Homotypic assortative mating is consistent across temporal scales in the spider Mecynogea lemniscata (Araneidae)

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Homotypic assortative mating is consistent across temporal scales in the spider Mecynogea lemniscata (Araneidae) Abstract Identifying patterns of size-assortative mating (SAM) indicates the direction of genetic changes in a population. A reliable method for estimating it in a population is to measure mate assortments within and between breeding seasons¸ as well as describing size variation of males and females between temporal scales to avoid Simpson’s paradox. We assessed sexual size dimorphism, the effects of ontogeny, size differences within each sex, the consistency of SAM within and between seasons, and male mate choice in the spider  Mecynogea lemniscata . We collected mating pairs in a  Eucalyptus  plantation across two breeding seasons and in four periods of the second season. We measured body mass and carapace width of spiders. Males matured earlier than females and guarded subadult partners. Although adults were larger and heavier than subadults, ontogeny did no...

On some teratological scorpions in the Natural History Museum, London and checklist of the scorpiological literature on morphological anomalies (Arachnida: Scorpiones)

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On some teratological scorpions in the Natural History Museum, London and checklist of the scorpiological literature on morphological anomalies (Arachnida: Scorpiones)


Abstract


Whilst undertaking curation in the collections of the Natural History Museum, London, the senior author came across a jar of scorpions marked ‘scorpions with curled feet’. Further investigation showed this jar was full of scorpions with teratological anatomy. We hereby document and illustrate all of the specimens and discuss their respective anomalies. Furthermore, a comprehensive checklist of the literature on anomalies in scorpions, including giving the life stage and sex where known, is compiled for the benefit of future workers.


Sherwood, D., & de Armas, L. F. 2023 . On some teratological scorpions in the Natural History Museum, London and checklist of the scorpiological literature on morphological anomalies (Arachnida: Scorpiones). Euscorpius, No. 381: 1-20. 

https://mds.marshall.edu/euscorpius/vol2023/iss381/1/