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

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  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...

When the predator becomes the prey: new records of intraguild predation among Central American and Caribbean arachnids (Arachnida: Amblypygi, Araneae, Scorpiones)

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When the predator becomes the prey: new records of intraguild predation among Central American and Caribbean arachnids (Arachnida: Amblypygi, Araneae, Scorpiones)


ABSTRACT


Intraguild predation occurs when an organism preys on a competitor. This ecological interaction can have considerable consequences on the population dynamics of predators and indirectly affect their prey. In arachnids, it is a quite common phenomenon, but it has been poorly documented in the Neotropical region. Here, we present records of 16 species feeding on other 14 species of arachnids. The most common families that acted as predators were Buthidae (Scorpiones) and Salticidae (Araneae), while the most common prey were members of the families Araneidae and Ctenidae (Araneae). In our survey, Drake Bay, in Costa Rica, is overrepresented due to years of systematic observations by two of the coauthors.

Alex M. Cubas-Rodríguez, Darko D. Cotoras, Andrés Taucare‐Ríos, Luis F. de Armas, Antonio D. Brescovit, Gianfranco Gómez & Tracie L. Stice (09 Jul 2024): When the predator becomes the prey: new records of intraguild predation among Central American and Caribbean arachnids (Arachnida: Amblypygi, Araneae, Scorpiones), Studies on Neotropical Fauna and Environment, 
DOI: 10.1080/01650521.2024.2353007