Broad-Scale Climatic Gradients Drive Multiple Facets of Scorpion Beta Diversity in Northeastern Brazil

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  Broad-Scale Climatic Gradients Drive Multiple Facets of Scorpion Beta Diversity in Northeastern Brazil ABSTRACT Aim Beta diversity analyses clarify mechanisms structuring ecological communities, but their multidimensional facets remain poorly explored in arthropods. Here, we quantified taxonomic, phylogenetic, and functional beta diversity in scorpions, partitioned these facets into species replacement and richness differences, and evaluated the relative importance of spatial structure and environmental conditions in driving community assembly. Location Northeastern Brazil, South America. Taxon Scorpions (Arachnida: Scorpiones). Methods Taxonomic beta diversity was estimated using species presence across 70 sites in northeastern Brazil. Phylogenetic turnover was calculated from a multi-locus molecular tree, and functional beta diversity was derived from morphometric and ecological traits. All beta diversity facets were decomposed into replacement and richness-difference component...

New contributions to the genus Harpactea Bristowe, from the Aegean region of Turkey (Araneae: Dysderidae: Harpacteinae)

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New contributions to the genus Harpactea Bristowe, from the Aegean region of Turkey (Araneae: Dysderidae: Harpacteinae)

ABSTRACT

Five new Harpactea species, H. ataturi sp. n. (♂), H. budaki sp. n. (♂♀), H. kesdeki sp. n. (♂♀), H. magnifica sp. n. (♂♀) and H. saki sp. n. (♂♀), are described from the Aegean region of Turkey. The type locality of H. ataturi is İzmir; H. budaki and H. magnifica are from Aydın; H. kesdeki is from Denizli; and H. saki is from Balıkesir. Harpactea kesdeki was recorded only from its type locality and Muğla province, which is also in the Aegean region. The general morphology of the male copulatory organ of H. ataturi resembles that of H. spirembolus, known from the island of Chios, and the female copulatory organ of H. kesdeki resembles that of H. dianae, distributed in Iraklia, one of the Greek islands. The male copulatory organ in H. magnifica resembles that of the Bulgarian endemic species H. konradi. However, the bifurcated median apophysis at the tip of H. magnifica makes it unique. A morphological characteristic of the tegulum of H. saki is also found in H. vagabunda, whose distribution is restricted to Azerbaijan. All new species described in the paper are considered to belong to the rubicunda species group due to the morphological characteristics of the copulatory organs and some other somatic characteristics.

Kunt, K. B., Danışman, T., & Yağmur, E. A. (2026). New contributions to the genus Harpactea Bristowe, from the Aegean region of Turkey (Araneae: Dysderidae: Harpacteinae). Journal of Natural History, 60(9–12), 637–656. https://doi.org/10.1080/00222933.2026.2620575