New predatory interaction of Trichonephila clavipes (Araneae: Nephilidae) on Fidicinini (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) in a forest fragment of the Neotropical region

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  New predatory interaction of Trichonephila clavipes (Araneae: Nephilidae) on Fidicinini (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) in a forest fragment of the Neotropical region Abstract Trichonephila clavipes (Araneae: Nephilidae) is an orb web-building spider whose diet is primarily based on flying insects. This note aims to report the first predatory interaction of T. clavipes on a cicada of the genus Fidicina (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) in a fragment of the Atlantic Forest in Brazil. The predation event was observed (ad libitum) in the Benjamin Maranhão Botanical Garden situated in the Mata do Buraquinho Wildlife Refuge, northeastern Brazil. A specimen of Fidicina sp. was found freshly dead and trapped in the web of T. clavipes. The nephilid was observed moving slowly between the ventral and dorsal regions of the Fidicina sp. without weaving a web around the cicadid. Then, T. clavipes was observed perched on the left side of the Fidicina sp., with its pedipalps and chelicerae manipulating the thorax ...

Under pressure: mapping the distribution of medically important Tityus Koch, 1836 (Buthidae) scorpions in Brazil using a century of Instituto Butantan records

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Under pressure: mapping the distribution of medically important Tityus Koch, 1836 (Buthidae) scorpions in Brazil using a century of Instituto Butantan records

Abstract

The buthid scorpions Tityus serrulatus, T. bahiensis, T. obscurus, and T. stigmurus are considered the most medically significant species in Brazil. Since the early 1900s, their identification and distribution have been central to the zoological collections of the Instituto Butantan (IBSP). In this study, we map the distribution of these species using 7241 presence-only records from the IBSP collected since 1905. Species richness and record density were analyzed using 2° grid cells, and spatial overlap was assessed via a Jaccard similarity index. Based on our dataset of species records, Tityus serrulatus showed the broadest distribution, present in nearly all Brazilian states except Rio Grande do Norte, Maranhão, Amapá, and Roraima, with the highest densities in São Paulo and northern Paraná. Tityus bahiensis had the second widest range, with dense occurrences largely restricted to São Paulo. Mesoregions in São Paulo (Macrometropolitana Paulista, Metropolitana de São Paulo) and Paraná (Noroeste, Norte-Central) have the highest probability of encountering medically significant Tityus species, considering the density of records obtained from the IBSP collection. Also, we emphasize the importance of implementing long-term monitoring programs and conducting new species surveys, especially in high-risk areas and current species distribution gaps.
Goldoni, P. A., Brescovit, A. D., Castro-Souza, R. A., Cequinel, J., Marques-da-Silva, E., & Iniesta, L. F. (2025). Under pressure: Mapping the distribution of medically important Tityus Koch, 1836 (Buthidae) scorpions in Brazil using a century of Instituto Butantan records. Toxicon, 268, 108627. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.toxicon.2025.108627