New locality records and future habitat suitability of Sassanidotus gracilis (Birula, 1900) (Scorpiones: Buthidae) in the Iran–Afghanistan–Pakistan arid belt

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  New locality records and future habitat suitability of Sassanidotus gracilis (Birula, 1900) (Scorpiones: Buthidae) in the Iran–Afghanistan–Pakistan arid belt Abstract This study reports new locality records from Iran and a climate-based habitat suitability assessment for Sassanidotus gracilis (Birula, 1900) (Scorpiones: Buthidae) in the Iran–Afghanistan–Pakistan arid belt. We document new specimens from Sistan and Baluchestan Province, Iran, with an updated distribution map and illustrations, and we model the species' potential distribution across south-eastern Iran and adjacent parts of Afghanistan and Pakistan. Habitat suitability was associated mainly with precipitation seasonality, precipitation of the wettest month, precipitation of the driest month, and slope. In an arid setting these rainfall variables are unlikely to indicate a need for moist habitat; they more plausibly track seasonal productivity and the terrain features that provide shelter. Present-day suitable areas...

New data on spiders (Arachnida, Araneae) of Türkiye, with descriptions of four new species

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New data on spiders (Arachnida, Araneae) of Türkiye, with descriptions of four new species

Abstract

New taxonomic and faunistic data on Turkish spiders are presented. Four species are described as new to science: Cybaeus anatolicus sp. nov. (♀; Konya) [Cybaeidae], Dictyna caligaformis sp. nov. (♂♀; Bursa) [Dictynidae], Leptonetela ayvaensis sp. nov. (♂♀; Bursa), and L. oylatensis sp. nov. (♂; Bursa) [Leptonetidae]. Except for Cybaeus anatolicus sp. nov., the remaining new species were collected in caves. Additionally, Drassodes robatus Roewer, 1961 [Gnaphosidae] is recorded from Türkiye for the first time, and an unusual variation in the shape of the retrolateral tibial apophysis is documented in an unidentified congener. Additional illustrations are provided for Cataleptoneta aydintopcui Demircan, 2020 [Leptonetidae] and Pterotricha kochi (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1872) [Gnaphosidae], for which new localities in Türkiye are reported, as well as for Troglohyphantes karolianus Topçu, Türkes & Seyyar, 2008 [Linyphiidae], included here based on topotypic material.

Zamani A, Marusik YM, Kaya RS (2026) New data on spiders (Arachnida, Araneae) of Türkiye, with descriptions of four new species. ZooKeys 1282: 323-338. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1282.192906