From Taxonomic Accuracy to Toxin Naming: A Welcome Dialogue in Toxicon

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  From Taxonomic Accuracy to Toxin Naming: A Welcome Dialogue in Toxicon By Luis A. Roque | Arácnido Taxonomy When I submitted my correspondence, “When tarantula venom comes from a misnamed spider: The importance of taxonomic accuracy in theraphosid toxinology,” to Toxicon , I hoped it would encourage a broader conversation. The purpose was to draw attention to a problem that benefits from the experience of people working across taxonomy, venom research, and biological databases. Dr. Volker Herzig’s response, “The need for a unified toxin nomenclature for consistent toxin naming,” is precisely the kind of engagement I hoped to see. His contribution acknowledges the importance of identifying venom-source organisms accurately while bringing another essential question into focus: How do we maintain continuity in toxin names when taxonomy and our understanding of toxin function change? Two connected challenges My original correspondence focused on the biological source of venom. In t...

Two new species of Harpactea Bristowe, 1939 from Turkey (Araneae: Dysderidae)

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Two new species of Harpactea Bristowe, 1939 from Turkey (Araneae: Dysderidae)

ABSTRACT

Two new species, Harpactea bozdaglarensis sp. n. and H. dilekensis sp. n. are described based on both sexes from the Aegean region of Turkey. Both species belong to the rubicunda species group defined for Harpactea due to the characteristics of the copulatory organs and some somatic parts, and H. bozdaglarensis sp. n. resembles H. alexandrae and H. clementi while H. dilekensis sp. n. resembles H. chaniaensis and H. walterdebucki known from the Aegean Islands. Morphometric and meristic characters of the new species and detailed photographs of the copulatory organs are given in the paper.

Kunt, K. B., Danışman, T., & Yağmur, E. A. (2025). Two new species of Harpactea Bristowe, 1939 from Turkey (Araneae: Dysderidae). Journal of Natural History, 59(5–8), 397–409. https://doi.org/10.1080/00222933.2024.2438318