Morphological and Molecular Data Reveal Two New Cryptic Spider Species of the Pholcus yichengicus Species Group (Araneae, Pholcidae) from Central China

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  Morphological and Molecular Data Reveal Two New Cryptic Spider Species of the Pholcus yichengicus Species Group (Araneae, Pholcidae) from Central China  Abstract Two new cryptic species from central China, belonging to the Pholcus yichengicus species group, were identified using an integrative approach combining morphological and three molecular species delimitation methods, and incorporating data from five related previously described species. These two new species are named Pholcus chengkou sp. nov. and P. yanan sp. nov. DNA barcodes were generated for the two new species to calculate p-distances and K2P distances, thus confirming their identities alongside the five previously described species. Additionally, revised diagnoses for the five previously described species and a distribution map encompassing all the species discussed are provided. Yan, Mei-Chen, and Zhi-Yuan Yao. 2026. "Morphological and Molecular Data Reveal Two New Cryptic Spider Species of the Pholcus y...

List of spider species in an urban forest fragment in the Brazilian Amazon with 16 new local records and 3 new records for Brazil

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List of spider species in an urban forest fragment in the Brazilian Amazon with 16 new local records and 3 new records for Brazil

Summary

The order Araneae comprises more than 52,000 described species of spiders and, despite the high diversity, there is still much to study about the taxonomy and biogeography of the group, especially in tropical regions. In this work, we provide a list of spider species/morphospecies from the Research Campus of the Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi, Belém, Pará, Brazil, with new records at different scales. Collections occurred sporadically between 2011–2018, using different collection methods. A total of 492 individuals from 172 morphospecies were sampled, distributed in 103 genera and 25 families. It was possible to determine 84 species (48.8%), with 16 new records for Belém, including seven for Pará and three for Brazil. The relatively high species richness can be explained by several factors, such as sampling at different times of the year, the use of various collection methods, and the fact that the study area is connected to an extensive forest matrix to the northeast, possibly allowing the dispersal of individuals between areas. Finally, the new records, the high species richness, and the number of undetermined species highlight the challenges of obtaining an acceptable level of faunal knowledge of spiders in the Amazon.

Pantoja, P., Xavier, C., Bello Serrão, L., Favacho, C., Saturnino, R., & Bragio Bonaldo, A. (2025). List of spider species in an urban forest fragment in the Brazilian Amazon with 16 new local records and 3 new records for Brazil. Boletim do Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi - Ciências Naturais , 20 (1), 1-30. https://doi.org/10.46357/bcnaturais.v20i1.1012