Description of a new species of Zodarion Walckenaer (Araneae: Zodariidae) from Turkey

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  Description of a new species of Zodarion Walckenaer (Araneae: Zodariidae) from Turkey Introduction Zodariidae Thorell, commonly known as ant-eating spiders, is one of the most diverse spider families, comprising over 1300 species across 90 genera (World Spider Catalog  Citation 2026 ). Members of the family are distributed worldwide, mostly in tropical and subtropical regions (World Spider Catalog  Citation 2026 ). Within this large family, the genus Zodarion Walckenaer, is represented by 176 species (World Spider Catalog  Citation 2026 ). Currently, 157 Zodarion species are known from Europe (Nentwig et al .  Citation 2026 ). In Turkey, the family Zodariidae comprises 37 species in four genera. Most of them, 34 species, belong to the genus Zodarion (Danışman et al. ,  Citation 2025 ). Within the genus, eight species of the ‘ germanicum ’ species group are found in Turkey: Zodarion abantense Wunderlich, Z. bigaense Bosmans, Özkütük, Varlı, and Kunt, ...

Two New Troglobitic Species of Giupponia Pérez-González & Kury, 2002 (Opiliones: Gonyleptoidea) from Caves of Bahia, Northeastern Brazil

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Two New Troglobitic Species of Giupponia Pérez-González & Kury, 2002 (Opiliones: Gonyleptoidea) from Caves of Bahia, Northeastern Brazil

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Among the most fascinating environments on Earth are caves. These places are usually humid and have little to no light, creating unique conditions for life. Throughout history, caves have often been linked to legends and mysteries, sometimes seen as homes of unknown creatures or even gateways to other worlds. Interestingly, the idea that caves shelter unusual or “strange” creatures is not entirely wrong, as new troglobitic (name given to animals that live only in caves) species are still being discovered in these environments today. In this study, we describe two new species of arachnids belonging to the order Opiliones (commonly known as harvestmen). These species belong to the genus Giupponia, which, until 2002, included only a single known species. These new species were found in an important region in northeastern Brazil, the Serra do Ramalho karst area, known for its large number of caves, some of them extensive and visually striking. Describing new species helps us better understand biodiversity and provides important information to support the conservation of these unique environments and their fauna.

Gallão, J. E., Bichuette, M. E., Kury, A. B., & Hara, M. R. (2026). Two New Troglobitic Species of Giupponia Pérez-González & Kury, 2002 (Opiliones: Gonyleptoidea) from Caves of Bahia, Northeastern Brazil. Animals, 16(11), 1609. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani16111609