Seasonal Variation in Whole-Body Elemental Concentrations and Excreta Production of a Riparian Orb-Weaving Spider (Larinioides cornutus)

Posted by
  Seasonal Variation in Whole-Body Elemental Concentrations and Excreta Production of a Riparian Orb-Weaving Spider (Larinioides cornutus) ABSTRACT Predators influence nutrient cycling by assimilating elements from their prey and returning nutrients to ecosystems via excretion and discarded prey remains. However, seasonal variation in the contribution of predators to nutrient cycling remains poorly understood, particularly for terrestrial arthropod predators such as spiders. We examined temporal variation in whole-body elemental concentrations, excreta C and N concentrations, and cumulative excreta output in a riparian orb-weaving spider ( Larinioides cornutus ) across the growing season of 2024. Adult females were collected across seven sampling periods spanning mid-June to early October, and whole-body concentrations of macronutrients (carbon [C], nitrogen [N], phosphorus [P]) and multiple trace elements were quantified. Whole-body N and P concentrations, and several trace elemen...

Diversity survey of Pholcus spiders (Araneae, Pholcidae) from eastern Sichuan and neighboring areas, with descriptions of six new species

Posted by

 


Diversity survey of Pholcus spiders (Araneae, Pholcidae) from eastern Sichuan and neighboring areas, with descriptions of six new species

Abstract

Thirteen spider species of the genus Pholcus Walckenaer, 1805 are reported from a diversity survey in eastern Sichuan and neighboring areas (northeastern Yunnan and western Guizhou). They belong to three species groups and include six newly described species: Pholcus qiaojia Li, Li & Yao, sp. nov. (♂♀, Yunnan) in the bidentatus group; P. aba Li, Li & Yao, sp. nov. (♂♀, Sichuan) and P. wenchuan Li, Li & Yao, sp. nov. (♂♀, Sichuan) in the crypticolens group; P. mengding Li, Li & Yao, sp. nov. (♂♀, Sichuan), P. miyi Li, Li & Yao, sp. nov. (♂♀, Sichuan) and P. yaan Li, Li & Yao, sp. nov. (♂♀, Sichuan) in the yichengicus group. P. bidentatus Zhu, Zhang, Zhang & Chen, 2005 is recorded from Yunnan for the first time and P. kunming Zhang & Zhu, 2009 is recorded from Guizhou and Sichuan for the first time. Detailed diagnoses, descriptions, photomicroscope images, and DNA barcodes of all newly described species are provided.

Li J, Li S, Zhang X, Yao Z (2025) Diversity survey of Pholcus spiders (Araneae, Pholcidae) from eastern Sichuan and neighboring areas, with descriptions of six new species. ZooKeys 1240: 39-64. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1240.147905