A New Chapter for the International Tarantula Occurrence Database (ITOD)

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  A New Chapter for the International Tarantula Occurrence Database (ITOD) Community science has transformed our understanding of biodiversity, but one of its greatest strengths lies not simply in the accumulation of observations, but in the ability to analyze those observations systematically. Today, I am pleased to announce the next phase of the International Tarantula Occurrence Database (ITOD): a comprehensive, genus-by-genus statistical analysis of every recognized theraphosid genus represented within the project. Rather than viewing ITOD solely as a repository of photographs and locality records, this initiative aims to develop it into a global scientific dataset capable of supporting ecological, taxonomic, biogeographic, and conservation research. Over the coming months, each theraphosid genus will undergo a standardized assessment using a consistent analytical framework. For every genus, data will be compiled on observation numbers, species representation, geographic covera...

A new six-eyed species of the spider genus Alistra Thorell, 1894 from Guangdong, China (Araneae: Hahniidae)

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A new six-eyed species of the spider genus Alistra Thorell, 1894 from Guangdong, China (Araneae: Hahniidae)

Abstract

Guangdong Province, China, possesses an abundant number of karst caves. Cave-dwelling spiders typically exhibit distinct troglomorphic characteristics, such as depigmented bodies and reduced or absent eyes. In this paper, we describe a new species of the genus Alistra Thorell, 1894, Alistra jinlong sp. nov. (male and female), discovered in a karst cave in Guangdong. Notably, this new species possesses six eyes, a feature that distinguishes it from all known congeners. Detailed illustrations of the habitus and copulatory organs, along with a distribution map, are provided.

Ailan He, Yangxin Fan, Shuyi Hou, Jing Guo "A new six-eyed species of the spider genus Alistra Thorell, 1894 from Guangdong, China (Araneae: Hahniidae)," The Pan-Pacific Entomologist, 102(2), 82-87, (30 June 2026) https://doi.org/10.3956/2025-102.2.82