Examining ecological niche for six species of whip spider in Colombia

Posted by
  Examining ecological niche for six species of whip spider in Colombia  Abstract The conditioning variables for the establishment of Amblypygi populations and their ecological interactions are currently poorly studied. Delving deeper into this can help to conserve this group of short-range distribution species, which are useful as a model in biogeographic research. In this study, we evaluated the distribution and overlapping patterns of ecological niche in six species of amblypygids ( Phrynus araya , P. panche , P. pulchripes , Heterophrynus batesii , H. boterorum , H. cervinus ) in the Andean and Amazonian ecosystems of Colombia, revealing a clear biogeographic segregation driven by environmental gradients: Phrynus species were associated with inter-Andean valleys with high thermal and water seasonality.  While the Heterophrynus occupied more stable and humid conditions of foothills and middle elevations. Overlap analyses showed significant divergence (e.g., D=0.105 b...

Obituary: Stefan Foord

Posted by

 

The following message was received by way of the American Arachnological Society this evening. 

Dear colleagues

On behalf of Ansie Dippenaar-Schoeman and the African Arachnological Society, I am forwarding the obituary for Stefan Foord, the sitting AFRAS chairperson. He passed away suddenly this morning and will be sorely missed by many.