The Journal of Arachnology VOL. 53 · NO. 3 | 2025–2026

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The Journal of Arachnology VOL. 53 · NO. 3 | 2025–2026 The Journal of Arachnology A new issue is now available online at https://www.bioone.org/journals/the-journal-of-arachnology/volume-53/issue-3 The table of contents for this issue is listed below. Click on the links below to view the abstract for each article, or click on the link above to read the table of contents online. If you wish to update your preferences or alerts, please sign into your account at https://bioone.org If you need any further help, please visit https://bioone.org and click on "help". Growth, development, and survival in the brown widow spider, Latrodectus geometricus, under different feeding regimes Jeffrey A. Harvey, Francesco Gerosa, Rieta Gols & Wilco C.E.P. Verberk The Journal of Arachnology Dec 2025 Vol. 53, No. 3: 154-161 https://www.bioone.org/journals/the-journal-of-arachnology/volume-53/issue-3/JoA-S-24-013/Growth-development-and-survival-in-the-brown-widow-spider-Latrodectus/10.1636/Jo...

The first known troglomorphic, eyeless spider wasp (Hymenoptera: Pompilidae): Troglopompilus miracaecatus gen. et sp. nov. from the Nullarbor Caves, Western Australia

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The first known troglomorphic, eyeless spider wasp (Hymenoptera: Pompilidae): Troglopompilus miracaecatus gen. et sp. nov. from the Nullarbor Caves, Western Australia

Abstract

Surveys of caves of the Nullarbor Plain, Western Australia, revealed a remarkable assemblage of exceptionally well-preserved mummified arthropods, comprising Araneae, Blattodea, Coleoptera and Chilopoda, all of which exhibit high levels of troglomorphism, lacking eyes and showing a number of other adaptations. Of note, this arthropod assemblage also included a pompilid wasp which is eyeless and brachypterous and unlike any member of the family known globally. Here, we describe this amazing wasp as Troglopompilus miracaecatus gen. et sp. nov., and discuss its remarkable morphology and possible affinities and biology.

Rodriguez, J., Austin, A. D., & Marsh, J. R. (2026). The first known troglomorphic, eyeless spider wasp (Hymenoptera: Pompilidae): Troglopompilus miracaecatus gen. Et sp. Nov. From the Nullarbor Caves, Western Australia. Austral Entomology, 65(2), e70061. https://doi.org/10.1111/aen.70061