Behavioral evidence for two-stage sleep in spiders

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  Behavioral evidence for two-stage sleep in spiders Abstract Sleep is a fundamental behavioral state found across the animal kingdom, yet most of what we know about sleep is heavily vertebrate-biased. Studies are scarce or nonexistent in all but a few invertebrate lineages. A recent study of an REM sleep-like behavior in a jumping spider has reported unexpected parallels to sleep expression in vertebrates. So far, experimental evidence that these behavioral indicators truly represent sleep was lacking in spiders. Here, we present a comprehensive investigation into sleep behavior in the spider Portia fimbriata (Salticidae). We demonstrate diurnal activity, a free-running circadian rhythm, robust sleep architecture, regularly occurring REM-like behaviors, elevated arousal thresholds during those REM-like states, as well as rebound effects following sleep disruption. We conclude that the behavior we observe in spiders is behavioral sleep, providing evidence for an REM-like sleep sub...

A phylogenomic analysis of the genus Auyantepuia (Scorpiones: Chactidae) in French Guiana with the descriptions of two new species

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A phylogenomic analysis of the genus Auyantepuia (Scorpiones: Chactidae) in French Guiana with the descriptions of two new species

Abstract

A review of the scorpions of the genus Auyantepuia (Scorpiones, Chactidae) in French Guiana is conducted using an integrative taxonomic approach combining molecular analysis performed on the mitochondrial genome of most species occurring in the territory and more traditional morphological analyses, leading to the descriptions of two new species, Auyantepuia kwata sp. nov. and Auyantepuia manmandinan sp. nov. Diagnoses are presented for all Auyantepuia species occurring in French Guiana and an identification key is proposed. The total number of recognized species in the genus Auyantepuia species is raised to 15.

Ythier, E., Chevalier, J., Moreau, L., & Murienne, J. (2026). A phylogenomic analysis of the genus Auyantepuia (Scorpiones: Chactidae) in French Guiana with the descriptions of two new species. European Journal of Taxonomy, 1034(1), 31-57. https://doi.org/10.5852/ejt.2026.1034.3147