Seasonal Variation in Whole-Body Elemental Concentrations and Excreta Production of a Riparian Orb-Weaving Spider (Larinioides cornutus)

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  Seasonal Variation in Whole-Body Elemental Concentrations and Excreta Production of a Riparian Orb-Weaving Spider (Larinioides cornutus) ABSTRACT Predators influence nutrient cycling by assimilating elements from their prey and returning nutrients to ecosystems via excretion and discarded prey remains. However, seasonal variation in the contribution of predators to nutrient cycling remains poorly understood, particularly for terrestrial arthropod predators such as spiders. We examined temporal variation in whole-body elemental concentrations, excreta C and N concentrations, and cumulative excreta output in a riparian orb-weaving spider ( Larinioides cornutus ) across the growing season of 2024. Adult females were collected across seven sampling periods spanning mid-June to early October, and whole-body concentrations of macronutrients (carbon [C], nitrogen [N], phosphorus [P]) and multiple trace elements were quantified. Whole-body N and P concentrations, and several trace elemen...

Hidden in the dark: five new species of Pinelema (Araneae: Telemidae) from caves in northern Vietnam with remarks on the genus diversity and conservation

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Hidden in the dark: five new species of Pinelema (Araneae: Telemidae) from caves in northern Vietnam with remarks on the genus diversity and conservation

Abstract
Five new cave-dwelling species of the genus Pinelema Wang & Li, 2012 from northern Vietnam are described based on both sexes: Pinelema onganh, new species; P. cavernalis, new species; P. huifengi, new species; and P. nagaoi, new species, from Cao Bang Province, and P. aurata, new species, from Dien Bien Province. Three of these species exhibit marked morphological adaptations to subterranean life, including the absence of eyes, depigmentation, and leg elongation. For each species, detailed images of their diagnostic characters are provided. When possible, barcode sequences of the new species are obtained and compared with published Pinelema sequences in a pairwise analysis to assess the interspecific genetic variation of the genus. The significance of Pinelema species diversity in the Southeast Asian karst regions is also briefly discussed, along with conservation challenges linked to their strict habitat requirements.

Ballarin, Francesco & Nguyen, Duc Anh & Eguchi, Katsuyuki. (2025). Hidden in the dark: five new species of Pinelema (Araneae: Telemidae) from caves in northern Vietnam with remarks on the genus diversity and conservation. The Raffles Bulletin of Zoology. 73. 548-567. 10.26107/RBZ-2025-0036.