First catalog of spiders of Egypt (Araneae)

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  First catalog of spiders of Egypt (Araneae) Abstract This study provides a comprehensive catalog of the spider fauna of Egypt, comprising 389 species assigned to 197 genera and 40 families. For each species, all published locality records are compiled and accompanied by complete bibliographic references. The dataset has been carefully reviewed and critically evaluated in light of the most recent taxonomic and faunistic information. Among the recorded species, 55 (14.13%) are currently known only from Egypt and are thus considered endemic. Based on the World Spider Catalog (2026), 28 species are treated as nomina dubia, 23 species lack confirmed records from Egypt, which is not correct, 10 have to be omitted from the Egyptian list and 8 are species inquirenda. Despite the relatively high number of documented species, the Egyptian araneofauna remains insufficiently explored. Given the country’s ecological diversity and biogeographical position, further research is expected to signi...

Molecular phylogeny of the wolf spider subfamily Allocosinae in South America (Araneae: Lycosidae)

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Molecular phylogeny of the wolf spider subfamily Allocosinae in South America (Araneae: Lycosidae)

Abstract

The wolf spiders of the subfamily Allocosinae are known for their complex taxonomy, especially in the Neotropical region. Despite previous taxonomic and phylogenetic studies, the diversity and phylogenetic relationships of the subfamily remain largely unknown. This study aims to clarify the evolutionary relationships within South American Allocosinae, hypothesizing a greater diversity than currently recognized and seeking to resolve ambiguities in genus-level classification. We used a combination of mitochondrial and nuclear gene sequences to construct phylogenetic analyses for 73 specimens across 13 species of Allocosinae. Analyses using both maximum likelihood and Bayesian frameworks were conducted to examine internal relationships and phylogenetic structure and to infer a timeline of diversification. Additionally, species delimitation was conducted to identify cryptic lineages. Our results recover the specimens considered to be representatives of the subfamily Allocosinae as a monophyletic group, and identified five major clades. Divergence time estimates suggested Allocosinae originated in the Early Miocene (15–22 million years ago), and underwent significant diversification during the Pleistocene. Species delimitation analysis based on single markers uncovered 24 lineages, indicating potentially overlooked species. Allocosinae has shown to be an interesting group to study incipient speciation processes, ecology of coastal environments and atypical behaviors such as sex role reversal. Knowing and understanding the evolutionary history and relationships within the subfamily is necessary for progress in its study in any field of biology.

Laborda Á, Simó M, Piacentini LN, Brescovit AD, Beloso C, Aisenberg A, Arnedo MA, Ramírez MJ, Bidegaray-Batista L (2025) Molecular phylogeny of the wolf spider subfamily Allocosinae in South America (Araneae: Lycosidae). Arthropod Systematics & Phylogeny 83: 353-367. https://doi.org/10.3897/asp.83.e152943