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...

Palpal teratology in adult male spiders (Arachnida: Araneae): new cases and synopsis of the historical literature

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Palpal teratology in adult male spiders (Arachnida: Araneae): new cases and synopsis of the historical literature

Abstract 
Palpal teratology is newly reported and illustrated in males of three species of spiders: Hibana incursa (Chamberlin, 1919) (Anyphaenidae) from Mexico, Chococtenus lasdamas Dupérré, 2015 (Ctenidae) from Ecuador (also being newly recorded from the province of Pichincha and the highest altitude record for the species), and Xerolycosa nemoralis (Westring, 1861) (Lycosidae) from Russia. The first detailed photographs and descriptions of the anomalous palps of males of Epicratinus maozinha Gonçalves et Brescovit, 2024 (Zodariidae) from Brazil and Carrhotus assam Caleb, 2020 (Salticidae) from India are presented. Finally, a synopsis of the other literature on palpal teratology in adult male spiders is given.

Many thanks, as always, to Danni Sherwood for forwarding this work via ResearchGate.

Sherwood, Danniella & Gonçalves, Ricardo & Peñaherrera-R, Pedro & Sudhin, Puthoor & Azarkina, Galina & Caleb, John. (2025). Palpal teratology in adult male spiders (Arachnida: Araneae): new cases and synopsis of the historical literature. Invertzool. 22. 505-518. 10.15298/invertzool.22.3.10.