Joining the dark side: waterfall spiders in subterranean habitats, with the description of a new genus and two new species from Brazil (Araneae: Trechaleidae)

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  Joining the dark side: waterfall spiders in subterranean habitats, with the description of a new genus and two new species from Brazil (Araneae: Trechaleidae) Abstract Trechaleidae is a family of spiders often recognized by its semiaquatic species, but its diversity extends beyond these well-known examples. In this study, we describe Troglotrechalea gen. nov. , a new genus with two novel species, T. faleroae spec. nov. and T. agorai spec. nov. , found exclusively in subterranean habitats within karst formations in central and southeastern Brazil. Both species exhibit pale coloration, but unmodified eyes and legs if compared to other species in the family. The slight degree of troglomorphism, along with their geographic and habitat records, suggests that these species are restricted to hypogean habitats, although they probably move through epigean habitats. Additionally, we report in detail the occurrence of the trechaleid genera Enna O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1897, Heidrunea Brescovi...

Two new Paratropis Simon, 1889 (Araneae, Mygalomorphae, Paratropididae) species from Ecuador

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Two new Paratropis Simon, 1889 (Araneae, Mygalomorphae, Paratropididae) species from Ecuador

Abstract

Two new species of mygalomoph spiders of the genus Paratropis Simon, 1889 are described from Ecuador. With these additions, the known diversity of the genus increases from 13 to 15 species in Ecuador, and from 27 to 29 species worldwide, raising the total number of species in the Paratropididae from 47 to 49. Paratropis barragani sp. nov. is the third known species endemic to the Esmeraldas province, occurring in an environment characterized by the presence of lowland humid forests in the northwest of the province. Paratropis intag sp. nov. is the first species described for the Imbabura province, in a transitional region between tropical and subtropical montane forests in the Intag valley region. Paratropis kapak Dupérré & Tapia, 2024, Paratropis esmeraldas Dupérré & Tapia, 2024, Paratropis pukallucha Dupérré & Tapia, 2024, and Paratropis urku Tauber, Perafan & Peréz-Miles, 2025 are compared with the newly described species concerning ecological, geographical, and morphological characteristics between species of northern Ecuador, and a distribution map with topographic information is presented.

de Castro JRM, Medrano M, Giupponi APdeL (2026) Two new Paratropis Simon, 1889 (Araneae, Mygalomorphae, Paratropididae) species from Ecuador. ZooKeys 1286: 337-353. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1286.173624