First record of Megaselia abdita (Schmitz, 1959) (Diptera: Phoridae) infestation in captive tarantulas (Araneae: Theraphosidae

Posted by
  First record of Megaselia abdita (Schmitz, 1959) (Diptera: Phoridae) infestation in captive tarantulas (Araneae: Theraphosidae Abstract Flies of the genus Megaselia Rondani, 1856 exhibit exceptional ecological flexibility, with certain species acting as facultative parasites. This study presents the first documented cases of Megaselia abdita (Schmitz, 1959) infesting captive tarantulas (Araneae: Theraphosidae, Ceratogyrus darlingi Pocock, 1897 and Psalmopoeus irminia Saager, 1994) in terrarium settings. Our observations demonstrate that M . abdita colonise artificial habitats and exploit spider hosts similarly to Megaselia scalaris . Citation: Szymański, D.M., Szymański, D., Kłonowski, P. (2026). First record of Megaselia abdita (Schmitz, 1959) (Diptera: Phoridae) infestation in captive tarantulas (Araneae: Theraphosidae). Dipteron, 42, 25-29. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.23137389

Two new species of the open-holed trapdoor spider genus Proshermacha (Araneae: Mygalomorphae: Anamidae) from southern Western Australia

Posted by

 


Two new species of the open-holed trapdoor spider genus Proshermacha (Araneae: Mygalomorphae: Anamidae) from southern Western Australia

Abstract
The open-holed trapdoor spider genus Proshermacha Simon, 1908 is endemic to southern Australia, and currently contains 11 named species. We describe two new species from south-western Australia: Proshermacha telaporta sp. nov. from the Geraldton Sandplains and Swan Coastal Plain bioregions, and Proshermacha robertblosfeldsi sp. nov. from the Warren bioregion.

Harvey MS, Wilson JD & Rix MG (2023). Two new species of the open-holed trapdoor spider genus Proshermacha (Araneae: Mygalomorphae: Anamidae) from southern Western Australia. Australian Journal of Taxonomy 43: 1–13. doi: https://doi.org/10.54102/ajt.2k58g