Joining the dark side: waterfall spiders in subterranean habitats, with the description of a new genus and two new species from Brazil (Araneae: Trechaleidae)

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  Joining the dark side: waterfall spiders in subterranean habitats, with the description of a new genus and two new species from Brazil (Araneae: Trechaleidae) Abstract Trechaleidae is a family of spiders often recognized by its semiaquatic species, but its diversity extends beyond these well-known examples. In this study, we describe Troglotrechalea gen. nov. , a new genus with two novel species, T. faleroae spec. nov. and T. agorai spec. nov. , found exclusively in subterranean habitats within karst formations in central and southeastern Brazil. Both species exhibit pale coloration, but unmodified eyes and legs if compared to other species in the family. The slight degree of troglomorphism, along with their geographic and habitat records, suggests that these species are restricted to hypogean habitats, although they probably move through epigean habitats. Additionally, we report in detail the occurrence of the trechaleid genera Enna O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1897, Heidrunea Brescovi...

First record of Pandava Lehtinen, 1967, in the Middle East, with a new record of Nurscia albomaculata (Lucas, 1846) (Araneae: Titanoecidae) from Iraq

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First record of Pandava Lehtinen, 1967, in the Middle East, with a new record of Nurscia albomaculata (Lucas, 1846) (Araneae: Titanoecidae) from Iraq

Abstract

We report the first record of the titanoecid spider genus Pandava Lehtinen, 1967, from the Middle East, represented by P. hunanensis Yin & Bao, 2001, a species previously known only from southern China. Additionally, Nurscia albomaculata (Lucas, 1846) is recorded for the first time from Iraq. These records fill a knowledge gap of more than 110 years regarding the representation of the family Titanoecidae in Iraq. The occurrence of Pandava in Iraq represents a remarkable westward and northward range extension of approximately 3000 km from its nearest previously known natural distribution.

Al-Khailani, M. A., & Al-Khazali, A. M. (2026). First record of Pandava Lehtinen, 1967, in the Middle East, with a new record of Nurscia albomaculata (Lucas, 1846) (Araneae: Titanoecidae) from Iraq . Ecologica Montenegrina, 94, 254–263. https://doi.org/10.37828/em.2026.94.18