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...

Studies on spider nomenclature V: the taxonomic status of Drassus maillardii Vinson, 1863, with two new synonymies, a neotype, new combinations and a new genus (Araneae: Gnaphosidae)

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Studies on spider nomenclature V: the taxonomic status of Drassus maillardii Vinson, 1863, with two new synonymies, a neotype, new combinations and a new genus (Araneae: Gnaphosidae)

Abstract
A new gnaphosid genus, Sorkinius gen. nov., is described to house divergent species from East Africa, Réunion and the Seychelles. A neotype is designated for the type species, Sorkinius maillardii comb. nov. et stat. rev., formerly described as Dras sus maillardii Vinson, 1863 and previously considered a nomen dubium since 1955. Xerophaeus espoir Platnick, 1981 syn. nov. and Xerophaeus oceanicus Schmidt & Jocqué, 1983 syn. nov. are both proposed as junior synonyms of S. maillardii comb. nov. Sorkinius kibonotensis Tullgren, 1910 comb. nov. et stat. rev. is transferred to the new genus and elevated to species level from its previous parent species Xerophaeus coruscus L. Koch, 1875, with notes on its history. Sorkinius coruscus comb. nov. is itself treated as a valid and distinct species.

Sherwood, Danniella & Jocqué, Rudy & Cazanove, Grégory & Derepas, Brice. (2025). Studies on spider nomenclature V: the taxonomic status of Drassus maillardii Vinson, 1863, with two new synonymies, a neotype, new combinations and a new genus (Araneae: Gnaphosidae). Revista Ibérica de Aracnología. 47. 9-18.