An Overlooked Species of Enigmatic Wolf Spider (Araneae: Lycosidae) Clarifies the Mysterious Distribution of its Sibling

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  An Overlooked Species of Enigmatic Wolf Spider (Araneae: Lycosidae) Clarifies the Mysterious Distribution of its Sibling Abstract Several wolf spiders exhibit a peculiar geographical distribution. One good example of this is Pardosa aenigmatica Tongiorgi, 1966, recently recognized in Italy and the Middle East but missing in the Balkans. A comparison of populations from the disjunctive areas revealed that they would be better described as two distinct species. As a result, here we describe Pardosa sepidehae sp. nov. The paper includes detailed descriptions and comparative illustrations of male and female copulatory organs for the newly discovered species and P. aenigmatica. Pardosa sepidehae sp. nov. is distributed in the Middle East, whereas P. aenigmatica remains endemic to the Apennine Peninsula. Adile Akpinar, Petr Dolejš "An Overlooked Species of Enigmatic Wolf Spider (Araneae: Lycosidae) Clarifies the Mysterious Distribution of its Sibling," Annales Zoologici, 76(29), ...

Advancing Research on Overlooked Invertebrates in Biological Control: A Case Study of Local Hoverflies and Wolf Spiders

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Advancing Research on Overlooked Invertebrates in Biological Control: A Case Study of Local Hoverflies and Wolf Spiders

Abstract

Preserving natural enemies in agricultural landscapes is a cornerstone of biological pest control, and avoiding insecticides and miticides that harm non-target species is a key strategy to support naturally occurring populations in the field. Current research on the impacts of these chemicals is often biased toward a small number of commercially cultured species, leaving important knowledge gaps for those groups that naturally occur at local scales. Hoverflies (Diptera: Syrphidae) and wolf spiders (Araneae: Lycosidae), both globally important invertebrates in agricultural systems, have been under-researched due to challenges in the field collection and laboratory cultivation of local species. This study helps to address these gaps by evaluating the effects of several widely used chemicals on Australian hoverflies (Melangyna sp.) and wolf spiders (Venatrix spp.) as case study species, with detailed descriptions of laboratory rearing and testing methodologies. The results from standardised chemical toxicity testing showed Venatrix spp. were relatively tolerant to various chemicals, highlighting their potential role in Integrated pest management (IPM) strategies that combine chemical and biological control methods. In contrast, Melangyna sp. was sensitive to numerous chemicals tested, including some that are widely regarded as safe for non-target species. These findings emphasise the need to expand research on underrepresented natural enemy groups to effectively support biological control efforts at local scales. Specifically, the methodologies developed in this study can be adapted to facilitate further research on locally occurring hoverfly and spider species in other regions.

Knapp, R. A., McDougall, R., & Umina, P. A. (2025). Advancing Research on Overlooked Invertebrates in Biological Control: A Case Study of Local Hoverflies and Wolf Spiders. Agronomy, 15(5), 1203. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy15051203