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...

Hidden treasures of the Caribbean: two new genera and one new species of Lesser Antillean ischnocoline spiders (Araneae: Theraphosidae)

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Hidden treasures of the Caribbean: two new genera and one new species of Lesser Antillean ischnocoline spiders (Araneae: Theraphosidae)

Abstract
The new genus Caribothele gen. nov. is described to house its type species Caribothele culebrae (Petrunkevitch, 1929) comb. nov., from Puerto Rico, transferred from Holothele Karsch, 1879. Another new genus, Encantarana gen. nov. is described to house Encantarana hamiltoni gen. et sp. nov. based on both sexes, also from Puerto Rico, and is presently monotypic. Four other species misplaced in Holothele Karsch, 1879 are transferred to Caribothele gen. nov., creating the following new combinations: Caribothele denticu-lata (Franganillo, 1930) comb. nov., Caribothele maddeni (Esposito & Agnarsson, 2014) comb. nov., Caribothele shoemakeri (Petrunkevitch, 1926) comb. nov., and Caribothele sulfurensis (Maréchal, 2005) comb. nov.

Acknowledgement

My deepest and most heartfelt gratitude goes to Danni Sherwood for her generosity in sharing this and other forthcoming publications prior to their official release. Her consistent support and willingness to provide early access to such valuable materials are sincerely appreciated and continue to make a meaningful difference in advancing this work.

Sherwood, D., Gabriel, R., Peñaherrera-R., P., Rollard, C., Leguin, E.-A. & Privet, K. 2025: Hidden treasures of the Caribbean: two new genera and one new species of Lesser Antillean ischnocoline spiders (Araneae: Theraphosidae). - Natura Somogyienis 46: 99-116.