[Arachnida • 2026] Kambiwa itacarambi, K. maracas, Sertana capivara, S. sagarana, ... • Ninetine Spiders in Brazilian Caatinga and Cerrado: Revision of Kambiwa and Description of Sertana gen. nov. (Araneae: Pholcidae), with analyses of predicted range shifts due to climate change

A–B. Kambiwa itacarambi Huber sp. nov., ♂♀ with egg sac from NW of Itacarambi.
E–F. K. coribe Huber sp. nov., ♂♀ with egg sac from E of São Felix do Coribe.
G–H. K. maracas Huber sp. nov., ♂♀ with egg sac from S of Contendas do Sincorá.
K–L. K. mucuge Huber sp. nov., ♂♀ from NE of Mucugê.

in Huber, Meng, Král, Herrera et Carvalho., 2026. 

DOI: doi.org/10.5852/ejt.2026.1054.3276 

Abstract

Among daddy long-legs spiders (Pholcidae), Ninetinae is a distinctive subfamily that comprises short-legged, fast-running spiders. Most species are small or tiny, lead reclusive lives, and are largely restricted to semiarid regions, which together has made them poorly collected and poorly known. Here, we build on focused recent collections in the Brazilian Cerrado and Caatinga biomes, two of the World’s richest tropical savanna, xeric shrubland and thorn forest regions. Our focus is on the taxonomy of the genus Kambiwa Huber, 2000 that previously contained only two nominal species, each known from a single locality. Combining morphological and molecular (CO1 barcode) data, we describe six new species in Kambiwa (K. brumado Huber sp. nov.; K. coribe Huber sp. nov.; K. ibo Huber sp. nov.; K. itacarambi Huber sp. nov.; K. maracas Huber sp. nov.; K. mucuge Huber sp. nov.), redescribe the type species K. neotropica (Kraus, 1957), and synonymize the monotypic genus Pemona Huber, 2019 with Kambiwa, resulting in the new combination K. sapo (Huber, 2019) comb. nov. In addition, we describe a new genus of superficially Kambiwa-like spiders from the same geographic region: Sertana Huber gen. nov., with five new species (S. bumba Huber gen. et sp. nov.; S. capivara Huber gen. et sp. nov.; S. igapora Huber gen. et sp. nov.; S. lapa Huber gen. et sp. nov.; S. sagarana Huber gen. et sp. nov.). In line with previous efforts to explore the processes underlying the geographical distribution of Ninetinae, we also evaluate the potential effects of future climate change on the environmental niche occupied by three selected species of Kambiwa. Our results corroborate previous findings that demonstrate an altitude-mediated response to climate change. For a highland species, areas of high habitat suitability almost disappear under more severe climate change scenarios. For two species with lowland records, the areas with high habitat suitability increase significantly. Finally, we analyze the male karyotype of K. ibo which consists of 28 chromosomes including a X1X2X3Y system. All chromosomes are biarmed except for the Y chromosome. This contribution concludes a series of publications on the subfamily Ninetinae. We use this opportunity to summarize current knowledge about the subfamily, to discuss open questions and knowledge gaps, and to suggest further research topics focusing on these tiny but exceptional pholcids.

Keywords: CO1 barcodes, climate change, karyotype, niche modeling, taxonomy

Kambiwa Huber, 2000; live specimens from Brazil; all at same scale.
A–B. Kambiwa itacarambi Huber sp. nov., ♂♀ with egg sac from NW of Itacarambi. C–D. K. ibo Huber sp. nov., ♂♀ with egg sac from NE of Lagoa Grande. E–F. K. coribe Huber sp. nov., ♂♀ with egg sac from E of São Felix do Coribe.
G–H. K. maracas Huber sp. nov., ♂♀ with egg sac from S of Contendas do Sincorá. I–J. K. brumado Huber sp. nov., ♂♀ with egg sac from W of Marcolino Moura. K–L. K. mucuge Huber sp. nov., ♂♀ from NE of Mucugê.

Kambiwa Huber, 2000 spp., typical habitats; all localities are in Brazil.
A. Bahia, between Ibó and Curaçá; Kambiwa sp. aff. neotropica. B. Bahia, E of São Felix do Coribe; type locality of Kambiwa coribe Huber sp. nov. 
C. Bahia, NE of Brumado; type locality of K. brumado Huber sp. nov. D. Bahia, SW of Maracas; type locality of K. maracas Huber sp. nov.
E. Bahia, NE of Mucugê; type locality of K. mucuge Huber sp. nov. F. Minas Gerais, NW of Itacarambi; type locality of K. itacarambi Huber sp. nov.

Kambiwa brumado Huber sp. nov.

 K. coribe Huber sp. nov.

K. ibo Huber sp. nov.

K. itacarambi Huber sp. nov.

 K. maracas Huber sp. nov.

 K. mucuge Huber sp. nov.

K. sapo (Huber, 2019) comb. nov.  

 Sertana Huber gen. nov. 

S. bumba Huber gen. et sp. nov. 

 S. capivara Huber gen. et sp. nov. 

 S. igapora Huber gen. et sp. nov.

S. lapa Huber gen. et sp. nov.

 S. sagarana Huber gen. et sp. nov. 

 

Bernhard A. Huber, Guanliang Meng, Jiří Král, Ivalú M. Ávila Herrera, Leonardo S. Carvalho. 2026. Ninetine Spiders in Brazilian Caatinga and Cerrado: Revision of Kambiwa and Description of Sertana gen. nov. (Araneae, Pholcidae), with analyses of predicted range shifts due to climate change. European Journal of Taxonomy. 1054(1), 1–126. DOI: doi.org/10.5852/ejt.2026.1054.3276 [2026-05-14]

[Arachnida • 2024] Micropholcus abha, M. bashayer, M. dhahran, M. ghar, M. shaat, ... • Old World Micropholcus spiders, with first records of acrocerid parasitoids in Pholcidae (Araneae)

 

A Micropholcus dhahran Huber, sp. nov., male from ‘Asir, W of Dhahran Al Janub; B M. harajah Huber, sp. nov., female with egg-sac from ‘Asir, SE of Harajah; 
C, D M. alfara Huber, sp. nov., male and female with egg-sac from ‘Asir, S of Al Fara; 
E M. abha Huber, sp. nov., male from ‘Asir, N of Abha; F M. tanomah Huber, sp. nov., male from ‘Asir, NW of Tanomah; 
G M. bashayer Huber, sp. nov., female with egg-sac from ‘Asir, NW of Al Bashayer; H M. maysaan Huber, sp. nov., male from Mecca, NW of Maysaan.

in Huber & Meng, 2024.

DOI:  doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1213.133178 

Photographs Bernhard A. Huber.

Abstract  

Micropholcus Deeleman-Reinhold & Prinsen, 1987 is one of only two Pholcidae genera known to occur both in the Old and New Worlds. However, there are major morphological and ecological differences among geographically separate groups of species, and it was mainly molecular data that have resulted in our current view of uniting all these species into a single genus. In the Old World, only four species have previously been described. Here, current knowledge about Old World Micropholcus is reviewed, redescribing three of the four previously known species, and describing twelve new species, originating from Saudi Arabia (M. dhahran Huber, sp. nov., M. harajah Huber, sp. nov., M. alfara Huber, sp. nov., M. abha Huber, sp. nov., M. tanomah Huber, sp. nov., M. bashayer Huber, sp. nov., M. maysaan Huber, sp. nov.), Oman (M. darbat Huber, sp. nov., M. shaat Huber, sp. nov.), Morocco (M. ghar Huber, sp. nov., M. khenifra Huber, Lecigne & Lips, sp. nov.), and the Philippines (M. bukidnon Huber, sp. nov.). We provide an exploratory species delimitation analysis based on CO1 barcodes, extensive SEM data, and first records of Acroceridae (Diptera) larvae in Pholcidae, extracted from book lungs.   

Key words: CO1 barcode, genetic distances, Morocco, Oman, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, species delimitation, taxonomy

Micropholcus Deeleman-Reinhold & Prinsen; live specimens from Saudi Arabia
A M. dhahran Huber, sp. nov., male from ‘Asir, W of Dhahran Al Janub; B M. harajah Huber, sp. nov., female with egg-sac from ‘Asir, SE of Harajah; C, D M. alfara Huber, sp. nov., male and female with egg-sac from ‘Asir, S of Al Fara; 
E M. abha Huber, sp. nov., male from ‘Asir, N of Abha; F M. tanomah Huber, sp. nov., male from ‘Asir, NW of Tanomah; G M. bashayer Huber, sp. nov., female with egg-sac from ‘Asir, NW of Al Bashayer; H M. maysaan Huber, sp. nov., male from Mecca, NW of Maysaan. Photographs BAH.

Micropholcus Deeleman-Reinhold & Prinsen; live specimens from Oman, Morocco, and the Philippines
A, B M. darbat Huber, sp. nov., male and female with egg-sac from Oman, Dhofar, near Qairoon Hairitti C M. shaat Huber, sp. nov., male from Oman, Dhofar, Shaat sinkhole
D, E M. agadir (Huber), male and female with egg-sac from Morocco, Souss-Massa, Paradise Valley

F M. ghar Huber, sp. nov., male from Morocco, Fès-Meknès, Kef El Ghar G M. khenifra Huber, Lecigne & Lips, sp. nov., male from Morocco, Béni Mellal-Khénifra, near Sidi Ben Daoud H M. bukidnon Huber, sp. nov., male from Philippines, Mindanao, Blue Water Cave.

 Photographs BAH.

 Bernhard A. Huber and Guanliang Meng. 2024. Old World Micropholcus spiders, with first records of acrocerid parasitoids in Pholcidae (Araneae). ZooKeys. 1213: 95-182. DOI:  doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1213.133178 [26 Sep 2024]

[Arachnida • 2020] Pholcus tongyaoi • Notes on Two closely related Spider Species of the Pholcus phungiformes species group (Araneae: Pholcidae) from Beijing, China

 

Pholcus tongyaoi  Wang & Yao,   

in Wang, Shaheen, He et Yao, 2020. 

 DOI: doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.965.56199

Abstract

The Pholcus phungiformes species group is highly diverse and currently contains 53 species. In this study, Pholcus tongyaoi Wang & Yao, sp. nov. (male, female) from Huairou District, Beijing, China is described while similar congener Pholcus lexuancanhi Yao, Pham & Li, 2012 from neighboring Haidian District (type locality) is redescribed; the female of P. lexuancanhi is described for the first time. In addition, the DNA barcode COI for the two species was obtained to estimate p-distance.

Keywords: daddy-long-leg spider, DNA barcode, morphology, Pholcinae, taxonomy

Pholcus tongyaoi sp. nov., live specimens and habitat
A, B adult and juvenile males in old house 
C, D adult male and female with egg-sac on rock walls
E, F habitat.

Photographs by T Jiang (IZCAS).

Pholcus tongyaoi Wang & Yao, sp. nov. 

 Xiang Wang, Shumaila Shaheen, Qiaoqiao He and Zhiyuan Yao. 2020. Notes on Two closely related Spider Species of the Pholcus phungiformes species group (Araneae, Pholcidae) from Beijing, China. ZooKeys. 965: 1-16. DOI: doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.965.56199

[Arachnida • 2023] Pholcus duryun, P. mohang, P. worak, etc. • Five New Species of the Pholcus phungiformes species group (Araneae: Pholcidae) from South Korea

Pholcus spp.

 Jang, Bae, Lee, Yoo & Kim, 2023

DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1178.104780

Abstract

Five new spider species of the genus Pholcus Walckenaer, 1805, P. duryun sp. nov., P. hwaam sp. nov., P. mohang sp. nov., P. worak sp. nov., and P. yangpyeong sp. nov., belonging to the P. phungiformes group in the family Pholcidae C. L. Koch, 1850, are newly described from South Korea. These new species were collected from mixed forests in mountainous, hilly, and coastal terrains. This study provides the diagnoses, detailed descriptions, distribution maps, and taxonomic photographs of these new species.

Key words: Biodiversity, description, mixed forest, morphology, spider, taxonomy

 

Chang Moon Jang, Yang Seop Bae, Sue Yeon Lee, Jung Sun Yoo and Seung Tae Kim. 2023. Five New Species of the Pholcus phungiformes species group (Araneae, Pholcidae) from South Korea. ZooKeys. 1178: 97-114. DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1178.104780

[Arachnida • 2023] Belisana coblynau & Buitinga ifrit • First blind Daddy long-legs Spiders (Araneae: Pholcidae) from Australia and Réunion

Buitinga ifrit Huber & Cazanove, 

Belisana coblynau Huber & Clark, 

in Huber, Meng, Clark & Cazanove, 2023.

DOI: 10.3897/subtbiol.46.105798

Abstract

Daddy long-legs spiders are common inhabitants of tropical and subtropical caves around the globe. Numerous species have evolved troglomorphisms, including the loss of body pigments and eyes. Here we describe the first troglomorphic pholcids from Australia and Réunion. Belisana coblynau Huber & Clark, sp. nov. was extracted from mining boreholes in the arid West Australian Pilbara region. It represents a genus that is widespread in tropical forests of South and Southeast Asia, reaching the tropical north and east of Australia. Belisana coblynau is thus presumably a relict whose epigean ancestor lived in the area before the aridification of Australia starting in the early Cenozoic. Buitinga ifrit Huber & Cazanove, sp. nov. was collected in Grotte de La Tortue on Réunion, one of the oldest lava tubes on the island (~300,000 years). Congeneric species are known from East Africa, and the genus does not seem to have reached Madagascar. Since Pholcidae do not balloon, the now extinct epigean ancestor of Buitinga ifrit probably reached the island by highly accidental means (such as rafts or storms).

Keywords: Lava tube, mining borehole, relict, scrape sample, subterranean, troglomorphism

Buitinga ifrit Huber & Cazanove, sp. nov., male holotype and female paratype, ZFMK (Ar 24187–88) A male habitus, dorsal view B female abdomen, ventral view (arrow: darker median area) C, D cleared female genitalia, ventral and dorsal views. 

Abbreviations: ls, dark lateral structure; mp, median posterior process; sp, spinnerets. 

Scale bars: 0.5 mm (A); 0.2 mm (B); 0.1 mm (C, D).

Belisana coblynau Huber & Clark, sp. nov., male holotype and female, WAM T158896–7 A male habitus, lateral view B female abdomen, ventral view C, D cleared female genitalia, ventral and dorsal views. 

Abbreviations: ep, epigynal pockets; lp, lateral pocket; pp, pore plate; sp, spinnerets. 

Scale bars: 0.5 mm (A); 0.1 mm (B–D).

 Belisana coblynau Huber & Clark, sp. nov.

Diagnosis: Distinguished from known congeners (and other Pholcinae) by details of procursus (Fig. 2D, E; straight, with simple retrolateral process, bifid prolateral process, and widened membranous tip), genital bulb (Fig. 2A, B; bulbal apophysis short and hooked, embolus straight and pointed at tip), male chelicerae (Fig. 2C; pair of light proximal processes; pair of simple distal frontal apophyses without modified hairs), epigynum (Fig. 1B; protruding, with pair of pockets close together), and female internal genitalia (Figs 1C, D, 2F; pore plates wide apart; distinctive pair of additional internal lateral pockets).

Etymology: The species epithet refers to the mythical gnome-like creatures that are said to haunt mines and quarries (of Wales and beyond); noun in apposition.

Distribution: Known from three neighboring (within 5 km) localities in Western Australia.

Natural history: The spiders were extracted from mining bores in the Hamersley Range using scrape sampling (Fig. 5A–C). This collecting method precludes gaining detailed natural history data. The specimens were collected between ground level and approximately 35 m below ground level. The temperature in these holes at 15 m below ground level was constant at 32–33 °C. For a general characterization of the Pilbara troglofauna, see Discussion.

 Buitinga ifrit Huber & Cazanove, sp. nov.

Diagnosis: Distinguished from known congeners (and other Pholcinae) by strong bifid process on male palpal trochanter (Fig. 4B), by details of procursus (Fig. 4E, F; short main branch curved towards dorsal and with deeply bifid tip, large and mostly membranous side branch originating from ventral side of main branch, with complex tip), genital bulb (Fig. 4A; bulbal apophysis slender and weakly curved, with small process at basis, embolus cylindrical), male chelicerae (Fig. 4C, D; pair of light proximal processes; pair of distal frontal apophyses with four modified hairs each), epigynum (Fig. 3B; barely protruding, without pockets, distinctive median posterior process only visible in cleared specimens), and female internal genitalia (Figs 3C, D, 4G; oval pore plates; pair of dark lateral structures).

Etymology: The species epithet refers to a demon in Islamic mythology that is often associated with the underworld; noun in apposition.

Distribution: Known from type locality only.

Natural history: The spiders were collected deep within the Grotte de la Tortue lava tube (Fig. 5D, E). Some of the specimens were collected in the Salle du Muséum, a section that is about 150 m from the cave entrance (see topographic map in Hoch et al. 2003). They were found among rocks on the ground. For the other specimens, cave section and microhabitat are unknown. For a general characterization of the caves and cave fauna of Réunion, see Discussion.

Epigean and hypogean habitats and collecting method
A Hamersley Range in Western Australia; the area of the sampled boreholes B weighted net (arrow) above a borehole
C weighted net used for scrape sampling D main entrance of the Grotte de La Tortue (photo T. Percheron, 2015) E gallery of the lost goat in Caverne de La Tortue (photo T. Percheron, 2022).

 

Bernhard A. Huber, Guanliang Meng, Huon L. Clark and Grégory Cazanove. 2023. First blind Daddy long-legs Spiders from Australia and Réunion (Araneae, Pholcidae). Subterranean Biology. 46: 1-19. DOI: 10.3897/subtbiol.46.105798

[Arachnida • 2023] Pholcus xiuyan • Pholcid Spiders of the Pholcus phungiformes Species-group (Araneae: Pholcidae) from Liaoning Province, China: An Overview, with Description of A New Species

 

Pholcus xiuyan Zhao, Zheng & Yao,

in Zhao, Jiang, Yang, He, Zheng et Yao, 2023. 

 DOI:  10.3897/zookeys.1156.98331

Abstract

Species of the Pholcus phungiformes group exhibit high diversity in Liaoning Province of northeastern China. This paper summarizes the current knowledge on this species-group from this area. A checklist of 22 species recorded from this province is given, accompanied with a distribution map of the species. Pholcus xiuyan Zhao, Zheng & Yao, sp. nov. (♂♀) is described as new to science, and P. yuhuangshan Yao & Li, 2021 is reported from Liaoning for the first time.

Keywords: Biodiversity, daddy-long-legs spider, morphology, Northeast Asia, taxonomy

Pholcus xiuyan sp. nov., living specimens and habitat
A, B females and juveniles on rock walls C habitat, arrow indicates collecting site.

 Pholcus xiuyan Zhao, Zheng & Yao, sp. nov.

 

Remarks: This new species is assigned to the phungiformes group by the following combination of characters: the male chelicerae with frontal apophyses (arrow fa in Fig. 4D), the male palpal tibia with a prolatero-ventral projection (Fig. 3A), the procursus with dorsal spines (arrows in Fig. 3D), the uncus with a “pseudo-appendix” (arrow 2 in Fig. 4C), and the epigyne with a knob (Fig. 4A).

 Fangyu Zhao, Tian Jiang, Lan Yang, Qiaoqiao He, Guo Zheng and Zhiyuan Yao. 2023. Pholcid Spiders of the Pholcus phungiformes Species-group (Araneae, Pholcidae) from Liaoning Province, China: An Overview, with Description of A New Species. ZooKeys. 1156: 1-14. DOI:  10.3897/zookeys.1156.98331

[Arachnida • 2021] Khorata danxia • A New Species of Spider Genus Khorata Huber, 2005 (Araneae: Pholcidae) from China

Khorata danxia Sheng & Xu,

in Sheng, Xu, Yin & Irfan, 2021. 

DOI: 10.17582/journal.pjz/20200309140344 

Researchgate.net/publication/349807926 

ABSTRACT

A new species of pholcid spider, Khorata danxia Sheng and Xu, sp. nov. (♂♀), is described from Danxiashan National Nature Reserve in Guangdong, China. The new species is diagnosed, described and illustrated with photographs.

 

Key words: Taxonomy, Morphology, Long-legged spiders, Danxia Mountain, Guangdong

 

Khorata danxia sp. nov.

 holotype male (C–F) and paratype female (A, B, G). 

A, Epigynum, ventral view; B, Vulva, dorsal view; C, Chelicerae, frontal view; D, Ditto, lateral view; red arrows point at mildly sclerotized frontal apophysis; E–G, Habitus Dorsal view; F, Ventral view. 

da, distal apophysis; fa, frontal apophysis; pa, proximo-lateral apophysis, pp, pore plate. 

Scale bars: 0.1 mm.

 

holotype male. A, Pedipalp, prolateral view; B, Ditto, retrolateral view; C, Distal part of procursus, prrolateral view; D, Ditto retrolateral view; E, Ditto, ventral view. 

b, bulb; e, embolus; pr, procursus. 

Scale bars: 0.1 mm.

Huijuan Sheng, Xiang Xu, Haiqiang Yin and Muhammad Irfan. 2021. A New Species of Spider Genus Khorata Huber, 2005 from China (Araneae: Pholcidae). Pakistan Journal of Zoology (Pakistan J. Zool.). 53(6); 2463-2466. DOI: 10.17582/journal.pjz/20200309140344

 Researchgate.net/publication/349807926_A_New_Species_of_Khorata_from_China

[Arachnida • 2019] Filling the Gaps: Descriptions of Unnamed Species included in the latest Molecular Phylogeny of Pholcidae (Araneae)

Pinocchio barauna  

Huber & Carvalho, 2019

   DOI:  10.11646/zootaxa.4546.1.1  

Abstract

This paper provides formal descriptions of some of the unnamed taxa that were included in the most recent molecular phylogeny of pholcid spiders (Eberle et al. 2018, BMC Evolutionary Biology, 18, 141). The focus is on new genera and on species that belong to recently revised genera. Eight new genera and 25 new species are formally described. In Arteminae, three new species are described in Artema Walckenaer, 1837: A. bahla sp. n., A. ghubrat sp. n., and A. dhofar sp. n. (all from Oman); five new species in Arnapa gen. n. (eastern Indonesia and New Guinea): A. arfak sp. n., A. tinoor sp. n., A. manokwari sp. n., A. meja sp. n., A. tolire sp. n.; and one new species in Chisosa Huber, 2000: C. caquetio sp. n. (Netherlands Antilles). In Ninetinae, three new monotypic genera are described: Pemona gen. n., with the type species P. sapo sp. n. (Venezuela); Pinocchio gen. n., with the type species P. barauna sp. n. (Brazil); and Magana gen. n., with the type species M. velox sp. n. (Oman). In Modisiminae, three new species are described in Chibchea Huber, 2000 (all from Brazil): C. amapa sp. n., C. santosi sp. n., and C. hamadae sp. n.; one new species in Psilochorus Simon, 1893: P. bromelicolus sp. n. (Brazil); and three new monotypic genera, all from Brazil: Arenita gen. n., with the type species A. fazendinha sp. n.; Kairona gen. n., with the type species K. selva sp. n.; and Saciperere gen. n., with the type species S. catuaba sp. n. In Pholcinae, a new monotypic genus is described: Giloloa gen. n., with the type species G. sofifi sp. n. (Indonesia); three new species in the genus Aetana Huber, 2005 (all from Indonesia): A. ternate sp. n.; A. mokwam sp. n.; A. ondawamei sp. n.; and two new species in the genus Panjange Deeleman-Reinhold & Deeleman, 1983 (both from Indonesia): P. thomi sp. n., and P. togutil sp. n.

Artema ghubrat is a cave-dwelling species and the only (slightly) troglomorphic representative of Arteminae; A. dhofar is presumably the closest known relative of the pantropical and synanthropic A. atlanta. The new genus Arnapa is probably species rich in eastern Indonesia and New Guinea but poorly collected; its morphological delimitation from other Australasian Arteminae (Wugigarra Huber, 2001; Holocneminus Berland, 1942; Trichocyclus Simon, 1908) needs further study. Arnapa nigromaculatus (Kulczyński, 1911) comb. n. is newly transferred from Psilochorus. Pemona sapo is the first representative of Ninetinae from Venezuela. The genus Chibchea, previously known from the Andes only, is for the first time recorded from Brazil/lowland Amazonia. Arenita fazendinha is among the few species in Pholcidae with extremely reduced procursus and barely modified male chelicerae. Kairona selva is unique among Pholcidae for its brush of strong hairs on a median horn anteriorly on the ocular area. Saciperere catuaba is one of only four pholcid species currently known to occur both in the Amazon and in the Atlantic Forest; however, variation indicates that more than one species might be included. It is among the few spiders known to have asymmetric genitalia (antisymmetric female internal genitalia). The Brazilian Psilochorus bromelicolus is the first South American Psilochorus of which both sexes are adequately described; however, the assignment to Psilochorus is tentative. Aetana ternate has extremely elongated procursi and accordingly elongated female internal genitalia. Aetana ondawamei and A. mokwam have almost identical male pedipalps and chelicerae (except for size) but differ clearly in the female genitalia.

Keywords: Araneae, taxonomy, Pholcidae, Brazil, Oman, Indonesia

Bernhard A. Huber and Leonardo S. Carvalho. 2019. Filling the Gaps: Descriptions of Unnamed Species included in the latest Molecular Phylogeny of Pholcidae (Araneae). Zootaxa. 4546(1); 1–96.  DOI:  10.11646/zootaxa.4546.1.1

Unnamed Species in Pholcidae

Eight new genera and 25 new species are formally described.

• Arteminae

Artema Walckenaer, 1837: A. bahla sp. n., A. ghubrat sp. n., and A. dhofar sp. n. (all from Oman);

Arnapa gen. n. (eastern Indonesia and New Guinea): A. arfak sp. n., A. tinoor sp. n., A. manokwari sp. n., A. meja sp. n., A. tolire sp. n.;

one new species in Chisosa Huber, 2000: C. caquetio sp. n. (Netherlands Antilles). 

• Ninetinae, three new monotypic genera are described: 

Pemona gen. n., with the type species P. sapo sp. n. (Venezuela); 

Pinocchio gen. n., with the type species P. barauna sp. n. (Brazil); and 

Magana gen. n., with the type species M. velox sp. n. (Oman). 

• Modisiminae,

 three new species are described in Chibchea Huber, 2000 (all from Brazil): C. amapa sp. n., C. santosi sp. n., and C. hamadae sp. n.; 

one new species in Psilochorus Simon, 1893: P. bromelicolus sp. n. (Brazil); and 

three new monotypic genera, all from Brazil:

 Arenita gen. n., with the type species A. fazendinha sp. n.; 

Kairona gen. n., with the type species K. selva sp. n.; and 

Saciperere gen. n., with the type species S. catuaba sp. n.

 • Pholcinae,

 a new monotypic genus is described: Giloloa gen. n., with the type species G. sofifi sp. n. (Indonesia); 

three new species in the genus Aetana Huber, 2005 (all from Indonesia): A. ternate sp. n.; A. mokwam sp. n.; A. ondawamei sp. n.; and 

two new species in the genus Panjange Deeleman-Reinhold & Deeleman, 1983 (both from Indonesia): P. thomi sp. n., and P. togutil sp. n.

[Arachnida • 2017] Daddy-long-leg Giants: Revision of the Spider Genus Artema Walckenaer, 1837 (Araneae, Pholcidae)

Artema nephilit 

Aharon, Huber & Gavish-Regev, 2017

  

DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2017.376 

Abstract  

This is the first revision of Artema Walckenaer, 1837, a genus consisting of large and phylogenetically interesting species. Even though Artema is not species-rich (now eight nominal species), it has suffered from poor descriptions and synonymies. Our main goal was to gather all available material and to clarify species limits. Four species are easily distinguished from other congeners: Artema atlanta Walckenaer, 1837, the type species; A. kochi Kulczyński, 1901 (revalidated); A. bunkpurugu Huber & Kwapong, 2013; and A. nephilit sp. nov. All other species are problematic for varying reasons: species limits are unclear between A. doriae Thorell, 1881 and A. transcaspica Spassky, 1934; A. magna Roewer, 1960 and A. ziaretana (Roewer, 1960) are problematic because they are based on female and juvenile types respectively and little new material is available. The material available to us suggests the existence of a few further species; however, they are not formally described, either because of small sample sizes (Artema sp. a and A. sp. b are represented by only one specimen each) or because of unclear species limits (between Artema sp. c, A. transcaspica and A. doriae).This study is the first serious step towards understanding the genus. Intensive collecting effort is needed in order to fully clarify species limits.

Keywords: key; Middle East; Pholcidae; taxonomy

Figs 3–8. Live specimens and habitats.
  3. Artema atlanta Walckenaer, 1837 from Thailand, Ratchaburi.
 4–5. A. nephilit sp. nov. from Israel. 6. Typical Artema web mass, in a cave in Petra, Jordan. 7–8. Caves populated by Artema nephilit sp. nov.: Oren Cave, Mount Karmel (7) and caves in the Eilat Mountains (8), Israel.

 Photos: B. A. Huber (3–4, 6–8), S. Aharon (5). 

Class Arachnida Cuvier, 1812
Order Araneae Clerck, 1757

Family Pholcidae C.L. Koch, 1851

Artema Walckenaer, 1837

Artema Walckenaer, 1837: 656; 

type species: Artema atlanta (by subsequent monotypy).

Coroia González-Sponga, 2005: 102; 

type species: Coroia magna González-Sponga, 2005; synonymized by Huber et al. 2014: 416.

Diagnosis: Artema is easily distinguished from other pholcids by its large body and strong legs (body length 5.5– 9.5 mm; leg span up to 15 cm; tibia 1 L/d: 34–42); also by distinctive pattern on globose and high abdomen (dark dots dorsally, arranged in stripes from dorsal to lateral, sometimes absent; Figs 3–5, 51– 53); by male pedipalp with its unique bulbal processes and short but massive procursus with proximal dorsal process (dp: Fig. 89) and weakly developed ventral pocket (vp: Fig. 89); by armature of male chelicerae (frontal row of cone-shaped hairs on each side, situated on elevated processes or ridges; Figs 23, 44); and by pair of low to high projections in front of large anterior epigynal plate (AEP: Fig. 15).


Artema atlanta Walckenaer, 1837

Artema doriae Thorell, 1881

Etymology: Even though the species was named for a man (Marchese Giacomo Doria, 1840–1913), the ICZN (1999: article 31.1) clearly states that the correct patronym has to be doriae, not doriai. The latter is thus an unjustified emendation.

Artema transcaspica Spassky, 1934

Artema magna Roewer, 1960

Artema kochi Kulczyński, 1901 (revalidated) 

Artema nephilit sp. nov.

“Artema mauriciana” (misidentification) – Bodenheimer 1937: 238 (“Palestina”)

“Artema mauricia” (misidentification) – Dalmas 1920: 59 (Bodrum, Turkey). 

Diagnosis: Males can be distinguished from all known congeners by their bulbal processes: process c (Fig. 40) projecting prolaterally, processes d and e absent (Fig. 39) (A. magna: process c robust, strongly curved prolaterally, process d distinct rounded projection on ventral side of bulb – see Figs 159–160; A. doriae and A. transcaspica: process d small, pointed towards ventrodistally) and by unique median projection on each male cheliceral process (Figs 43–44, 67) (only A. magna with similar median projection but no modified hairs connect to main ridge as in A. nephilit sp. nov. – see Figs 163–164). Females with semicircular epigynum (Figs 45–50); differing from A. atlanta by straight posterior epigynal margin; from A. magna by epigynal plate length to width ratio; from A. bunkpurugu by much less prominent anterior epigynal projections (AEP in Fig. 48) (cf. Huber & Kwapong 2013: figs 49, 53–54). 

Etymology: The species epithet is derived from the feminine singular noun of the biblical name “Nephilim”, the giants who were seen by the twelve people sent by Moses to scout the Land of Canaan. It refers to the large size of the spider. Noun in apposition.

Shlomi Aharon, Bernhard A. Huber and Efrat Gavish-Regev. 2017. Daddy-long-leg Giants: Revision of the Spider Genus Artema Walckenaer, 1837 (Araneae, Pholcidae). European Journal of Taxonomy. 376: 1–57. DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2017.376

  

[Arachnida • 2017] Revision and Cladistic Analysis of the Southeast Asian Leaf-Dwelling Spider Genus Calapnita Simon (Araneae, Pholcidae)

Calapnita bario   Huber, 2017

 DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4219.1.1 

Abstract

The Southeast Asian pholcid genus Calapnita Simon, 1892 is revised, with descriptions of 17 new species, five of them in the phyllicola group (Borneo: C. lehi, C. kubah, C. bidayuh, C. bankirai; Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, Java: C. anai), 12 in the vermiformis group (Borneo: C. bario, C. bariengi, C. magaseng, C. dayak, C. lawangan, C. loksado; Sulawesi: C. bugis; Philippines: C. bohol, C. dinagat, C. mae, C. nunezae, C. maragusan). New records are listed for six of the eight previously described species. A morphological cladistic analysis supports the monophyly of Calapnita and of its two previously proposed species groups and presents several new phylogenetically informative characters. New data are presented about ultrastructure and natural history (web, egg-sac, egg parasitism).

Keywords: Araneae, Calapnita, Southeast Asia, leaf dwelling, Pholcidae, taxonomy, phylogeny

Huber, Bernhard A. 2017. Revision and Cladistic Analysis of the Southeast Asian Leaf-Dwelling Spider Genus Calapnita Simon (Araneae, Pholcidae).
Zootaxa. 4219(1); 1–63.  DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4219.1.1

[Arachnida • 2016] Spider Diversity and Endemism in A South American Hotspot: 20 New Species of Carapoia (Araneae: Pholcidae) from Brazil’s Atlantic Forest

Carapoia patafina 

Huber, 2016

   DOI:  10.11646/zootaxa.4177.1.1 

Abstract

The Atlantic Forest along the eastern South American coast is widely recognized as a hotspot with extreme levels of diversity, endemism, and threat. A megatransect study (2003–2015) focusing on pholcid spiders and covering 48 localities across a large part of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest resulted in 132 morphospecies, of which 81% were new to science. The present paper deals with the species of Carapoia González-Sponga, 1998 collected during this campaign. The endemism level is 100%, i.e. all 26 species of Carapoia in the Atlantic Forest are not known from (and not likely to occur) anywhere else. While few species (all of them with non-overlapping ranges) occur in the most southern and northern regions, the central region (between Rio Doce and Rio Paraguaçu; largely equivalent to what has been called the ‘Bahia refuge’) is characterized by high diversity and up to five species per locality. The following species are newly described (from South to North): Carapoia voltavelha (Santa Catarina); C. macacu, C. divisa (Rio de Janeiro); C. nairae, C. capixaba, C. mirim, C. patafina (Espírito Santo); C. pau, C. gracilis, C. zumbii, C. dandarae, C. marceloi, C. viridis, C. jiboia, C. carvalhoi, C. carybei (Bahia); C. alagoas (Alagoas); C. saltinho, C. abdita (Pernambuco); C. septentrionalis (Pernambuco to Rio Grande do Norte). New records and amendments are given for most previously described Atlantic Forest species.

Keywords: Araneae, Atlantic Forest, Brazil, Carapoia, taxonomy, distribution ranges, endemism

Bernhard A. Huber. 2016. Spider Diversity and Endemism in A South American Hotspot: 20 New Species of Carapoia (Araneae: Pholcidae) from Brazil’s Atlantic Forest. Zootaxa. 4177(1); 1-69. DOI:  10.11646/zootaxa.4177.1.1