Soil Preference and Burrow Characteristics of Two Theraphosidae Species in Penang Island, Malaysia

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  Soil Preference and Burrow Characteristics of Two Theraphosidae Species in Penang Island, Malaysia Abstract Tarantulas play a crucial role in maintaining ecological balance by regulating insect populations. However, little is known about the soil preferences and burrow structures of tarantulas in Malaysia. This study aims to determine the soil preference as well as the burrow structure of  Coremiocnemis cunciularia  and  Chilobrachys andersoni  from Penang Island. The soil characteristics of the soil samples collected around the burrows of  Coremiocnemis cunciularia  (n = 30) and  Chilobrachys andersoni  (n = 30) were determined using soil texture analysis. The measurements and burrow structures from adults and juveniles of  Coremiocnemis cunciularia  and  Chilobrachys andersoni  were determined. It was revealed that the moisture content and clay percentage in the soil samples around burrows of  Chilobrachys anderso...

A new small Acanthogonatus Karsch, 1880 (Mygalomorphae, Pycnothelidae) species from Argentinean Patagonia: description of A. messii Signorotto & Ferretti n. sp. and its phylogenetic placement

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A new small Acanthogonatus Karsch, 1880 (Mygalomorphae, Pycnothelidae) species from Argentinean Patagonia: description of A. messii Signorotto & Ferretti n. sp. and its phylogenetic placement


ABSTRACT 


A new Pycnothelidae Chamberlin, 1917  species from Patagonian steppe, Chubut, Argentina is  described and illustrated. Acanthogonatus messii Signorotto & Ferretti n. sp. differs from the remaining species of the genus by the male palpal bulb with a narrow basal portion and keel of embolus slightly-developed in conjuction with the presence of strong spines on ventral metatarsus I, females having spermathecae with short oval  receptacles, and digitiform internal expansions arising from their base. This comprises a small species that construct burrows on sandy open environments with small shrubs. Results from phylogenetic analysis showed that is close to A. birabeni Goloboff, 1995 and A. chilechico Goloboff, 1995 inside the “patagonicus” group.


SIGNOROTTO F., MANCINI M. & FERRETTI N. 2023. — A new small Acanthogonatus Karsch, 1880 (Mygalomorphae, Pycnothelidae) species from Argentinean Patagonia: description of A. messii Signorotto & Ferretti n. sp. and its phylogenetic placement. Zoosystema 45 (17): 499-512. https://doi.org/10.5252/zoosystema2023v45a17. http://zoosystema.com/45/17