loss of the heavily sclerotized palpal sperm duct, presumably reflecting a significant transformation in palpal mechanics. Within that large assemblage,a 4-4-3-3 tarsal organ receptor pattern and an H-shaped eye arrangement seem to be retained only in the New Zealand genus Kapitia Forster; the remaining genera are apparently united by a reduction in the tarsal organ pattern to 3-3-2-2 raised receptors on legs I–IV and by the acquisition of a clumped eye arrangement. Three subfamilies of oonopids are recognized: Orchestininae Chamberlin and Ivie (containing only Orchestina; Ferchestina Saaristo and Marusik is placed as a junior synonym of Orchestina), Sulsulinae, new subfamily (containing Sulsula, Xiombarg, Unicorn,and Cortestina), and Oonopinae Simon (containing all the remaining genera, including those previously placed in the Gamasomorphinae). The type species of Sulsula and Kapitia, S. pauper (O. P.-Cambridge) and K. obscura Forster, are redescribed, and the female of S. pauper is described for the first time. A new sulsuline genus, Dalmasula, is established for Sulsula parvimana Simon and four new species from Namibia and South Africa.

A new genus and species, Iraponia scutata, are established for the first members of the Caponiidae to be found in Iran. Males of this new genus, the second known from Asia, are unique in the family in having an extensive ventral abdominal scutum, and in having lost the posterior median pair of spinnerets. These caponiids have six eyes, a character shared only with some members of the New World genus Caponina.

The new genus Aposphragisma (Araneae, Oonopidae, Oonopinae) comprising the new species A. baltenspergerae, A. borgulai, A. brunomanseri, A. confluens, A. dayak, A. dentatum, A. draconigenum, A. hausammannae, A. helvetiorum, A. kolleri, A. menzi, A. monoceros, A. nocturnum, A. retifer, A. rimba, A. salewskii, A. scimitar, A. sepilok and A. stannum is described. It is characterised by very hard bodied, strongly sclerotized species with completely armoured prosoma and strongly sclerotized ventral and dorsal abdominal scuta. Aposphragisma gen. nov. is placed within the Gamasomorpha-group sensu Saaristo (2001). Descriptions and illustrations are given for all new species. A phylogenetic analysis based on 40 characters using Prethopalpus fosuma, Gamasomorpha asterobothros, G. cataphracta, G. seximpressa, Xestaspis biflocci, X. kandy and X. paulina as outgroup-taxa and Cortestina thaleri (Oonopidae, Sulsulinae) as the root is presented and discussed. Furthermore it is shown that females of Aposphragisma gen. nov. possess complex internal genitalia. The members of the new genus are ground-dwelling litter inhabitants restricted to Southeast Asian lowland and montane forests, with more than 60% of the species only known from single localities. They are presumed to be negatively affected by the massive destruction of pristine forest habitats within their range. This work has been conducted within the framework of the Planetary Biodiversity Inventory (PBI) of Oonopidae (see http://research.amnh.org/oonopidae).

The oonopid genera Gamasomorpha and Xestaspis are very diverse and differ only by the shape of the booklung covers.New Indian/Indonesian Gamasomorpha and Xestaspis species, characterized by sternal furrows consisting of large, drop-like pits are described. Fourteen species are newly described (G. asterobothros n. sp., G. keri n. sp., G. petoteca n. sp., G. insomnia n. sp., G. ophiria n. sp., G. squalens n. sp., G. coniacris n. sp., G. raya n. sp., G. fricki n. sp., G. schmilingi n. sp., X. kandy n. sp., X. paulina n. sp., X. semengoh n. sp., X. biflocci n. sp.); two species are redescribed (G. seximpressa and G. taprobanica). The high significance of somatic features for species identification, the degree of intraspecific variationand the complexity of the female genitalia are remarkable. The current work suggests that a phylogenetic revision of thegenera Gamasomorpha and Xestaspis and an examination of the validity of the shape of the booklung covers of these two genera are needed.

The genus Ischnothyreus is reported for the first time from Borneo with 17 new species (I. balu, I. barus, I. danum, I. deelemanae, I. elvis, I. falcifer, I. flabellifer, I. flippi, I. florifer, I. fobor, I. hooki, I. jojo, I. kalimantan, I. matang, I. mulumi, I. rex, I. serapi). All species are diagnosed, described and illustrated.

The genus Trilacuna (Araneae, Oonopidae), comprising only two species from China, is supplemented by seven new species collected in Thailand, Malaysia and Sumatra (T. merapi, T. bilingua, T. clarissa, T. werni, T. alces, T. kropfi, and T. diabolica). The new species exhibit an incised labium and a complicated set of membranes and/or filiform projections around the embolus, both diagnostic for the genus Trilacuna.