Hidden diversity in plain sight: four new species of Nemesia (Araneae: Mygalomorphae) from the Córdoba Province of Spain

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  Hidden diversity in plain sight: four new species of Nemesia (Araneae: Mygalomorphae) from the Córdoba Province of Spain Abstract A taxonomic revision of the species of Nemesia Audouin, 1826, distributed in the vicinity of Córdoba City, southern Spain, is presented. Four new species are described: Nemesia morana sp. nov. (female), N. kodama sp. nov. (male and female), N. rosae sp. nov. (male and female), and N. tamajoni sp. nov. (male and female). These species are distinguished by distinct morphological characters, including the shape of the spermathecae, palpal bulbs, and spinnerets, as well as by burrow architecture. Fieldwork was conducted across two of the three major habitat types in the region—the humid, forested mountains of Sierra Morena and the croplands and riparian forests of the Guadalquivir Valley—while the third, the “campiña”, which is mainly composed of agricultural landscapes, remains poorly explored. Sampling methods included pitfall trapping and the direct e...

A place for everything, and everything in its place: A new genus for the spiny Australian crab spiders (Araneae: Thomisidae)

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A place for everything, and everything in its place: A new genus for the spiny Australian crab spiders (Araneae: Thomisidae)

Abstract

Recent phylogenetic analyses have shown consistent evidences that the composition of some Stephanopinae genera, as well as their distribution, were wrongly assigned throughout the 20th century. Inaccurate descriptions and vague diagnoses resulted in groups that are actually formed by multiple genera, which were repeatedly recovered as polyphylies. The present work is part of a long-term morphological study that aims to better understand and delineate the taxonomic boundaries of the Australian stephanopines. Hereinafter, we present a new combination for a group of spiders hitherto considered as part of Sidymella Strand, 1942, officially elevating it to a generic rank and highlighting its diagnostic features. The genus Spinaarachne gen.nov. is proposed not only to comprise the new species S. aculeata sp. nov. and S. pilosa sp. nov. but also to accommodate the transference of S. hirsuta (L. Koch, 1874) comb. nov. Brief notes regarding the plausible reasons of why S. hirsuta comb. nov. was previously attributed to a Neotropical genus are presented, and new distribution records are also provided.

Machado, M. and R. A. Teixeira. 2025. A place for everything, and everything in its place: A new genus for the spiny Australian crab spiders (Araneae: Thomisidae). Records of the Australian Museum 77(5): 271-283. https://doi.org/10.3853/j.2201-4349.77.2025.1913