First record of Thaumasia Perty, 1833 nursery web spider (Araneae: Pisauridae) preying upon Polistes canadensis (Linnaeus, 1758) (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) in the Neotropical region

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  First record of Thaumasia Perty, 1833 nursery web spider (Araneae: Pisauridae) preying upon Polistes canadensis (Linnaeus, 1758) (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) in the Neotropical region Abstract Thaumasia Perty, 1833 are opportunistic spiders that inhabit the Neotropical region. This study reports a spider of the genus Thaumasia preying upon Polistes canadensis (Linnaeus, 1758) in semiarid region of Brazil. A spider of the genus Thaumasia was observed moving rapidly from the fountain's water surface to capture an individual of P. canadensis . After successfully capturing the wasp, Thaumasia sp. was observed partially perched on the wall of the fountain, with the prey still on the water surface and trapped by its chelicerae. The pedipalps and chelicerae of Thaumasia sp. manipulated the head of P. canadensis , which stopped moving shortly after being captured, probably because of the action of the spider's venom. The study records a wasp in the diet of Thaumasia based on the ca...

Scorpions in urbanized landscapes: influence of habitat type and landscape on body condition, diversity and functional traits in a Neotropical submontane forest

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Scorpions in urbanized landscapes: influence of habitat type and landscape on body condition, diversity and functional traits in a Neotropical submontane forest

Abstract

The local filtering process exerts a significant influence on the evolution of species traits. Furthermore, the spatial configuration of the landscape may also exert an influence on the assembly of traits within communities. It is of paramount importance to comprehend the impact of human-induced alterations to tropical forest habitats and land cover on the diversity, fitness, and functional characteristics of native fauna, as this knowledge is fundamental to the field of conservation biology. In this study, we investigate the impact of different habitats and land cover on the abundance, species richness, composition, body condition, and functional traits of the scorpion assemblage in a Neotropical submontane forest region. The scorpions were collected via active search in 60 sampling units distributed evenly among three habitat types: the city core, urban green areas, and forests. A total of 882 specimens were sampled, distributed among five species within two families. The results indicate that, at the habitat level, forests exhibited greater abundance and species richness, and these taxonomic patterns were sensitive to the surrounding land use. Furthermore, the expansion of urban areas in the landscape composition also results in a shift in species composition. Additionally, forest habitats are vital for maintaining higher body condition. Conversely, habitats classified as city core have led to the emergence of traits adapted to urban conditions. It is evident that urban green infrastructure plays a pivotal role in maintaining scorpion biodiversity, even in highly urbanized environments.

Borba Feitosa, M. L., Alvarado, F., Gomes de Lima, H. V., Barbosa de Moura, G. J., & Felipe de Araujo Lira, A. (2025). Scorpions in urbanized landscapes: Influence of habitat type and landscape on body condition, diversity and functional traits in a Neotropical submontane forest. Acta Oecologica, 128, 104087. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actao.2025.104087