A comparison of adhesive performance among six cursorial spider species

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  A comparison of adhesive performance among six cursorial spider species Abstract The ability to adhere to surfaces is particularly relevant for cursorial predatory arthropods like hunting spiders, which often traverse relatively complex environments characterized by large variation in substrate properties. Here, we evaluated the adhesive performance of six hunting spider species that are common in eastern temperate North America and lack specialized tarsi for climbing smooth or inclined surfaces [Lycosidae: Pardosa lapidicina Emerton, 1885 and Rabidosa rabida (Walckenaer, 1837); Oxyopidae: Oxyopes salticus Hentz, 1845; Pisauridae: Pisaurina mira (Walckenaer, 1837); Dolomedidae: Dolomedes triton (Walckenaer, 1837), and Dolomedes scriptus Hentz, 1845]. We tested adhesion performance as shear load resistance (g) on a glass plate, and as the angle of failure (°) when the plate was gradually inclined relative to horizontal. Average angle of failure and shear resistance differed among ...

Secrets of a didactic collection: a new tarantula genus from the Montane Forest of north-western Ecuador (Araneae: Theraphosidae)

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Secrets of a didactic collection: a new tarantula genus from the Montane Forest of north-western Ecuador (Araneae: Theraphosidae)

Abstract
A new monotypic genus of the subfamily Theraphosinae Thorell, 1869 is described from the Western Cordillera of the Andes in northern Ecuador. The new genus is diagnosed by its distinctive male palpal morphology, including a semi-spatulate bulb caused by a well developed retrolateral inferior keel, presence of a cymbial apophysis, absence of a tibial apophysis, and a new character described in this contribution as a retrolateral tegular process. We comment on the similarities in male palpal bulb morphology with other neotropical genera and provide a preliminary phylogenic placement based on morphology. 

Peñaherrera-R, Pedro & Pinos-Sánchez, Andrés & Guerrero-Campoverde, Ariel & León-E, Roberto J. & Cisneros-Heredia, Diego. (2024). Secrets of a didactic collection: a new tarantula genus from the Montane Forest of north-western Ecuador (Araneae: Theraphosidae). 1185-1191.