Distributional Notes on Three Wolf Spider Species (Araneae: Lycosidae) Recorded for the First Time in Diyala Province, Iraq

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  Distributional Notes on Three Wolf Spider Species (Araneae: Lycosidae) Recorded for the First Time in Diyala Province, Iraq Abstract This study presents new distributional data for three wolf spider species (Araneae: Lycosidae) from Diyala Province in eastern Iraq. Specimens were gathered from different districts and habitats between July 2025 and June 2026. The species Arctosa tbilisiensis Mcheidze, 1946, Lycosa piochardi Simon, 1876, and Wadicosa fidelis (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1872) are recorded for the first time in Diyala, extending their known ranges within Iraq. The paper describes key diagnostic morphological features and includes information about the examined specimens and their local distributions. These findings improve knowledge of the distribution of Iraqi Lycosidae and reveal that Diyala Province, despite its habitat variety, remains insufficiently studied. The records serve as a valuable baseline for future taxonomic, faunistic, and ecological research on spiders i...

m-Aminophenylacetylene shortened the eggsac-carrying stages in the wolf spider through enhancing the synthesis of prostaglandins

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m-Aminophenylacetylene shortened the eggsac-carrying stages in the wolf spider through enhancing the synthesis of prostaglandins

Abstract

Spiders are important predatory enemies that control a range of insect pests in the rice ecosystem. m-Aminophenylacetylene (m-A) has been demonstrated to induce maternal care behaviors in Pardosa pseudoannulata, protecting young spiders and promoting population growth. Here the roles of m-A on other reproduction stages were evaluated by injecting m-A into virgin and postreproductive female spiders. When injected into virgin females, m-A can prolong the first pulli-carrying stage of the females after mating and breeding offsprings. In postreproductive females, m-A injection shortened the eggsac-carrying stages, especially in the second and third stages. Transcriptomic analysis showed that differentially expressed genes between the control female and m-A-injected female were enriched in the arachidonic acid (AA) metabolism pathway. Real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) confirmed the upregulation of cyclooxygenase-II (COX-II), prostaglandin E synthase 2 (PGES2), and prostaglandin E synthase 3 (PGES3) genes involved in PGE2 (prostaglandin E2) synthesis. In a reverse validation experiment, the sequential injection of m-A followed by a COX inhibitor aspirin restored the shortened eggsac-carrying stage to normal level. The findings indicated that m-A enhanced PGs synthesis, leading to a reduced eggsac-carrying stage. The eggsac-carrying stage can be fatal when female spiders encounter their enemies, so the shortening of the stage by m-A would reduce the potential threat. These findings are significant for developing environmentally friendly control strategies.

Chen, Y., Xu, T., Wang, Y., Wang, J., Zhao, C., Yu, N., & Liu, Z. M-Aminophenylacetylene shortened the eggsac-carrying stages in the wolf spider through enhancing the synthesis of prostaglandins. Insect Science. https://doi.org/10.1111/1744-7917.70017