A Remarkable Discovery: Exploring a Rare Eresus and Spider Wasp Interaction

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  Photo Credit: © Antonino Rametta . All photographs are used with permission. No part of these images may be reproduced, distributed, or used in any form without the prior written permission of the photographer. A Remarkable Discovery: Exploring a Rare Eresus and Spider Wasp Interaction One of the most rewarding aspects of maintaining Arácnido Taxonomy is hearing from naturalists and photographers around the world who take the time to share their discoveries. Every so often, an email arrives that immediately captures your attention. Not because it claims to rewrite what we know about biodiversity, but because it documents something that very few people have the opportunity to witness. Recently, I was contacted by a naturalist in Sicily who shared a series of exceptionally high-quality photographs of a female ladybird spider ( Eresus ) during what appeared to be an interaction with a spider wasp. Along with the images came a simple question: "Could this be scientifically import...

Redescription of Bonea sarasinorum from Sulawesi, and the relationships of Bonea within Podoctinae (Opiliones, Grassatores, Podoctidae)

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Redescription of Bonea sarasinorum from Sulawesi, and the relationships of Bonea within Podoctinae (Opiliones, Grassatores, Podoctidae)

Abstract

The family Podoctidae, which includes 131 species predominantly from Tropical Asia and Australasia, faces significant taxonomic challenges due to historically inadequate species descriptions. This study presents a detailed redescription of Bonea sarasinorum Roewer, 1914, the type species of the genus Bonea, based on specimens collected from its type locality in Sulawesi. The male of B. sarasinorum is described for the first time, enabling a reassessment of the genus’s systematic placement. Our findings confirm that Bonea belongs to Podoctinae lato sensu (including Erecananinae) rather than Ibaloniinae. However, several morphological traits suggest that Bonea is not a monophyletic group, with B. sarasinorum sharing close affinities with Dongmoa, while other Bonea species may be more closely related to Baramia and Hoplodino. Morphological terminology for the Podoctidae is updated, and the male genitalia of B. sarasinorum are compared to other Podoctinae species, revealing unique traits such as a deeply cleft distal truncus and poorly developed follis. This study highlights the importance of acquiring new material and employing modern imaging techniques, such as microCT, to refine taxonomic understanding of this family.

Kury, Adriano B., and Glauco Machado. 2025. “Redescription of Bonea sarasinorum from Sulawesi, and the Relationships of Bonea Within Podoctinae (Opiliones, Grassatores, Podoctidae)”. Zootaxa 5659 (1). Auckland, New Zealand:133-45. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5659.1.9.