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...

Further additions to the rare dark sac spider genus Messapus Simon, 1897 (Araneae: Corinnidae)

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Further additions to the rare dark sac spider genus Messapus Simon, 1897 (Araneae: Corinnidae)

Abstract

In this paper, a new species of the spider genus Messapus Simon, 1897 is described, M. mygaloides sp. nov. (♀ ♂, Mozambique and Tanzania). We also provide the first description of the male of M. tigris Haddad & Mbo, 2015 based on a specimen collected from the type locality and record the species from Zimbabwe for the first time too. The type species, M. martini Simon, 1897, is recorded from Eswatini for the first time. An updated identification key to the genus is also presented.


Haddad, C. R. & Grismado, C. J. (2025). Further additions to the rare dark sac spider genus Messapus Simon, 1897 (Araneae: Corinnidae). Zootaxa 5637(2): 351-362. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.5637.2.8