Scorpions of Angola (Arachnida, Scorpiones). Part I. Family Buthidae, with descriptions of two new species.

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  Scorpions of Angola (Arachnida, Scorpiones). Part I. Family Buthidae, with descriptions of two new species. Abstract All scorpion species of the family Buthidae known from Angola are listed, with color photographs and maps of their distribution. Diagnosis of Babycurus ansorgei Hirst, 1911 is revised; its male is described for the first time. Babycurus crassicaudatus Roewer, 1952, is revalidated (it was erroneously synonymized with B. ansorgei , since the females of both species are morphologically almost identical). Uroplectes angolensis sp. n . and U. xavieri sp. n. are described from Angola. Validity of Uroplectes ngangelarum Monard, 1930 is confirmed as different from U. planimanus (Karsch, 1879); its lectotype is designated. Lectotype is also designated for Uroplectes planimanus kuanyamarus Monard, 1937. Female of Uroplectes ebog o Kovařík et al., 2024 from Cameroon is recorded for the first time; its pectines are imaged (Fig. 603). Uroplectes machadoi Lourenço, 2...

Genomic and Methylomic Signatures Associated With the Maintenance of Genome Stability and Adaptive Evolution in Two Closely Allied Wolf Spiders

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Genomic and Methylomic Signatures Associated With the Maintenance of Genome Stability and Adaptive Evolution in Two Closely Allied Wolf Spiders

ABSTRACT

Pardosa spiders, belonging to the wolf spider family Lycosidae, play a vital role in maintaining the health of forest and agricultural ecosystems due to their function in pest control. This study presents chromosome-level genome assemblies for two allied Pardosa species, P. laura and P. agraria. Both species' genomes show a notable expansion of helitron transposable elements, which contributes to their large genome sizes. Methylome analysis indicates that P. laura has higher overall DNA methylation levels compared to P. agraria. DNA methylation may not only aids in transposable element-driven genome expansion but also positively affects the three-dimensional organisation of P. laura after transposon amplification, thereby potentially enhancing genome stability. Genes associated with hyper-differentially methylated regions in P. laura (compared to P. agraria) are enriched in functions related to mRNA processing and energy production. Furthermore, combined transcriptome and methylome profiling has uncovered a complex regulatory interplay between DNA methylation and gene expression, emphasising the important role of gene body methylation in the regulation of gene expression. Comparative genomic analysis shows a significant expansion of cuticle protein and detoxification-related gene families in P. laura, which may improve its adaptability to various habitats. This study provides essential genomic and methylomic insights, offering a deeper understanding of the relationship between transposable elements and genome stability, and illuminating the adaptive evolution and species differentiation among allied spiders.

Zuo, Q., Wu, B., Sun, N., Ren, Y., Fan, Z., Wang, Y., Tan, B., Luo, B., Irfan, M., Huang, Q., Shen, J., & Zhang, S. Genomic and Methylomic Signatures Associated With the Maintenance of Genome Stability and Adaptive Evolution in Two Closely Allied Wolf Spiders. Molecular Ecology Resources, e14071. https://doi.org/10.1111/1755-0998.14071