The largest fossil of the segmented spider Parvithele muelleri Wunderlich, 2017 (Mesothelae: Parvithelidae) from Cretaceous Burmese amber

Posted by
  The largest fossil of the segmented spider Parvithele muelleri Wunderlich, 2017 (Mesothelae: Parvithelidae) from Cretaceous Burmese amber Abstract A new specimen of the fossil spider Parvithele muelleri Wunderlich, 2017 (Araneae: Mesothelae) is described from the mid-Cretaceous (ca. 99 Ma) Burmese amber of Myanmar. Like the original holotype, the new specimen is a mature male, which clearly preserves a series of tibial macrospines, similar to the condition in the extant genus Liphistius Schiødte, 1849. Given that the single extant mesothele family, Liphistiidae, is predicted to have radiated ca. 39–58 million years ago, the occurrence of somewhat modern-looking male pedipalp spination in older fossil mesotheles is of considerable interest. The new specimen also shows spinnerets in a relatively posterior position, although variability observed in extant species suggests that this trait may be of limited systematic value. Of particular note is the presence of a large and well-dev...

Tree-dwelling wolves: a new arboreal Hogna species (Araneae: Lycosidae) from Taiwan

Posted by


 Tree-dwelling wolves: a new arboreal Hogna species (Araneae: Lycosidae) from Taiwan

Abstract 


Hogna Simon, 1885 is one of the most diverse genera of wolf spiders, with species that are almost exclusively grounddwellers. A recent discovery of a tree-hole-living species in Taiwan was therefore surprising. Here, we describe Hogna arborea sp. nov. using a combination of morphological and molecular taxonomic evidence. We also discuss the arboreal lifestyle of this new species and emphasize the need for more detailed ecological research to assess its conservation status.


Lo, Y. Y., Wei, C. & Cheng, R. C. (2023). Tree-dwelling wolves: a new arboreal Hogna species (Araneae: Lycosidae) from Taiwan. Zootaxa 5353(1): 47-59. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.5353.1.2