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...

First epidemiological reports and urban range extension of Tityus trivittatus Kraepelin, 1898 (Scorpiones: Buthidae) in Paraná, Brazil

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First epidemiological reports and urban range extension of Tityus trivittatus Kraepelin, 1898 (Scorpiones: Buthidae) in Paraná, Brazil

Abstract

The scorpion genus Tityus Koch, 1836, (Buthidae) includes most of the medically significant species in South America. Tityus trivittatus Kraepelin, 1898 occurs in urban areas and remnants of wet Chaco, Cerrado, and Atlantic Forest in Paraguay and Brazil. Despite a low overall risk of mortality, its wide distribution, parthenogenesis, and synanthropy, pose potential public health concerns. In Brazil, the envenomation cases remain largely unknown. Here we present the first epidemiological reports of this species in Brazil (municipality of Foz do Iguaçu), including new occurrences in the state of Paraná. In addition, we also estimate the spatial factors influencing the records of T. trivittatus in Paraná based on the examined material. A total of 355 specimens were recorded and examined, with proximity to populated areas being the main factor influencing the species sampling bias. For the epidemiological reports, all sting cases involved local pain and occurred typically in feet, hands or legs. All cases were considered successfully treated by the local medical professionals These findings highlight the need for enhanced surveillance of T. trivittatus in southern Brazil.

Goldoni, P. A. M., Iniesta, L. F. M., Cequinel, J. C., Marques-da-Silva, E., & Brescovit, A. D. (2025). First epidemiological reports and urban range extension of Tityus trivittatus Kraepelin, 1898 (Scorpiones: Buthidae) in Paraná, Brazil. STUDIES IN ENVIRONMENTAL AND ANIMAL SCIENCES, 6(2), e18435. https://doi.org/10.54020/seasv6n2-005