Notes on Indian wolf spiders: IV. Transfer of species previously included in the genera Crocodilosa Caporiacco, 1947 and Geolycosa Montgomery, 1904 (Araneae: Lycosidae)

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  Notes on Indian wolf spiders: IV. Transfer of species previously included in the genera Crocodilosa Caporiacco, 1947 and Geolycosa Montgomery, 1904 (Araneae: Lycosidae) The enigmatic Crocodilosa Caporiacco, 1947 sensu lato currently consists of five nominal species distributed in Africa and Asia (World Spider Catalog 2026). It was established for C. kittenbergeri Caporiacco, 1947, with a superficial generic diagnosis relying only on somatic features such as length of eye rows, leg spination and relative leg lengths (Caporiacco 1947). Roewer (1955), following Caporiacco’s (1947) generic diagnosis, drastically increased the number of Crocodilosa species by transferring several species from other lycosid genera, but most of these subsequently added species were later reassigned to their appropriate genera (World Spider Catalog 2026), highlighting the need for a re-examination of the type species and remaining congeners to clarify the validity of Crocodilosa. At present, the genus ha...

The Arachnological Collection (Chelicerata, Arachnida) at the Federal University of Bahia, Brazil: taxonomic status, temporal patterns, geographic coverage and data availability

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The Arachnological Collection (Chelicerata, Arachnida) at the Federal University of Bahia, Brazil: taxonomic status, temporal patterns, geographic coverage and data availability

Abstract

Brazil hosts more than 300 zoological scientific collections, although these are unevenly distributed, with over 60% concentrated in the Southeast and South regions. The challenges associated with this imbalance, as well as limited access to their data, can be mitigated through open-access initiatives. Nevertheless, of the 24 arachnological collections registered on brazilian virtual platforms such as SpLink and SiBBr, 29% still lack publicly available data. This study aims to present an analytical overview of the Arachnid Collection of the Natural History Museum of Bahia-ARAC/MHNBA, currently the only collection in the Northeast region with openly accessible data. With nearly 50 years of history, the collection comprises approximately 15,000 cataloged specimens, available on SpLink since 2016. Data were compiled from Heritage Books and the platform itself. The ARAC/MHNBA collection is organized into nine subcollections: Araneae, Scorpiones, Opiliones, Amblypygi, Pseudoscorpiones, Thelyphonida, Solifugae, Parasitiformes and Acariformes. Most specimens were cataloged during the 2020s and over 60% are identified to species level, with spiders and scorpions showing the highest taxonomic resolution. The collection includes material from all brazilian regions - the vast majority of the Northeast, including the state of Bahia - as well as 22 specimens from three other countries. As a university-based collection, its development is closely tied to student training and research projects, operating without formal institutional support. This study highlights the importance of institutionalizing university collections in Brazil and emphasizes the role of regional collections and open data in democratizing biodiversity knowledge.

Andrade-de-Sá J, Oliveira-Santana R, Brazil TK (2026) The Arachnological Collection (Chelicerata, Arachnida) at the Federal University of Bahia, Brazil: taxonomic status, temporal patterns, geographic coverage and data availability. Natural History Collections and Museomics 3: e197964. https://doi.org/10.3897/nhcm.3.197964