Khantao gen. nov., a new genus of Selenocosmiinae Simon, 1889 from western Yunnan of China (Araneae: Mygalomorphae: Theraphosidae)

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  Khantao gen. nov., a new genus of Selenocosmiinae Simon, 1889 from western Yunnan of China (Araneae: Mygalomorphae: Theraphosidae) Abstract The new genus Khantao gen. nov. from western Yunnan, China, is established for the subfamily Selenocosmiinae Simon, 1889, including three new species and one new combination: Khantao talpoides sp. nov. (type species); Khantao xuanae sp. nov.; Khantao ya sp. nov.; and Khantao xinhuaensis (Zhu & Zhang, 2008) comb. nov. (transferred from Selenocosmia Ausserer, 1871). DNA data (Cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1, COI sequences) are provided for all species. Yu, K., Wirth, V.V., West, R.C., Zhang, S. & Zhang, F. (2026) Khantao gen. nov., a new genus of Selenocosmiinae Simon, 1889 from western Yunnan of China (Araneae: Mygalomorphae: Theraphosidae). Zootaxa, 5853 (2), 151–188. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5853.2.1

A Vespertilionid Bat (Eptesicus sp.) Caught in a Spider Web of Eriophora ravilla

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A Vespertilionid Bat (Eptesicus sp.) Caught in a Spider Web of Eriophora ravilla

Abstract

In this note we report on a small Vespertilionid bat belonging to the genus Eptesicus (Vespertilionidae) caught in a web of the orb-weaver spider Eriophora ravilla (Araneae: Araneidae). The observation was made in the Isthmian–Atlantic Moist Forests ecoregion of Costa Rica. Predation on bats by Eriophora species has only previously been positively documented for Eriophora fuliginea. This is the first record of E. ravilla catching a bat in its web, and also represents the first record of an Eptesicus bat as a potential prey of spiders.

Fabrício H. Oda, Andrew R. Gray "A Vespertilionid Bat (Eptesicus sp.) Caught in a Spider Web of Eriophora ravilla," Caribbean Journal of Science, 55(1), 151-155, (27 May 2025)