Brief history of ophidiology and ophidism in Colombia

Posted by
  Brief history of ophidiology and ophidism in Colombia  Abstract This review traces the historical trajectory of ophidiology (the study of snakes) and ophidism (snakebite envenoming) within the Colombian context. Despite the profound cultural and scientific significance of the human–serpent relationship in the region, the relevant literature remains fragmented, with foundational historical works neither digitized nor readily accessible. To address this, we conducted a narrative review of primary sources spanning from the pre-Colombian era to the present. Our methodology involved sourcing material from specialized libraries, historical archives, personal collections and contemporary scientific databases. The analysis identifies and contextualizes pivotal contributions across distinct historical periods, from early archeological evidence and colonial accounts to foundational eighteenth-century works and the formalized scientific studies of the last two centuries. The review cul...

Two new species and a new combination in Aculithus Liu & Li, 2022 (Araneae: Phrurolithidae) from South China

Posted by

 


Two new species and a new combination in Aculithus Liu & Li, 2022 (Araneae: Phrurolithidae) from South China

Abstract

Background

Jiangxi Province has gradually become a hotspot for research on the family Phrurolithidae Banks, 1892, with 64 new species discovered in the past five years. Notably, over half of the currently known Aculithus species (5 species) were recorded in this region. However, studies have primarily focused on southern Jiangxi, while northern Jiangxi and remote mountainous areas remain under-surveyed. Many unknown Phrurolithidae species are still likely to be discovered within the Province.

New information

Two new species, Aculithus languan Jiang & Liu, sp. nov. and A. ruijin Jiang & Liu, sp. nov., are described from Jiangxi Province, China. Morphological illustrations, SEM pictures, photos of live specimens and a distribution map are given. Additionally, a new combination, A. taoyuan (Fu, Chen & Zhang, 2016) comb. nov., is proposed. The total number of the known species of Aculithus from China is raised to 12, including the three species treated in the present paper.

Jiang Z, Wang Z, Lyu X, Yang J, Liu K (2025) Two new species and a new combination in Aculithus Liu & Li, 2022 (Araneae: Phrurolithidae) from South China. Biodiversity Data Journal 13: e153747. https://doi.org/10.3897/BDJ.13.e153747