Hidden in the wrack: spider (Arachnida, Araneae) diversity and new records for Italy from Posidonia banquettes

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  Hidden in the wrack: spider (Arachnida, Araneae) diversity and new records for Italy from Posidonia banquettes ABSTRACT Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile beach wrack deposits (banquettes) are a characteristic coastal habitat of the Mediterranean Sea, yet their invertebrate communities remain poorly studied. Here we report the results of a survey from January to November 2024 of the spider fauna (Order Araneae) associated with Posidonia banquettes at Sant’Agostino beach (Civitavecchia, Latium, central Italy), using four complementary sampling methods (surface and underground pitfall traps, Berlese-Tullgren funnel extraction, and visual census). A total of 161 specimens were collected, with 17 species assigned to 11 families among adult individuals. The dominant families were Argyronetidae (39.4%), represented exclusively by Chaerea maritimus Simon, 1885, and Gnaphosidae (33.8%). Three species are recorded for the first time in Italy: Dysdera gamarrae Ferrández 1984, Gnaphosa jucu...

Redescription of Damastes leo (Simon, 1903), comb. nov. (Araneae, Sparassidae) from Madagascar with first description of the male

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Redescription of Damastes leo (Simon, 1903), comb. nov. (Araneae, Sparassidae) from Madagascar with first description of the male

Abstract

Damastes leo (Simon, 1903), comb. nov. (ex Megaloremmius) female is redescribed and the male is described for the first time. The species is endemic to Madagascar, and its range appears to be limited to remnants of the rainforest. The first COI record for the species is presented, and its distribution is analysed in detail using iNaturalist data.

Uharov I, Wiśniewski K, Trębicki Ł, Jäger P (2026) Redescription of Damastes leo (Simon, 1903), comb. nov. (Araneae, Sparassidae) from Madagascar with first description of the male. ZooKeys 1282: 287-303. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1282.192182