Distributional Notes on Three Wolf Spider Species (Araneae: Lycosidae) Recorded for the First Time in Diyala Province, Iraq

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  Distributional Notes on Three Wolf Spider Species (Araneae: Lycosidae) Recorded for the First Time in Diyala Province, Iraq Abstract This study presents new distributional data for three wolf spider species (Araneae: Lycosidae) from Diyala Province in eastern Iraq. Specimens were gathered from different districts and habitats between July 2025 and June 2026. The species Arctosa tbilisiensis Mcheidze, 1946, Lycosa piochardi Simon, 1876, and Wadicosa fidelis (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1872) are recorded for the first time in Diyala, extending their known ranges within Iraq. The paper describes key diagnostic morphological features and includes information about the examined specimens and their local distributions. These findings improve knowledge of the distribution of Iraqi Lycosidae and reveal that Diyala Province, despite its habitat variety, remains insufficiently studied. The records serve as a valuable baseline for future taxonomic, faunistic, and ecological research on spiders i...

A New Species of the Lynx Spider Genus Hamataliwa Keyserling, 1887 (Araneae: Oxyopidae) from Meghalaya, India

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A New Species of the Lynx Spider Genus Hamataliwa Keyserling, 1887 (Araneae: Oxyopidae) from Meghalaya, India

Abstract

Hamataliwa Keyserling, 1887 is the second most species-rich genus within the family Oxyopidae Thorell, 1869. Members of this genus are typically smaller than other oxyopids and are characterised by relatively drab body colouration, macrosetae on the legs and opisthosoma, and weakly developed posterior leg pairs. In this study, we describe a new species of lynx spider, Hamataliwa mawlyngot sp. nov. (♀♂), from Mawlyngot, a small village in East Khasi Hills, Meghalaya, India. The species is documented with a detailed morphological description, and micrographs of the habitus and genitalia. This represents the first report of the genus from Meghalaya and highlights the need for thorough surveys to unveil many more species of this foliage-dwelling genus in the future.

Bhattacharya, U., Sudhin, P.P. & Sen, S. A New Species of the Lynx Spider Genus Hamataliwa Keyserling, 1887 (Araneae: Oxyopidae) from Meghalaya, India. Natl. Acad. Sci. Lett. (2026). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40009-026-02315-3