Remarkable micro-endemism and high congeneric richness: eight new cave-restricted species of Pseudochthonius Balzan, 1892 (Pseudoscorpiones, Chthoniidae) from the Brazilian semi-arid

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  Remarkable micro-endemism and high congeneric richness: eight new cave-restricted species of Pseudochthonius Balzan, 1892 (Pseudoscorpiones, Chthoniidae) from the Brazilian semi-arid Abstract Eight new species of pseudoscorpions belonging to the genus Pseudochthonius Balzan, 1892 are described from the semi-arid region of Brazil. Comprehensive morphological descriptions, diagnostic characters, detailed illustrations, and ecological remarks of the habitats are provided for Pseudochthonius celestialis sp. nov., P. caritas sp. nov., P. patientia sp. nov., P. temperantia sp. nov., P. diligentia sp. nov., P. castitas sp. nov., P. humilitas sp. nov., and P. benignitas sp. nov. In addition, we present a brief discussion of the potential factors underlying the remarkable congeneric species richness observed in this geographically restricted region, as well as the principal threats faced by these species. These findings underscore the importance of conserving caves in order to pr...

The chemosensory toolkit of the cursorial spider Pisaura mirabilis

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The chemosensory toolkit of the cursorial spider Pisaura mirabilis

Abstract

Chemical sensing is essential for animals to locate food, avoid predators, and find mates. Like many arthropods, spiders rely on chemosensory inputs, but their toolkit remains largely unknown. Here, we investigate the basics of chemosensing in the cursorial spider Pisaura mirabilis. Using electron microscopy, we identified two types of chemosensory sensilla. Tip-pore sensilla occur on legs and pedipalps of both sexes, while wall-pore sensilla are found on walking legs of adult males only. Tip-pore sensilla are classified as contact chemosensilla, while wall-pore sensilla are classified as odor-detecting sensilla. Our behavioral studies confirm that males are attracted to female odor. The distribution of these sensilla types supports their functions: tip-pore sensilla occur mainly at the tips of the legs, whereas wall-pore sensilla occur closer to leg bases, not contacting the substrate. These findings expand our knowledge of chemosensing in spiders and have implications for research on arthropod chemical ecology.

Talukder, M. B., Müller, C. H., Fischer, A., Mahimkar, V., Wolff, J. O., & Uhl, G. B. (2025). The chemosensory toolkit of the cursorial spider Pisaura mirabilis. Communications Biology. https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-025-09127-z