Big Spider, Big Genome: Chromosome-level genome of a North American tarantula (Aphonopelma marxi) and comparative genomics across 300 million years of spider evolution

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  Image Credit: WikiCommons Big Spider, Big Genome: Chromosome-level genome of a North American tarantula (Aphonopelma marxi) and comparative genomics across 300 million years of spider evolution Abstract The comparison of chromosome-level genomes allows biologists to investigate new axes of organismal evolution. Spiders comprise a significant proportion of known arachnid diversity, with many complex morphologies and unique natural histories, yet comparative genomics in spiders has been limited due to the number of available genomes. We present a de novo chromosomal reference genome of a mature male tarantula, Aphonopelma marxi, and comparatively examine spider genome evolution across the Order Araneae. Using PacBio HiFi and Hi-C sequencing, the final 6.5 Gb assembly consists of 17 autosomes, 1 X chromosome, and 127 unplaced scaffolds, with an N50 of 370 Mb and Arachnida (odb10; 2934 genes) BUSCO of 96.7%. By comparing 20 additional spider genomes from 15 families, we find mygalomo...

The male of the orb-weaving spider Socca australis (Araneae, Araneidae) and new distribution records in the genus

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The male of the orb-weaving spider Socca australis (Araneae, Araneidae) and new distribution records in the genus

Abstract

The male of Socca australis Framenau, Castanheira & Vink, 2022 is described for the first time based on
a specimen collected in a campsite near the Fitzgerald River National Park in Western Australia. New distribution records are given for two species expanding their known distribution into additional states, S. caiguna Framenau, Castanheira & Vink, 2022 (previously known from Western Australia only, now also South Australia) and S. levyashini Framenau, Castanheira & Vink, 2022 (previously Victoria only, now also Queensland).

Castanheira, P. de S., Baptista, R. L. C. & Framenau, V. W. (2025). The male of the orb-weaving spider Socca australis (Araneae, Araneidae) and new distribution records in the genus. Australian Journal of Taxonomy 89: 1-5. doi:10.54102/ajt.xf6l5