Thermal ecology of Plesiopelma longisternale: novel insights and comparative analysis with a sympatric species

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  Thermal ecology of Plesiopelma longisternale: novel insights and comparative analysis with a sympatric species Abstract Understanding thermal responses in ectotherms is key to assessing vulnerability to climate change. Tarantulas (Theraphosidae) are informative models due to their sedentary lifestyle, long life cycles, and reliance on specific microhabitats. We present the first integrative assessment of the thermal ecology of Plesiopelma longisternale , a widespread Argentine species, combining experimentally derived thermal limits and thermal preferences with species distribution models, and compare its thermal profile with the sympatric Grammostola vachoni to explore patterns of thermal niche differentiation. Plesiopelma longisternale showed a minimum thermal limit near 4 °C, a maximum near 44 °C, a thermal optimum of 29.5 °C, a narrow thermal performance breadth, and a preferred temperature of approximately 32 °C. Models integrating climatic and thermal parameters predicted...

New insights into Damarchus: a new species and gynandromorph description from Thailand (Araneae: Bemmeridae)

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New insights into Damarchus: a new species and gynandromorph description from Thailand (Araneae: Bemmeridae)

Abstract

The genus Damarchus Thorell, 1891, represents a relatively neglected group of mygalomorph spiders distributed across several Asian countries, including India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, and Thailand. This study describes a new species, Damarchus inazuma sp. nov., discovered in Thailand. The male D. inazuma is identified by the presence of three diminutive spines on the tibial apophysis, whereas the female is characterized by an elongated spermathecal stalk that exhibits an inward curvature. Additionally, we report the identification of a gynandromorph specimen of D. inazuma, marking the first recorded instance of this condition within the family Bemmeridae.

Kunsete, C., Thanoosing, C., Sivayyapram, V., Traiyasut, P. & Warrit, N. (2025) New insights into Damarchus: a new species and gynandromorph description from Thailand (Araneae: Bemmeridae). Zootaxa, 5696 (3), 409–424. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5696.3.6