An integrative description of Euscorpius diagorasi sp. n. from Rhodes, Greece (Scorpiones: Euscorpiidae)

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  An integrative description of Euscorpius diagorasi sp. n. from Rhodes, Greece (Scorpiones: Euscorpiidae) Abstract The genus  Euscorpius  Thorell, 1876 comprises a diverse and taxonomically challenging group of scorpions in the Mediterranean, with Greece representing one of its principal centers of diversity. In this study, we provide an integrative description of  Euscorpius diagorasi   sp. n. , a new species from Rhodes Island, Greece. The new species is described on the basis of adult male and female morphology and mitochondrial COI sequence data. It is a small oligotrichous species characterized by a total length of approximately 21–25 mm, pale yellow to light brown coloration with darker reddish-brown pedipalps, pectinal tooth count of 8 in the male and 7 in the females, Pv = 7–8, Pe-et = 5–6, and a distinct mitochondrial lineage. Phylogenetic analyses based on COI recovered the Rhodian specimens as a strongly supported monophyletic lineage, sister to...

Updated geographical distribution of the family Barychelidae Simon, 1889 from Brazil (Araneae: Mygalomorphae)

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Updated geographical distribution of the family Barychelidae Simon, 1889 from Brazil (Araneae: Mygalomorphae)

Abstract

Spiders of the family Barychelidae, the sister group to Theraphosidae, are mainly concentrated in the Southern Hemisphere. In the Neotropical region, Barychelidae is represented by five genera found in Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, Panama, Peru and Venezuela. Barychelid spiders are known for their sedentary behavior, spending most of their lives in burrows constructed with a hinged trapdoor made of silk and soil. This habit and the difficulty in identifying and locating their camouflaged burrows, poses challenges to obtaining specimens thereby obscuring the group’s true diversity. Examination of numerous specimens from different zoological collections allowed us to expand the distribution of Barychelidae spiders adding 95 new records. In addition to geographic data from colleted material, we were able to find 56 iNaturalist observations of barychelid spiders, with 29 in unpublished locations, totaling 124 new records in Brazil. Overall, the expanded geographical distribution of Barychelidae spiders in Brazil has revealed remarkable diversity, with numerous species covering a variety of habitats. This distribution mapping can provide valuable information for the study of populations variation and evolutionary relationships and help in the biogeographical research of the family Barychelidae.

Gonzalez Filho, Hector Manuel, Pedro Costa, Jean de Paiva, and José Paulo Guadanucci. 2025. “Updated Geographical Distribution of the Family Barychelidae Simon, 1889 from Brazil (Araneae: Mygalomorphae)”. Boletim Do Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi - Ciências Naturais 19 (3), 1-16. https://boletimcn.museu-goeldi.br/bcnaturais/article/view/1009