Big Spider, Big Genome: Chromosome-level genome of a North American tarantula (Aphonopelma marxi) and comparative genomics across 300 million years of spider evolution

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  Image Credit: WikiCommons Big Spider, Big Genome: Chromosome-level genome of a North American tarantula (Aphonopelma marxi) and comparative genomics across 300 million years of spider evolution Abstract The comparison of chromosome-level genomes allows biologists to investigate new axes of organismal evolution. Spiders comprise a significant proportion of known arachnid diversity, with many complex morphologies and unique natural histories, yet comparative genomics in spiders has been limited due to the number of available genomes. We present a de novo chromosomal reference genome of a mature male tarantula, Aphonopelma marxi, and comparatively examine spider genome evolution across the Order Araneae. Using PacBio HiFi and Hi-C sequencing, the final 6.5 Gb assembly consists of 17 autosomes, 1 X chromosome, and 127 unplaced scaffolds, with an N50 of 370 Mb and Arachnida (odb10; 2934 genes) BUSCO of 96.7%. By comparing 20 additional spider genomes from 15 families, we find mygalomo...

Spiders (Arachnida: Araneae) from Jalisco, Mexico: Synthesis of current knowledge of its diversity

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Spiders (Arachnida: Araneae) from Jalisco, Mexico: Synthesis of current knowledge of its diversity

ABSTRACT

Current knowledge of spider diversity in Jalisco state is limited; the number of species known  for  the  state  is  only  from  three  bibliographic  compilations  related  to  spider  diversity  in  Mexico. The objective of this work was to gather information about the spider diversity in Jalisco to update the faunal checklist of its species, through an exhaustive bibliographic review. A total of 118 works were found where spider species were recorded for Jalisco. Based on these, a total of 237 species are listed, grouped into 120 genera and 36 families. The best represented families are: Theridiidae (40 species), Salticidae (36), Araneidae (35), Gnaphosidae (19) and Oxyopidae (11). With this  information,  the  number  of  spider  species  reported  for  Jalisco  increased  by  46%,  currently  occupying ninth place nationwide in terms of species diversity.

Orozco-Gil, Miguel, Gerardo Adalberto Contreras-Félix, y José Luis Navarrete Heredia. 2024. «Arañas (Arachnida: Araneae) De Jalisco, México: Síntesis Del Conocimiento Actual De Su Diversidad». ACTA ZOOLÓGICA MEXICANA (N.S.) 40 (1):1-23. https://doi.org/10.21829/azm.2024.4012685.