A new species and a new record of Zoicinae Lehtinen & Hippa, 1979 (Araneae: Lycosidae) from Sumatra Island, with notes on miniaturization in wolf spiders

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  A new species and a new record of Zoicinae Lehtinen & Hippa, 1979 (Araneae: Lycosidae) from Sumatra Island, with notes on miniaturization in wolf spiders Abstract A new species of wolf spider, Zoica veloxilla sp. nov., from Sumatra (Indonesia) is described based on both sexes. Lysania pygmaea Thorell, 1890 is recorded from Sumatra for the first time, and its male is illustrated and redescribed. A distribution map for Zoica and Lysania is provided. The problem of miniaturization in wolf spiders is briefly discussed. Based on an analysis of the literature, 32 minute species of wolf spiders in four subfamilies and eleven genera have been reported. The smallest wolf spider known worldwide seems to be Zoica minuta (McKay, 1979) from Australia. Omelko, M.M. & Fomichev, A.A. (2026) A new species and a new record of Zoicinae Lehtinen & Hippa, 1979 (Araneae: Lycosidae) from Sumatra Island, with notes on miniaturization in wolf spiders. Zootaxa, 5869 (2), 339–350. https://doi.o...

Revisiting and rediscovering the tarantulas (Araneae, Theraphosidae) of Culapnitan (Libmanan) Caves in the Philippines: troglomorphism, taxonomy, phylogeny and ecological niche

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Revisiting and rediscovering the tarantulas (Araneae, Theraphosidae) of Culapnitan (Libmanan) Caves in the Philippines: troglomorphism, taxonomy, phylogeny and ecological niche

Abstract

In 1892, French naturalist Eugène Simon described samples of cave-dwelling tarantula species collected from Culapnitan Caves in the Philippines, a cave system that is now part of the present-time Libmanan Caves Natural Park (LCNP). One of these is the new monotypic tarantula genus and species of that time, Orphnaecus pellitus Simon, 1892. Based on Simon’s notes and quick observation of the eyes of the syntypes, this species is highly suspected to be troglobitic. In the present study, we rediscovered O. pellitus from its reported site and investigated its troglobitic characteristics. Morphological analysis of O. pellitus shows troglomorphic characteristics which include reduced eye size, attenuated limbs, shortened tactile setae, and diminishing pigmentation. Tolerance to hypoxia and heightened sensitivity to ground movements are the other subterranean adaptations that were observed. Phylogenetic analysis revealed a cladistic relationship among tarantula morphologically identified from the genus Orphnaecus. Our findings provide evidence that O. pellitus is a true troglobitic tarantula reported worldwide, and currently the only one known from Asia. We also report two new species of Orphnaecus, Orphnaecus libmanan sp. nov. and the dwarf Orphnaecus tangcongvaca sp. nov., collected from the forest grounds of the LCNP. The ecological niche differentiation of theraphosid species in the LCNP is also provided. Our findings are supported by morphology, molecular phylogeny, and ecology.

Acuña DC, Ragasa LRP, Santiago-Bautista MR, von Wirth V, Guevarra Jr LA (2025) Revisiting and rediscovering the tarantulas (Araneae, Theraphosidae) of Culapnitan (Libmanan) Caves in the Philippines: troglomorphism, taxonomy, phylogeny and ecological niche. Subterranean Biology 52: 143-186. https://doi.org/10.3897/subtbiol.52.142334