The neonicotinoid imidacloprid impairs the predatory performance and functional response of the jumping spider Helpis minitabunda (Araneae, Salticidae)

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  The neonicotinoid imidacloprid impairs the predatory performance and functional response of the jumping spider Helpis minitabunda (Araneae, Salticidae) Abstract The neonicotinoid imidacloprid can cause lethal and sublethal effects in non-target organisms, including impaired behavior, reduced fertility, disrupted locomotion, and reduced predatory performance in arthropods. Spiders are among the most abundant arthropod predators in terrestrial ecosystems, including agricultural ecosystems, yet the effects of neonicotinoids on the predatory function of jumping spiders remain poorly understood. The functional response of a predator describes how predation rates change with prey density and is key to understanding predator–prey dynamics. We tested whether acute exposure to a commercial formulation of imidacloprid at field-recommended concentrations alters the functional response of the Aussie bronze jumping spider, Helpis minitabunda (L. Koch, 1880). We compared the predation of treat...

Two new species of the spider genus Songthela (Mesothelae, Liphistiidae) from Hunan Province, China

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Two new species of the spider genus Songthela (Mesothelae, Liphistiidae) from Hunan Province, China

Abstract

Two new species of the primitively segmented spider genus Songthela Ono, 2000, which were collected from Hunan Province, China, are described based on specimens of both sexes: S. dongta sp. nov. (♂♀), and S. lixi sp. nov. (♂♀). Songthela dongta sp. nov. is assigned to the bispina-group, while S. lixi sp. nov. belongs to the unispina-group, based on the morphology of male palps and female genitalia. We also provide mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) sequences for species identification and calculate the intra- and interspecific genetic distance among these two new species and 26 known Songthela species. These molecular data highlight distinct genetic divergence between the two new species and their congeners, facilitating future species delimitation. This study not only expands the known diversity of Songthela, but also contributes to a growing framework for understanding biogeographic patterns and evolutionary processes in ancient spider lineages.

Han S, Zhang Y, Li D, Xu X (2025) Two new species of the spider genus Songthela (Mesothelae, Liphistiidae) from Hunan Province, China. ZooKeys 1241: 291-300. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1241.146992