Hidden diversity in plain sight: four new species of Nemesia (Araneae: Mygalomorphae) from the Córdoba Province of Spain

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  Hidden diversity in plain sight: four new species of Nemesia (Araneae: Mygalomorphae) from the Córdoba Province of Spain Abstract A taxonomic revision of the species of Nemesia Audouin, 1826, distributed in the vicinity of Córdoba City, southern Spain, is presented. Four new species are described: Nemesia morana sp. nov. (female), N. kodama sp. nov. (male and female), N. rosae sp. nov. (male and female), and N. tamajoni sp. nov. (male and female). These species are distinguished by distinct morphological characters, including the shape of the spermathecae, palpal bulbs, and spinnerets, as well as by burrow architecture. Fieldwork was conducted across two of the three major habitat types in the region—the humid, forested mountains of Sierra Morena and the croplands and riparian forests of the Guadalquivir Valley—while the third, the “campiña”, which is mainly composed of agricultural landscapes, remains poorly explored. Sampling methods included pitfall trapping and the direct e...

Desiccation resistance of the spider Sicarius thomisoides (Walckenaer, 1847) (Araneae: Sicariidae) to different temperatures

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Desiccation resistance of the spider Sicarius thomisoides (Walckenaer, 1847) (Araneae: Sicariidae) to different temperatures

Abstract

Desert spiders generally are tolerant or resistant to desiccation, as they must develop strategies to live in high temperatures and prevent continued water loss. However, in extreme conditions, as the temperature increases, their metabolism increases, so they could lose water as the temperature rises. The objective of this work was to determine the effect of temperature on water loss in the spider Sicarius thomisoides. Spiders were subjected to different temperatures: 20 °C, 30 °C and 40 °C. Our results indicate that this spider has excellent resistance to desiccation, since, on average of the three temperatures, losing only 77.25 ± 3.14% of the initial weight at 40 °C, being able to resist extremely high temperatures. In addition, we could not determine a significant effect of body size. Water loss was similar among individuals of different stage of development.

Berríos, C., Martínez, M., & Taucare‐Ríos, A. (2026). Desiccation resistance of the spider <em>Sicarius thomisoides</em> (Walckenaer, 1847) (Araneae: Sicariidae) to different temperatures. Revista Chilena De Entomología, 52(1), 51–58. Retrieved from https://www.biotaxa.org/rce/article/view/88431