First record of the family Bemmeridae Simon, 1903 from China, with descriptions of three new species of Damarchus Thorell, 1891 (Arachnida, Araneae)

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  First record of the family Bemmeridae Simon, 1903 from China, with descriptions of three new species of Damarchus Thorell, 1891 ( Arachnida , Araneae ) Abstract The genus Damarchus Thorell, 1891 ( Bemmeridae ) represents a relatively understudied lineage of mygalomorph spiders, with previous studies documenting its distribution across several Asian countries, including India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, and Thailand. This study describes three new species from China, Damarchus dai sp. nov ., D. erebus sp. nov ., and D. rutilus sp. nov ., which represent the first formal records of the genus Damarchus and the family Bemmeridae for the spider fauna of China. Zhang Y, Yu K, Zhang F (2026) First record of the family Bemmeridae Simon, 1903 from China, with descriptions of three new species of Damarchus Thorell, 1891 (Arachnida, Araneae). ZooKeys 1287: 153-199. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1287.187795

Abundance and use of microhabitats by the sicario spider Sicarius thomisoides Walckenaer, 1847 (Araneae: Sicariidae) in various environments of Mejillones, Antofagasta Region, Chile

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Abundance and use of microhabitats by the sicario spider Sicarius thomisoides Walckenaer, 1847 (Araneae: Sicariidae) in various environments of Mejillones, Antofagasta Region, Chile

Abstract

For the spider Sicarius thomisoides Walckenaer, 1847, this study provides data on the frequency and abundance of the species in various vegetation-free environments (ADV), both natural and human-altered, with a predominance of three microhabitats (rocks, trash, and caves), in the area near Mejillones, Antofagasta Region, Chile. The frequency of spider records was very high and similar across the three habitats (between 92% and 100), but the abundance varied significantly depending on the environment, with much significantly higher abundance in the Rock habitat compared to the other two habitats. Regarding microhabitat use, 77.3% of the spiders were found in caves, 41.1% in trash, and 34.7% on rocks. A detailed description of the caves is provided, including the length and height of the entrances, as well as the length and depth of these. The use and quantification of the frequency of trash and caves provide new insights into microhabitat use by this species, as previous studies indicated only the use of rocks. 

Mella Ávila, J. E. ., & Allendes, J. L. . (2026). Abundancia y uso de microhábitats de la araña sicario <em>Sicarius thomisoides</em> Walckenaer, 1847 (Araneae: Sicariidae) en distintos ambientes de Mejillones, Región de Antofagasta, Chile. Revista Chilena De Entomología, 52(3). Retrieved from https://www.biotaxa.org/rce/article/view/88911