A pseudoscorpion clinging to a cave salamander: phoresy or failed predation?

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  A pseudoscorpion clinging to a cave salamander: phoresy or failed predation? Abstract Pseudoscorpions are well known for phoretic associations with arthropods, but interactions with amphibians are rarely documented. Here we report a pseudoscorpion attached to the left palpebral region of an adult male Italian cave salamander, Speleomantes italicus , observed during a visual survey in a karst cave in Tuscany, Italy. The pseudoscorpion, assigned on the basis of visible morphology and locality to Chthonius cf. elongatus , was grasping a minute cutaneous fold on the lower margin of the left upper eyelid with one chela while the salamander moved slowly over the rock surface. No handling was performed and the initial contact between the two animals was not observed. The event therefore cannot be interpreted unambiguously, but may represent opportunistic phoresy or defensive attachment following a failed predation attempt. To our knowledge, this is the first published observation of a ...

New and noteworthy host records for some North American and Colombian spider wasps (Hymenoptera: Pompilidae)

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New and noteworthy host records for some North American and Colombian spider wasps (Hymenoptera: Pompilidae)

Abstract

New and noteworthy parasitoid/host records for 47 North American and Colombian species and subspecies of spider wasps (Hymenoptera: Pompilidae) are listed in taxonomic order following the Catalog of Hymenoptera in America North of Mexico (Krombein 1979). Te records represent an extension of previous host studies by Kurczewski and various co-authors. New genus and/or species host records are given for the genera and subgenera Calopompilus Ashmead, Pepsis Fabricius, Hemipepsis Dahlbom, Priocnessus Banks, Entypus Dahlbom, Cryptocheilus Panzer, Priocnemissus Haupt, Caliadurgus Pate, Dipogon Fox, Phanagenia Banks, Auplopus Spinola, Ageniella Banks, Aporus Spinola, Episyron Schiødte, Poecilopompilus Ashmead, Tachypompilus Ashmead, Arachnophroctonus Howard, Pompilinus Ashmead, Arachnospila Kincaid, and Allochares Banks. New host spider families are introduced for Pepsis equestris Erichson (Pycnothelidae), Pepsis mexicana Lucas (Ctenidae), Pepsis cyanescens Lepeletier (Ctenidae), Pepsis lepida Mocsary (Teraphosidae), Priocnessus prominens (Banks) (Teraphosidae), Entypus unifasciatus cressoni (Banks) (Teraphosidae), Priocnemis (Priocnemissus) nigripes (Cresson) (Antrodiaetidae), Dipogon (Deuteragenia) calipterus (Say) (Salticidae), Dipogon (Deuteragenia) sayi Banks (Trachelidae), Auplopus mellipes mellipes (Say) (Dysderidae), Ageniella (Ageniella) accepta (Cresson) species group (Corinnidae), Ageniella (Ageniella) evansi Townes (Zoropsidae), Ageniella (Leucophrus) reynoldsi (Banks) (Salticidae), Ageniella (Priophanes) sp. (Gnaphosidae), Aporus (Aporus) niger (Cresson) (Antrodiaetidae), Episyron conterminus Smith (Nephilidae), Tachypompilus ferrugineus (Say) (Salticidae). Linyphiidae and Philodromidae are new host families for Caliadurgus fasciatellus (Spinola) in North America. Entychides Simon (Euctenizidae) is a new host genus for species in the family Pompilidae. Latrodectus mactans (Fabricius) (Teridiidae) is reported herein for an extremely rare, unidentified host species of Pompilidae.

Kurczewski FE, West RC. 2026. New and noteworthy host records for some North American and Colombian spider wasps (Hymenoptera: Pompilidae). Insecta Mundi 1170: 1–24. https://journals.flvc.org/mundi/article/view/141468