Scorpio basraensis sp. n. from southern Iraq (Scorpiones: Scorpionidae)

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  Scorpio basraensis sp. n. from southern Iraq (Scorpiones: Scorpionidae) Abstract A new scorpion species, Scorpio basraensis sp. n. , is described and illustrated from Basra Province, southern Iraq. Scorpio basraensis sp. n. is compared with all known species of the genus Scorpio Linnaeus, 1758 occurring in countries surrounding Iraq. The new species can be distinguished by the circular genital operculum in males and the cordiform genital operculum in females (not posteriorly elongated), a densely hirsute body, appendages and metasoma, a distinctly elongated telson vesicle, discrete granules on the external surface of the chela manus that are not flattened, and pectinal tooth counts of 11–13 in males and 9–11 in females. With the description of this species, the number of scorpion species known from Iraq increases to 22, whereas the number of recognized species in the genus Scorpio reaches 33. Yağmur, Ersen A.; Makki, Jafar A.; and Najim, Shurooq A. (2026) " Scorpio basraen...

Cyclosa Menge, 1866 (Araneidae) Orb-Weavers Build Stabilimenta That Resemble Larger Spiders

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Cyclosa Menge, 1866 (Araneidae) Orb-Weavers Build Stabilimenta That Resemble Larger Spiders

ABSTRACT

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Orb-weaving spiders are known to create stabilimenta—silk situated at particular locations of the web. While anecdotal reports and popular media have long suggested that some spiders arrange debris in their webs to resemble a larger spider, this behavior has not been formally documented in the scientific literature. Here, we provide the first scientific record of this unique behavior in two orb-weaving spiders (Cyclosa spp., Araneidae) from the tropical forests of Peru and the Philippines. We report that these spiders construct stabilimenta composed of detritus and silk, arranging the debris in the web into a shape that visually resembles the silhouette of a larger spider. This structure may serve as a “decoy” that serves an anti-predator function of misdirecting or repelling the attacks of some predators. Video abstract: https://youtu.be/GDySHFRXbCE.


Olah, G., Torres, P. J., Pomerantz, A. F., Kirby, R., Baxter, S., Grados, J., & Reeves, L. E. (2025). Cyclosa Menge, 1866 (Araneidae) Orb-Weavers Build Stabilimenta That Resemble Larger Spiders. Ecology and Evolution, 15(11), e72371. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.72371