The first genus with four sac-like structures in the vulva in the cobweb spider subfamily Theridiinae Sundevall, 1833 (Araneae: Theridiidae)

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  The first genus with four sac-like structures in the vulva in the cobweb spider subfamily Theridiinae Sundevall, 1833 (Araneae: Theridiidae) Abstract The morphological characters of copulatory organs are the most important basis in spiders for identification. In theridiids, a vulva with four sac-like structures is mostly associated with the subfamily Hadrotarsinae but has never been recorded in Theridiinae. Based on specimens collected from subtropical forest canopies in China, a new Theridiinae genus that has four sac-like structures in the vulva is described: Sactheridion gen. nov., with the type species S. chuan gen. & sp. nov. from Sichuan Province, China. Photos, diagnosis, description, and a distribution map of the new genus and new species are provided. Hu, C., Yao, Z., Liu, J. & Xu, X. (2026) The first genus with four sac-like structures in the vulva in the cobweb spider subfamily Theridiinae Sundevall, 1833 (Araneae: Theridiidae). Zootaxa, 5884 (1), 167–175. http...

Web transmission properties vary with a spider’s past and current noise exposure

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Web transmission properties vary with a spider’s past and current noise exposure

Summary

Animals rely on the reception of accurate information for survival and reproduction. Environmental noise, especially from human activity, challenges information acquisition by disturbing sensory channels and masking relevant cues. Investigations into how animals cope with noise have been heavily biased toward plasticity in information production, often overlooking flexibility in information reception. Studying internal sensory structures is challenging, but web-building spiders offer a unique opportunity to investigate external sensory surfaces—their webs. Here, we explored the potential of the funnel-weaving spider, Agelenopsis pennsylvanica, to influence information reception amid vibratory noise. During web construction, we exposed spiders to a 2 × 2 fully-crossed design: rural/urban collection sites and quiet/loud noise treatments, reflecting natural vibratory noise variation. On the resulting webs, we compared frequency-dependent energy loss between site/treatment groups as vibrations transmitted short and longer distances from an artificial stimulus to the spider’s hunting position. Under loud vibratory noise, rural webs retained more energy in longer-distance vibratory stimuli across a narrow frequency range (350–600 Hz) than all other groups, potentially to improve the reception of relevant prey and mate cues. Conversely, urban/loud webs lost more energy in short-distance vibrations across a broader frequency range (300–1,000 Hz) than all other groups, likely to prevent sensory overload from constant, high-amplitude urban noise. Variable web transmission was related to spiders’ prior (ancestral and/or developmental) and current noise exposure. Our study highlights the capacity of animals to influence information reception amid environmental noise and emphasizes the importance of a holistic approach to studying information flow in dynamic environments.
Pessman, B. J., & Hebets, E. A. (2025). Web transmission properties vary with a spider’s past and current noise exposure. Current Biology. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2025.02.041