The world's fastest spider tops 3.5 metres per second

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  Evolutionary biomechanics of maximum running speed in spiders (Araneae)    Abstract Background Maximum running speed is a central performance trait, linking morphology, physiology and behaviour to fitness. It is shaped by physical capacity and ecological selection but may also be constrained by ancestry. To examine how these forces interact across macroevolutionary timescales, we conducted an allometric study in a hyper-diverse arthropod taxon—spiders (Araneae). Results Drawing on running performance data for 258 species from 64 of the 139 extant spider families, we integrated phylogenetic comparative methods and biomechanical modelling to disentangle the effects of body size, ancestry, leg morphology, ecological guild and preferred locomotor orientation. Maximum running speed varied substantially, both across body mass and among species of similar body mass. By accounting for body mass with a recent biomechanical model, we show that size-specific performance carries ...

New data on spiders (Arthropoda, Arachnida, Araneae) of Georgia with description of a new species from Tegenaria lyncea group

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New data on spiders (Arthropoda, Arachnida, Araneae) of Georgia with description of a new species from Tegenaria lyncea group

Abstract

In this paper we present new faunistic and regional data on the Agelenidae, Gnaphosidae, Linyphiidae, and Lycosidae of Georgia. Tegenaria hasperi Chyzer, 1897 (Agelenidae), Archaraeoncus prospiciens (Thorell, 1875), Trichoncoides piscator (Simon, 1884) (both Linyphiidae), and Aulonia kratochvili Dunin, Buchar & Absolon, 1986 (Lycosidae) are reported for the first time from Georgia. Echemus levyi Kovblyuk & Seyyar, 2009 (Gnaphosidae) is reported for the first time from the Caucasus region. Tegenaria pseudolyncea (Guseinov, Marusik & Koponen, 2005) (Agelenidae) is documented in Georgia outside the Samachablo region for the first time. Marinarozelotes malkini (Platnick & Murphy, 1984) (Gnaphosidae) is recorded in the Southern Caucasus for the second time. Lastly, a new species from the Tegenaria lyncea group, T. amirani sp. nov. is described based on both male and female specimens from Georgia. Diagnostic illustrations, photographs of a live T. hasperi female, and images of T. amirani sp. nov. are provided along with detailed collecting data.

Seropian A, Ninua L, Rostiashvili I, Bulbulashvili N, Makharadze G (2025) New data on spiders (Arthropoda, Arachnida, Araneae) of Georgia with description of a new species from Tegenaria lyncea group. Caucasiana 4: 65-80. https://doi.org/10.3897/caucasiana.4.e151922