An unusually complex venom system in araneophagous palp-footed spiders (Palpimanidae)

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  An unusually complex venom system in araneophagous palp-footed spiders (Palpimanidae) Venoms are key adaptive traits in many animal lineages, yet their structural and functional diversity in spiders remains poorly investigated. Here, we present an initial characterization of the venom system of palp-footed spiders (Palpimanidae), a family specialized in hunting other spiders. Using micro-computed tomography, we found that the venom glands of the single species examined, Palpimanus gibbulus , exhibit a complex, multi-lobed morphology that is unusual among araneomorph spiders. Proteo-transcriptomic analyses of two Palpimanus venoms ( P. gibbulus and P. cyprius ) revealed highly diverse putative toxin repertoires comprising hundreds of peptides and proteins, including numerous novel putative neurotoxins, cytotoxins, enzymes, and allergens. Five major families of cysteine-rich palpitoxins were identified as the dominant putative neurotoxic components in both species, displaying con...

Remarkable micro-endemism and high congeneric richness: eight new cave-restricted species of Pseudochthonius Balzan, 1892 (Pseudoscorpiones, Chthoniidae) from the Brazilian semi-arid

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Remarkable micro-endemism and high congeneric richness: eight new cave-restricted species of Pseudochthonius Balzan, 1892 (Pseudoscorpiones, Chthoniidae) from the Brazilian semi-arid


Abstract

Eight new species of pseudoscorpions belonging to the genus Pseudochthonius Balzan, 1892 are described from the semi-arid region of Brazil. Comprehensive morphological descriptions, diagnostic characters, detailed illustrations, and ecological remarks of the habitats are provided for Pseudochthonius celestialis sp. nov., P. caritas sp. nov., P. patientia sp. nov., P. temperantia sp. nov., P. diligentia sp. nov., P. castitas sp. nov., P. humilitas sp. nov., and P. benignitas sp. nov. In addition, we present a brief discussion of the potential factors underlying the remarkable congeneric species richness observed in this geographically restricted region, as well as the principal threats faced by these species. These findings underscore the importance of conserving caves in order to protect their highly specialized fauna, with particular emphasis on the genus Pseudochthonius, which is increasingly recognized as strongly associated with subterranean environments.

Guimarães, L., & Ferreira, R. L. (2026). Remarkable micro-endemism and high congeneric richness: eight new cave-restricted species of Pseudochthonius Balzan, 1892 (Pseudoscorpiones, Chthoniidae) from the Brazilian semi-arid. European Journal of Taxonomy, 1078, 1-43. https://doi.org/10.5852/ejt.2026.1078.3307