First catalog of spiders of Egypt (Araneae)

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  First catalog of spiders of Egypt (Araneae) Abstract This study provides a comprehensive catalog of the spider fauna of Egypt, comprising 389 species assigned to 197 genera and 40 families. For each species, all published locality records are compiled and accompanied by complete bibliographic references. The dataset has been carefully reviewed and critically evaluated in light of the most recent taxonomic and faunistic information. Among the recorded species, 55 (14.13%) are currently known only from Egypt and are thus considered endemic. Based on the World Spider Catalog (2026), 28 species are treated as nomina dubia, 23 species lack confirmed records from Egypt, which is not correct, 10 have to be omitted from the Egyptian list and 8 are species inquirenda. Despite the relatively high number of documented species, the Egyptian araneofauna remains insufficiently explored. Given the country’s ecological diversity and biogeographical position, further research is expected to signi...

A chromosomal-level genome assembly of Araneus marmoreus Schenkel, 1953 (Araneae: Araneidae)

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A chromosomal-level genome assembly of Araneus marmoreus Schenkel, 1953 (Araneae: Araneidae)

Abstract

The marbled orb-weaver spider, Araneus marmoreus (Araneae: Araneidae), is distinguished by its unique inflated, pumpkin-like abdomen. Numerous genome studies have been conducted on Araneidae species, providing insights into their unique biological traits. However, studies on A. marmoreus remain limited, despite its ecological significance and intriguing morphology. The lack of a high-quality reference genome has further hindered in-depth exploration of its evolutionary biology and ecological dynamics. Here, we present a chromosome-level genome assembly for A. marmoreus, generated using a combination of Illumina, PacBio, and Hi-C sequencing technologies. The assembled genome is 2.39 Gb in size, comprising 13 chromosomes, with a scaffold N50 of 181.8 Mb and a contig N50 of 721.3 kb. The assembly achieved a BUSCO completeness score of 97.1% (n = 2,934), including 91.0% complete and single-copy BUSCOs and 6.1% complete and duplicated BUSCOs. Repetitive sequences accounted for 59.25% of the genome, and 23,381 protein-coding genes were annotated. This high-quality genome provides a valuable resource for advancing research into the evolutionary genomics and ecological dynamics of A. marmoreus.

Wang, L., Xiao, L., Ren, T., Cheng, L., Xiong, J., Fan, Z., & Zhang, Z. (2025). A chromosomal-level genome assembly of Araneus marmoreus Schenkel, 1953 (Araneae: Araneidae). Scientific Data, 12(1), 1-6. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-025-05215-1