New insights into maternal care and juvenile dispersal in Pterinopelma roseum (Araneae: Theraphosidae)

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  New insights into maternal care and juvenile dispersal in Pterinopelma roseum (Araneae: Theraphosidae) Abstract Tarantulas (Theraphosidae) exhibit a wide diversity of reproductive behaviors, yet many aspects of their natural history, particularly those related to maternal care and juvenile dispersal, remain poorly known. Pterinopelma roseum is a species distributed in southern Brazil and northeastern Argentina for which information on reproductive biology is limited. The aim of this study was to document maternal care, egg sac composition, and juvenile dispersal through the monitoring of a female collected together with its egg sac in Misiones Province, Argentina. The female was maintained under controlled laboratory conditions and observed daily until juvenile dispersal. During the incubation period, the female actively protected the egg sac, remaining in contact with it most of the time and displaying defensive behaviors when disturbed, while continuing to feed regularly. The e...

A new genus of lyrate curtain-web spiders (Araneae: Mygalomorphae: Dipluridae) from southeastern Brazil, with two new species and revalidation of a formerly described species

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A new genus of lyrate curtain-web spiders (Araneae: Mygalomorphae: Dipluridae) from southeastern Brazil, with two new species and revalidation of a formerly described species

    

Abstract 


A new Brazilian genus of curtain-web spiders, family Dipluridae Simon, 1889, Harpathele gen. nov., is described, with Harpathele gymnognatha comb. nov. (Bertkau, 1880) (Rio de Janeiro state) as its type species. The new genus is a lyrate Diplurinae and it is known only from southeast Brazil. It may be recognized by the relatively small body, maxilla with dorsal transverse suture showing distinct curve at its basal third, a field of numerous long and thin setae above that suture, and a field of small rigid bristles below it, among other characters. Harpathele gymnognatha comb. nov. (Bertkau, 1880) is revalidated and redescribed, with the designation of a neotype and the first description of a male, based on specimens collected in its type locality that match the original description and illustrations, and is pointed as senior synonym of Diplura annectens (Bertkau, 1880). Additionally, two species of the new genus are described: Harpathele cariacica sp. nov., based on females from Espírito Santo state, and Harpathele salinas sp. nov., based on males from Rio de Janeiro state. 


Wermelinger-Moreira, G., Pedroso, D. R., Castanheira, P. de S. & Baptista, R. L. C. (2024). A new genus of lyrate curtain-web spiders (Araneae: Mygalomorphae: Dipluridae) from southeastern Brazil, with two new species and revalidation of a formerly described species. Arachnology 19(8): 1060-1073.