A Remarkable Discovery: Exploring a Rare Eresus and Spider Wasp Interaction

  Photo Credit: © Antonino Rametta . All photographs are used with permission. No part of these images may be reproduced, distributed, or used in any form without the prior written permission of the photographer. A Remarkable Discovery: Exploring a Rare Eresus and Spider Wasp Interaction One of the most rewarding aspects of maintaining Arácnido Taxonomy is hearing from naturalists and photographers around the world who take the time to share their discoveries. Every so often, an email arrives that immediately captures your attention. Not because it claims to rewrite what we know about biodiversity, but because it documents something that very few people have the opportunity to witness. Recently, I was contacted by a naturalist in Sicily who shared a series of exceptionally high-quality photographs of a female ladybird spider ( Eresus ) during what appeared to be an interaction with a spider wasp. Along with the images came a simple question: "Could this be scientifically import...

First record of a crab spider Xysticus crispabilis Song & Gao, 1996 (Araneae: Thomisidae) from Japan with the first description of a female

 



First record of a crab spider Xysticus crispabilis Song & Gao, 1996 (Araneae: Thomisidae) from Japan with the first description of a female

ABSTRACT

A crab spider species, Xysticus crispabilis Song & Gao, 1996 (Araneae: Thomisidae), originally described from Anhui, China based on a single male specimen, is newly recorded from Japan. This study represents the second specimen-based record of the species since its original description. Detailed redescriptions of genital morphology, coloration and markings of the male are provided based on fresh material. The previously unknown female is described for the first time. In addition, genital images of the holotype, DNA barcoding data, preliminary molecular phylogeny, and ecological notes are presented.
Suzuki, Y., & Lin, Y. (2026). First record of a crab spider Xysticus crispabilis Song & Gao, 1996 (Araneae: Thomisidae) from Japan with the first description of a female. Journal of Asia-Pacific Biodiversity. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.japb.2026.03.005