New species and records of Otiothops MacLeay, 1839 (Araneae, Palpimanidae) from caves of the Carajás region, state of Pará, Brazil

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  New species and records of Otiothops MacLeay, 1839 (Araneae, Palpimanidae) from caves of the Carajás region, state of Pará, Brazil Abstract In this paper, we describe three new species of the palpimanid spider genus Otiothops MacLeay, 1839 from caves of the Carajás region, in the state of Pará, Brazil, based on specimens of both sexes: O. fatimae sp. nov. (♂♀), O. luizi sp. nov. (♂♀) and O. daselva sp. nov. (♂). Otiothops baculus Platnick, 1975 and O. curua Brescovit, Bonaldo & Barreiros, 2007 are also recorded from the same cave areas for the first time, and their distributions are updated. Cardoso, G.G. & Brescovit, A.D. (2026) New species and records of Otiothops MacLeay, 1839 (Araneae, Palpimanidae) from caves of the Carajás region, state of Pará, Brazil. Zootaxa, 5785 (3), 557–568. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5785.3.8

The natural history of the Australian garden orb-weaving spiders Hortophora biapicata and H. transmarina (Araneae: Araneidae)

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The natural history of the Australian garden orb-weaving spiders Hortophora biapicata and H. transmarina (Araneae: Araneidae)

Abstract

Australia is home to an incredible diversity of spiders, but much of their biology remains unstudied. The orb-weaving spiders (family Araneidae) are especially diverse and frequently encountered, yet the ecology of very few species has been explored. The common name “Australian garden orb-weaver” refers to several species, including Hortophora transmarina (Keyserling, 1865), found mostly along Australia's east coast, and Hortophora biapicata (L Koch, 1871), found mostly along Australia's south and south-eastern coasts. These two similar species are large, nocturnal orb-weavers that occupy a wide range of both natural and anthropogenically disturbed habitats. Here, I describe the general morphology, habitat use, diet and foraging behavior, key predators, laboratory rearing, and mating dynamics of these common but understudied spiders. This information was gathered via field observations, laboratory experiments, and literature reviews. These spiders provide a useful system for studying a number of aspects of spider biology, including mating systems, predation, anti-predator defences, and nocturnal behaviors.

Nikolas J. Willmott "The natural history of the Australian garden orb-weaving spiders Hortophora biapicata and H. transmarina (Araneae: Araneidae)," The Journal of Arachnology, 52(3), 199-209, (5 January 2025) https://doi.org/10.1636/JoA-S-22-061