Between sand and salt: phylogeography of the Australian salt lake wolf spider Lycosa salifodina (Araneae: Lycosidae)

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  Between sand and salt: phylogeography of the Australian salt lake wolf spider Lycosa salifodina (Araneae: Lycosidae) Abstract Australian salt lakes are distinctive ecosystems that support specialized biota and provide opportunities to study evolutionary and biogeographic processes. Many salt lakes occur along ancient river channels (palaeodrainage systems), which form natural replicates for testing hypotheses of vicariance and dispersal among isolated habitats. We examined the phylogeography and genetic structure of the Australian wolf spider Lycosa salifodina McKay, 1976, a salt lake habitat specialist widespread across south-western Australia. We tested the hypothesis that genetic structure in L. salifodina primarily reflects long-term isolation among palaeodrainage systems, with reduced population structuring in more frequently inundated and interconnected lakes. Phylogenetic analyses of mitochondrial CO1 sequences from 26 specimens (collected 2023–2024) recovered three maj...

Description and phylogenetic placement of Dorrigocosa, a new genus of Venoniinae (Araneae: Lycosidae) from Australia

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Description and phylogenetic placement of Dorrigocosa, a new genus of Venoniinae (Araneae: Lycosidae) from Australia


Abstract

A new monotypic genus of lycosids Dorrigocosa gen. nov. and the type species D. framenaui sp. nov. are described from the montane rainforests of eastern Australia. Phylogenetic analysis using nuclear and mitochondrial markers places Dorrigocosa within Venoniinae as a sister lineage to Anomalosa. The genus is distinguished from Venonia and Anomalosa by a set of somatic and genitalic characters, including a distinct colour pattern, the basal segment of the posterior spinnerets not elongated, a male palp with a sclerotized median apophysis and an epigyne with semicircular copulatory ducts. These small spiders are rainforest specialists, constructing silk retreats within decaying logs. Specimens were found exclusively from the highly restricted, isolated rainforests of Dorrigo National Park, New South Wales. Photographic records from the citizen science platform iNaturalist from nearby localities further support a strong association with this threatened habitat.
Do Prado, A. W., & Piacentini, L. N. (2026). Description and phylogenetic placement of Dorrigocosa, a new genus of Venoniinae (Araneae: Lycosidae) from Australia. Zoologischer Anzeiger. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcz.2026.07.001