Brief history of ophidiology and ophidism in Colombia

  Brief history of ophidiology and ophidism in Colombia  Abstract This review traces the historical trajectory of ophidiology (the study of snakes) and ophidism (snakebite envenoming) within the Colombian context. Despite the profound cultural and scientific significance of the human–serpent relationship in the region, the relevant literature remains fragmented, with foundational historical works neither digitized nor readily accessible. To address this, we conducted a narrative review of primary sources spanning from the pre-Colombian era to the present. Our methodology involved sourcing material from specialized libraries, historical archives, personal collections and contemporary scientific databases. The analysis identifies and contextualizes pivotal contributions across distinct historical periods, from early archeological evidence and colonial accounts to foundational eighteenth-century works and the formalized scientific studies of the last two centuries. The review cul...

A new species of the genus Calommata Lucas, 1837, with first description of the male of Calommata hangzhica Li & Xu, 2022 from Hunan, China (Araneae, Atypidae)

 


A new species of the genus Calommata Lucas, 1837, with first description of the male of Calommata hangzhica Li & Xu, 2022 from Hunan, China (Araneae, Atypidae)

Abstract

A new spider species of the genus Calommata Lucas, 1837 is described from China: C. yueluensis sp. nov. (♂♀). The male of C. hangzhica Li & Xu, 2022 is described for the first time. Detailed descriptions, photographs of the habitus and copulatory organs, as well as the COI gene confirming that the male belongs to C. hangzhica are provided. The distribution map and taxonomic key to Chinese Calommata species are presented.

Wu F, Yan W, Zhou G, Peng X (2026) A new species of the genus Calommata Lucas, 1837, with first description of the male of Calommata hangzhica Li & Xu, 2022 from Hunan, China (Araneae, Atypidae). ZooKeys 1278: 201-213. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1278.183005