Centromerus

Abstract: Research studies of the shallow subterranean habitats as environments for arthropods have been sparse up to this point. Using subterranean traps, we studied the distribution of spiders in soil profile over a depth span of 5-95 cm at six sites. Although almost 40% of individual specimens (1088 in total) were obtained from the epigeon (5 cm depth), spiders colonized all parts of the soil profiles examined. Beside ground-dwelling species with significant preferences for the upper layers, some species (Porrhomma microphthalmum (O. Pickard-Cambridge 1871), Centromerus cavernarum (L. Koch 1872), Cicurina cicur (Fabricius 1793), Dysdera lantosquensis Simon 1882, and Nesticus cellulanus (Clerck 1757)) commonly inhabited the whole range of the profiles studied, without any depth preference. In contrast, depigmented and microphthalmous Porrhomma microps (Roewer 1931) and Maro sp. exclusively inhabited deep soil layers adjoining void systems in bedrock.

Abstract: The following new species are described from Portugal: Diplocephalus machadoi Bosmans & Cardoso new species, Diplocephalus marijae Bosmans new species, Maso douro Bosmans & Cardoso new species, Parapelecopsis conimbricensis Bosmans & Crespo new species, Pelecopsis monsantensis Bosmans & Crespo new species and Sintula iberica Bosmans new species. The unknown males of Lepthyphantes berlandi Fage, 1931 and Lepthyphantes bacelarae Schenkel, 1938 are described and the species are transferred to the genera Bordea and Obscuriphantes respectively. The following new synonyms are proposed: Lepthyphantes ollivieri Denis, 1957 = Obscuriphantes bacelarae Fage, 1931 and Trichopterna alticeps Denis, 1952 = Trichopterna cucurbitina Simon, 1884. Acartauchenius depressifrons Simon and A. nasutus O. P.-Cambridge are redescribed and both transferred to the genus Erigonoplus. Pelecopsis lunaris Bosmans & Abrous is transferred to the genus Parapelecopsis. The following poorly known species are redescribed: Erigonoplus castellanus (O.P.-Cambridge), Mecopisthes crassirostris (Simon), Palliduphantes bolivari (Simon), Palliduphantes stygius (Simon), Pelecopsis susannae (Simon), Trichoncus trifidus Denis and Walckenaeria dalmasi (Simon). In addition to the six new species described, the following 18 species are new to Portugal: Alioranus pauper (Simon), Araeoncus toubkal Bosmans, Centromerus phoceorum Simon, Centromerus succinus Simon, Ceratinella brevis Wider, Drapetisca socialis (Sundevall), Entelecara acuminata (Wider), Meioneta mollis (O.P.-Cambridge), Micrargus herbigradus (Blackwall), Ouedia rufithorax (Simon), Palliduphantes cadiziensis (Wunderlich), Porrhomma pygmaeum Blackwall, Sintula furcifer (Simon), Tallusia experta (O.P.-Cambridge), Tapinocyba algirica Bosmans, Tapinopa disjugata Simon, Walckenaeria nudipalpis (Westring) and Walckenaeria obtusa Blackwall. Centromerus cinctus (Simon), Erigonoplus globipes (L. Koch), Mansuphantes mansuetus (Thorell, 1875), Meioneta rurestris (C.L. Koch), Oedothorax retusus(Westring), Palliduphantes cernuus (Simon), Parapelecopsis mediocris (Kulczyn’ski), Tenuiphantes tenebricola (Wider), Walckenaeria atrotibialis (O.P.-Cambridge), Walckenaeria dysderoides (Wider) and Walckenaeria erythrina (Simon) all have been cited from Portugal in the past but are deleted from its list. The Portuguese linyphiid fauna presently counts 111 species.

Abstract: The taxonomic knowledge of the spider fauna of Quebec (Canada) is updated with new records, corrections, recent taxonomic changes, and additions to the species list. Illustrations are provided for species not previously reported for the province. The following species are reported for the first time: Araneidae: Araneus iviei (Archer 1951), Araneus juniperi (Emerton 1884), Araneus thaddeus (Hentz 1847), Araneus washingtoni Levi 1971; Clubionidae: Elaver excepta (L. Koch 1866); Dictynidae: Emblyna chitina (Chamberlin & Gertsch 1958); Gnaphosidae: Zelotes exiguoides Platnick & Shadab 1983, Haplodrassus eunis Chamberlin 1922; Linyphiidae: Centromerus cornupalpis O. Pickard-Cambridge 1875, Ceratinopsis nigripalpis Emerton 1882, Eridantes utibilis Crosby & Bishop 1933, Pocadicnemis pumila (Blackwall 1841), Sciastes extremus Holm 1967, Scotinotylus vernalis (Emerton 1882), Thyreosthenius parasiticus (Westring 1851); Nesticidae: Nesticus cellulanus (Clerck 1757); Philodromidae: Philodromus histrio (Latreille 1819), Philodromus oneida Levi 1951; Salticidae: Pellenes montanus (Emerton 1894), Synageles canadensis Cutler 1988; Tetragnathidae: Tetragnatha guatemalensis O. Pickard-Cambridge 1889; Theridiidae: Achaearanea conjuncta (Gertsch & Mulaik 1936), Enoplognatha intrepida (Sorensen 1898), Euryopis gertschi Levi 1951, Pholcomma hirsutum Thorell 1869, Theridion impressum L. Koch 1881; Thomisidae: Xysticus fraternus Banks 1895, and Zodariidae: Zodarion rubidum Simon 1914. Collecting data, overview of distribution, and a diagnosis are provided for each added species. The spider fauna of Quebec is discussed in light of these new records, and the value of such faunistic/taxonomic work is stressed.

Abstract: The National Park of Dadia in NE Greece (Thrace) was established as a nature reserve in 1980, mainly due to its great diversity in birds of prey. Since then many studies have taken place, focusing on other birds, reptiles, amphibians and some invertebrates (grasshoppers, beetles and butterflies), but up to now none was conducted on spiders. The aim of the present paper was to create the first extensive checklist on the spiders of this important natural reserve. For this purpose, pitfall traps were set in 15 sites located in and around the National Park, resulting in a large spider collection. The results of the taxonomical revision of this collection are here presented, giving rise to 132 species in total, which belong to 24 families. Of them, 11 species ( Centromerus valkanovi Deltshev, 1983, Crosbyarachne silvestris (Georgescu, 1973), Ipa terrenus (L. Koch, 1879), Sintula spiniger (Balogh, 1935), Tenuiphantes floriana (van Helsdingen, 1977), Alopecosa taeniopus (Kulczynski, 1895), Liocranum rupicola (Walckenaer, 1830), Zodarion turcicum Wunderlich, 1980, Gnaphosa modestior Kulczynski, 1897, Philodromus krausi Muster & Thaler, 2004, Cozyptila thaleri Marusik & Kovblyuk, 2005) are new records for the Greek territory. Seven species ( Dysdera kati sp. n., Dysdera krisis sp. n., Harpactea ice sp. n., Harpactea wolfgangi sp. n.—Dysderidae, Phrurolithus thracia sp. n.—Phrurolithidae, Zodarion beroni sp. n.—Zodariidae, Drassyllus dadia sp. n.—Gnaphosidae) are here proposed as new species for science.