A new species of Mesiotelus Simon (Araneae: Liocranidae) from Turkey

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  A new species of Mesiotelus Simon (Araneae: Liocranidae) from Turkey ABSTRACT A new species of the liocranid spider genus Mesiotelus, M. aladaghensis sp. n . (male and female), is described in Aladağlar National Park, Niğde Province, Turkey. Its general habitus and genitalia are illustrated. The description and collection data for this species are also provided. Düzelten Balli, Z., & Türkeş, T. (2026). A new species of Mesiotelus Simon (Araneae: Liocranidae) from Turkey. Journal of Natural History , 60 (37–40), 2009–2017. https://doi.org/10.1080/00222933.2026.2716814

Sexual association and description of the male of Braunilla nigrina (Banks, 1946) (Hymenoptera, Pompilidae, Pompilinae)

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Sexual association and description of the male of Braunilla nigrina (Banks, 1946) (Hymenoptera, Pompilidae, Pompilinae)

ABSTRACT

The family Pompilidae (Latreille, 1804), within the order Hymenoptera, comprises a monophyletic group of solitary wasps, notably specialized in the predation and provisioning of spiders as a larval resource. The genus Braunilla (= Balboana Banks, 1944), restricted to the Neotropical region, currently includes 11 valid species, of which only two have males formally described. Braunilla nigrina was originally described by Nathan Banks in 1946; however, the original description lacks precise information regarding the sex of the holotype, generating taxonomic uncertainty concerning the sexual identity of the species. In this context, the present study aimed to conduct a morphological revision of B. nigrina, focusing on sexual association and morphological characterization of the specimens. A total of 22 individuals were examined, collected from the Cerrado biome in the municipalities of Capitólio and Ingaí, southern Minas Gerais, Brazil. Based on detailed morphological analyses, it was possible to associate males and females, which allowed for the first formal description of the male and the redescription of the female based on additional material. Regional studies such as this are essential for advancing the taxonomic knowledge of Pompilidae in Brazil, providing significant contributions in terms of morphological data, distributional records, and formal descriptions of poorly known species such as B. nigrina.

Souza, R. F., Nunes, J. F., Almeida, D. J. D. S., & Hermes, M. G.. (2026). Sexual association and description of the male of Braunilla nigrina () (Hymenoptera, Pompilidae, Pompilinae). Revista Brasileira De Entomologia, 70(2), e20250124. https://doi.org/10.1590/1806-9665-RBENT-2025-0124