Spider species richness and sampling effort at Cracraft´S Belém Area of Endemism.

A list of spider species is presented for the Belém Area of Endemism, the most threatened region in the Amazon Basin, comprising portions of eastern State of Pará and western State of Maranhão, Brazil. The data are based both on records from the taxonomic and biodiversity survey literature and on scientific collection databases. A total of 319 identified species were recorded, with 318 occurring in Pará and only 22 in Maranhão. About 80% of species are recorded at the vicinities of the city of Belém, indicating that sampling effort have been strongly biased. To identify potentially high-diversity areas, discounting the effect of variations in sampling effort, the residues of a linear regression between the number of records and number of species mapped in each 0.25°grid cells were analyzed. One grid, representing the Alto Turiaçu Indigenous land, had the highest deviation from the expected from the linear regression, indicating high expected species richness. Several other grid cells showed intermediate values of the regression residuals, indicating species richness moderately above to the expected from the model.

Taxonomic revision of the species group rubripes of Corinna Koch, 1842 (Araneae; Corinnidae).

The species of the group rubripes, which harbors the type species of the genus Corinna C. L. Koch, 1842, are revised, including 20 Neotropical species. Three previously known species are re-diagnosed: Corinna rubripes C. L. Koch, 1842, Corinna nitens (Keyserling, 1891) and Corinna mourai Bonaldo, 2000. New records of Corinna nitens are provided, including the first ones from Peru and Bolivia. Seventeen new species, all from Brazil, were described: C. aechmea n. sp., C. balacobaco n. sp., C. caatinga n. sp., C. demersa n. sp., C. escalvada n. sp., C. hyalina n. sp., C. jecatatu n. sp., C. kuryi n. sp., C. loiolai n. sp., C. maracas n. sp., C. regii n. sp., C. telecoteco n. sp., C. tranquilla n. sp., C. vesperata n. sp., C. vilanovae n. sp., C. zecarioca n. sp. and C. ziriguidum n. sp. A key for all twenty species of the group is presented.

Taxonomic revision of the soldier spider genus Falconina Brignoli, 1985 (Araneae: Corinnidae: Corinninae).

The genus Falconina Brignoli, 1985 is revised and redescribed, including ten species. New records and documentation of morphological variation in F. gracilis (Keyserling, 1891) are presented; it and the type species, F. melloi (Schenkel, 1953), are rediagnosed. Falconina albomaculosa (Schmidt, 1971) is redescribed based on the female holotype and additional material from Ecuador, with the male being described for the first time. Falconina crassipalpis (Chickering, 1937) is redescribed based on the types and additional material from Barro Colorado, Panama. Six new species are described, diagnosed, and illustrated: F. iza sp. nov. ( from Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil); F. taita sp. nov. ( from Chapare and from Sapecho, Bolivia); F. catirina sp. nov. ( from Piau, Brazil); F. adriki sp. nov. ( and from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil); F. andresi sp. nov. ( from Meta, Colombia); and F. brignolii sp. nov. ( from Sucre, Venezuela). Additionally, distribution maps and an identification key to all of the known species of Falconina are provided.

Meeting the southern brothers: a revision of the Neotropical spider genus Hexapopha Platnick, Berniker & Vquez, 2014 (Araneae, Oonopidae).

The goblin spider genus Hexapopha Platnick, Berniker & Vquez, 2014 is revised. The four Costa Rican species recognized in the original description of the genus are re-diagnosed: H. reimoseri (Fage, 1938) (the type species), H. hone Platnick, Berniker & Vquez, 2014, H. osa Platnick, Berniker & Vquez, 2014 and H. jimenez Platnick, Berniker & Vquez, 2014. Two species recently transferred from Gamasomorpha Karsch, 1881 are redescribed: H. brasiliana (Bristowe, 1938), from southern Brazil, of which the male is described for the first time, and H. m-scripta (Birabn, 1954), from Argentina. Thirty-five new species are described from South America, elevating the total number of species to forty-one. Thirty three species are described from Brazil: H. una (, ), H. brescoviti (), H. peba (,), H. harveyi (,), H. fannesi (), H. erebai (), H. periclitata (,), H. delta (), H. tallitae (,), H. platnicki (,), H. santosi (,), H. rheimsae (), H. wangi (,), H. ruizi (), H. itabaiana (), H. ramirezi (), H. depleta (), H. gunma (), H. corniculata (,), H. egua (), H. izquierdoi (,), H. numerosa (,), H. baehrae (,), H. excavata (,), H. ubicki (,), H. quadraginta (,), H. ilhoa (,), H. marajoara (,), H. kropfi (,), H. caboquinho (), H. grismadoi (), H. manauara (,) and H. pantaneira (,). Two additional new species, H. pithecia (,) from Peru and H. sorkini (,) from Venezuela are also described. Species of Hexapopha are restricted to the Neotropical region, from Costa Rica to Northern Argentina. Brazil, where 85% of the species occur, harbors the highest species richness. A key and distribution maps are provided for all species.

A new species of Strotarchus Simon, 1888 from Honduras (Araneae, Cheiracanthiidae).

A new species, Strotarchus chamevazquezi sp. nov., is described based on both sexes from Department Francisco Morazán, Honduras. A detailed description, diagnosis, photographs, and distribution map of the new species are given. This is the first species of this genus recorded from Honduras.

Switching identities: a revision of the Afrotropical spider genus Carteronius Simon, 1897 (Araneae, Corinnidae), senior synonym of Mandaneta Strand, 1932, with a new genus of the Pronophaea group.

The genus Carteronius Simon, 1897 is transferred from Clubionidae to Corinnidae and recognized as the senior synonym of Mandaneta Strand, 1932, being the oldest available name for the pre-occupied Mandane Karsch, 1880. Upon comparing the respective type specimens, the type species of Carteronius and the type species of Mandaneta were found to represent the same species. Whence the type species Carteronius helluo Simon, 1896, is considered a junior synonym of the type species Mandaneta sudana (Karsch, 1880). Three other species of Carteronius are transferred to Donuea Strand, 1932 (Corinnidae): D. fuscus (Simon, 1896) comb. nov. from Mauritius, D. vittiger (Simon, 1896) comb. nov. and D. argenticomus (Keyserling, 1877) comb. nov., both from Madagascar. The type species, Carteronius sudanus comb. nov., from Côte d'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Guinea, Sierra Leone, and C. gentilis (Simon, 1909) comb. nov., from Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon (the latter transferred from Procopius Thorell, 1899) are redescribed, and the female of C. gentilis is described for the first time. Six new species of Carteronius are described: C. ashanti Bonaldo & Silva-Junior sp. nov. from Ghana, C. myene Bonaldo & Labarque sp. nov., and C. simoni Bonaldo & Shimano sp. nov. from Gabon, C. lumumba Bonaldo & Ramírez sp. nov. from Cameroon, Gabon and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and C. arboreus Bonaldo & Haddad sp. nov. and C. teke Bonaldo & Bosselaers sp. nov. from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. A key and distribution maps to all eight species in the genus are presented. The related Bunyoronius Bonaldo, Ramírez & Haddad gen. nov. is proposed to include B. femoralis Bonaldo, Ramírez & Haddad sp. nov. from the Central African Republic, Uganda, and Rwanda.

Taxonomic revision of the genus Tupirinna Bonaldo, 2000 (Araneae: Corinnidae: Corinninae).

The genus Tupirinna Bonaldo, 2000 is revised, including 20 species. New records of T. rosae Bonaldo, 2000 from Par, Brazil are given. Tupirinna albofasciata (Mello-Leito, 1943) is redescribed based on the female lectotype, here designated. The following 17 new species are described, diagnosed, and illustrated: T. platnicki sp. nov. (♂ and ♀ from Par, Brazil); T. zebra sp. nov. (♂ and ♀ from Amazonas and Mato Grosso, Brazil); T. caraca sp. nov. (♂ and ♀ from south and southeast Brazil); T. urucu sp. nov. (♂ from Amazonas, Brazil); T. coari sp. nov. (♂ and ♀ from Amazonas, Brazil); T. lata sp. nov. (♂ and ♀ from the states of Bahia, Espirto Santo, Minas Gerais, So Paulo and Santa Catarina, Brazil); T. regiae sp. nov. (♂ and ♀ from Amazonas and Par, Brazil); T. mutum sp. nov. (♂ and ♀ from Par and Mato Grosso, Brazil); T. cruzes sp. nov. (♂ and ♀ from Rio de Janeiro, So Paulo and Santa Catarina, Brazil); T. palmares sp. nov. (♂ and ♀ from northeast Brazil); T. una sp. nov. (♂ and ♀ from Bahia, Brazil); T. gigantea sp. nov. (♂ and ♀ from Vaups, Colmbia and Peru); T. oba sp. nov. (♀ from Bahia, Brazil); T. goeldi sp. nov. (♀ from Par, Brazil); T. ibiapaba sp. nov. (♂ and ♀ from Cear, Brazil); T. luctuosa sp. nov. (♀ from Minas Gerais, Brazil) and T. araguaia sp. nov. (♂ and ♀ from Par, Brazil). Additionally, two species groups are delimited based on genitalic morphology. Distribution maps and an identification key to the males and females of all known species of Tupirinna are also provided.

A new species of Trachelopachys Simon, 1897 (Araneae: Trachelidae) from Amazonia.

The genus Trachelopachys Simon, 1897 was erected to accommodate Trachelas sericeus Simon, 1886, a species known from southern South America. Platnick (1975) presented a taxonomic review of the genus and Platnick Rocha (1995) added a new species and transferred two additional species to the genus, raising the known species diversity of Trachelopachys to 15 species. The genus is distributed in South America, their members are small and colorful, and are distinguished from other trachelines by their darkened carapace, the S-shaped tegular sperm duct and the retrolaterally directed embolus of the male palp (Platnick 1975: fig 12), and the presence of a basal spermathecal lobe in females (Platnick 1975: fig 15). Here we describe the 16th species of the genus, Trachelopachys camarapi sp. nov. (Fig. 1), known from both sexes and recorded in a natural savanna (Fig. 2) at Portel municipality, state of Pará, Brazil.

Twenty years, eight legs, one concept: describing spider biodiversity in Zootaxa (Arachnida: Araneae).

Zootaxa published more than a thousand papers on Araneae from 2002 to the present, including descriptions of 3,833 new spider species and 177 new genera. Here we summarise the key contributions of Zootaxa to our current knowledge of global spider diversity. We provide a historical account of the researchers that have actively participated as editors, and recognize the more than 1,000 reviewers without whom none of this would have been possible. We conduct a simple analysis of the contributions by authors and geographic region, which allows us to uncover some of the underlying trends in current spider taxonomy. In addition, we examine some of the milestones in twenty years of spider systematic research in Zootaxa. Finally, we discuss future prospects of spider taxonomy and the role that Zootaxa and its younger sister journal Megataxa will play in it. We would like to dedicate this contribution to the memory of Norman I. Platnick, a crucial figure in the advancement of spider systematics.

Revision of the spider genus Nyetnops Platnick amp; Lise (Araneae: Caponiidae) with proposition of the new genus Nopsma, from Central and South America.

The singular spider genus Nyetnops Platnick Lise is revised and three new species are described from Peru (Nyetnops naylienae n. sp.), Bolivia (Nyetnops lachonta n. sp.) and Brazil (Nyetnops buruti n. sp.). An updated diagnosis is proposed for the type species Nyetnops guarani Platnick Lise and new records from the Brazilian State of São Paulo are presented for this species. The Ecuadorian species Nyetnops juchuy Dupérré is elected as the type species of a new genus herein proposed (Nopsma n. gen.), which also harbors three other new species from Peru (Nopsma enriquei n. sp.), Colombia (Nopsma florencia n. sp.) and Nicaragua (Nopsma armandoi n. sp.).

The genus Syspira Simon, 1895 (Araneae: Miturgidae) from Hispaniola, with the description of four new species.

The species of Syspira Simon from Hispaniola are revised and detailed documentation is provided for all known species from this island. Four new species (Syspira alayoni sp. n., S.  armasi sp. n., S.  barbacoa sp. n., and S.  bryantae sp. n.), and the unknown male of Syspira agujas Brescovit, Sánchez-Ruiz Bonaldo are described. New distribution records were found for three known species (S. agujas, S. cimitarra Brescovit, Sánchez-Ruiz Bonaldo and S.  medialuna Brescovit, Sánchez-Ruiz Bonaldo). The Hispaniolan endemic species Teminius monticola (Bryant, 1948) is transferred to Syspira based on the revision of its holotype. A key for Hispaniola Syspira species is provided. These species can be separated into two distinct groups based on features of the male palpal morphology and female genitalia: the cimitarra group including S. cimitarra, S. jimmyi Brescovit, Sánchez-Ruiz Bonaldo, S. alayoni and S. barbacoa sp. n., and the agujas group including S. agujas, S. medialuna, S. monticola comb. n., S. armasi sp. n. and S. bryantae sp. n.

Four new species of Myrmecium Latreille, 1824 and complementary description of M. machetero Candiani amp; Bonaldo, 2017 (Araneae: Corinnidae: Castianeirinae).

Four new species of Myrmecium Latreille, 1824 are described: M. urcuchillay sp. nov. (based on males from Cusco, Peru), M. girafales sp. nov. (on a female from Huánuco, Peru), M. coutoi sp. nov. (on a female from Cusco, Peru) and M. quasimodo sp. nov. (on males and females from Pará, Brazil). The male form of M. machetero Candiani Bonaldo, 2017 is described for the first time. The number of known species of the genus from Peru is increased from nine to 12 and maps of distribution of the Peruvian species and M. quasimodo sp. nov are provided.

A revision of the new world goblin spider genus Cinetomorpha Simon, 1892 revalidated from Gamasomorpha Karsch, 1881 (Araneae, Oonopidae, Oonopinae).

The goblin spider genus Cinetomorpha Simon is removed from the synonymy of Gamasomorpha Karsch and treated as the senior synonym of Yumates Chamberlin and Lucetia Dumitresco Georgesco. All 41 species occur only in the New World, and the genus is divided into four species groups: the simplex group, the puberula group, the patquiana group and the itabaiana group. The following species are transferred to Cinetomorpha: C. floridana (Banks), comb. nov., and C. sedata (Gertsch Mulaik), comb. nov., from Opopaea; C. angela (Chamberlin), comb. nov., and C. nesophila (Chamberlin), comb. nov., from Yumates; and C. patquiana (Birabén) and C. platensis (Birabén), comb. nov., from Gamasomorpha. Gamasomorpha wasmanniae Mello-Leitão and Lucetia distincta Dumitresco Georgesco are newly synonymized with C. simplex Simon. Two species currently in Gamasomorpha are transferred to Hexapopha Platnick Berniker: H. brasiliana (Bristowe), comb. nov. and H. m-scripta (Birabén), comb. nov. The following 31 species are newly described: C. adaga Ott Bonaldo (Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru); C. atlantica Ott Brescovit (Brazil); C. baja Ott Ubick (Mexico); C. bandolera Ott Harvey (Mexico USA); C. boraceia Ott Brescovit (Argentina and Brazil); C. campana Ott Harvey (Chile); C. central Ott Brescovit (Brazil); C. chicote Ott Bonaldo (Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru); C. concepcion Ott Harvey (Chile); C. iguazu Ott Brescovit (Argentina and Brazil); C. itabaiana Ott Brescovit (Brazil); C. laguna Ott Ubick (Mexico); C. lavras Ott Brescovit (Brazil); C. longisetosa Ott Harvey (Costa Rica and Brazil); C. lorenzo Ott Harvey (Guatemala); C. loreto Ott Bonaldo (Peru); C. nayarit Ott Harvey (Mexico); C. orellana Ott Bonaldo (Ecuador); C. pauferro Ott Brescovit (Brazil); C. peluda Ott Harvey (Chile); C. pinheiral Ott Brescovit (Brazil); C. pocone Ott Brescovit (Brazil); C. punctata Ott Brescovit (Brazil); C. quillota Ott Harvey (Chile); C. rinconada Ott Harvey (Chile); C. santamaria Ott Brescovit (Argentina); C. similis Ott Brescovit (Brazil); C. sternalis Ott Bonaldo (Brazil); C. sur Ott Ubick (Mexico); C. waorani Ott Bonaldo (Ecuador); and C. zero Ott Harvey (Mexico to Venezuela).

The cost-effectiveness of biodiversity surveys in tropical forests.

The identification of high-performance indicator taxa that combine practical feasibility and ecological value requires an understanding of the costs and benefits of surveying different taxa. We present a generic and novel framework for identifying such taxa, and illustrate our approach using a large-scale assessment of 14 different higher taxa across three forest types in the Brazilian Amazon, estimating both the standardized survey cost and the ecological and biodiversity indicator value for each taxon. Survey costs varied by three orders of magnitude, and dung beetles and birds were identified as especially suitable for evaluating and monitoring the ecological consequences of habitat change in our study region. However, an exclusive focus on such taxa occurs at the expense of understanding patterns of diversity in other groups. To improve the cost-effectiveness of biodiversity research we encourage a combination of clearer research goals and the use of an objective evidence-based approach to selecting study taxa.

On a new species of the spider genus Attacobius Mello-Leitão (Araneae: Corinnidae) from Brazilian Cerrado.

At the time the genus Attacobius Mello-Leitão, 1925 was first acknowledged as a member of the subfamily Corinninae, Corinnidae, by Platnick Baptista (1995), only three species were recognized. Since then, that number has increased to 15 currently valid species (Bonaldo Brescovit 1998; 2005; Pereira-Filho et al. 2018). Recently we had the opportunity to discover an additional species of Attacobius, collected in association with fire ants of the genus Solenopsis Westwood in the State of Goiás, Midwest Brazil, a region that harbors a large portion of the Brazilian Cerrado, one of the most threatened savannas in the planet. Attacobius lavape n. sp., described below, appears to belong to the same group of species as A. verhaaghi Bonaldo Brescovit, 1998 and A. lamellatus Bonaldo Brescovit, 2005, since these three species share, in the male palp, the presence of an unsclerotized median lobe on the retrolateral tibial apophysis (Figs 9, 11).

On the spider genus Syspira Simon, 1895 (Araneae: Miturgidae) in the Caribbean: four new species from Dominican Republic.

Four new species of Syspira Simon, 1895 are described: Syspira cimitarra sp. nov., Syspira jimmyi sp. nov., Syspira medialuna sp. nov. and Syspira agujas sp. nov., all endemic in the Dominican Republic.

Five new species and novel descriptions of opposed sexes of four species of the spider genus Attacobius (Araneae: Corinnidae).

Five new Brazilian species of the spider genus Attacobius Mello-Leitão, 1925 are described: A. demiguise n. sp. (based on male and female) and A. carimbo n. sp. (male), both from State of Pará; A. thalitae n. sp. (male) from the State of Minas Gerais; A. lauricae n. sp. (male) from State of Tocantins; and A. tremembe n. sp. (female) from State of Piauí. The males of A. luederwaldti (Mello-Leitão, 1923) and A. verhaaghi Bonaldo Brescovit, 1998, and the females of A. uiriri Bonaldo Brescovit, 2005 and A. blakei Bonaldo Brescovit, 2005, are described for the first time. Additionally, new records of A. attarum (Roewer, 1935), A. carranca Bonaldo Brescovit, 2005, A. kitae Bonaldo Brescovit, 2005 and A. tucurui Bonaldo Brescovit, 2005 are given.

Revisiting the spider genus Eutichurus Simon, 1897 (Araneae, Eutichuridae): new species and complementary descriptions.

Six new species of the genus Eutichurus Simon, 1897 are described: E. murgai new species (based on male and female) and E. paredesi new species (male) from Peru; E. cumbia new species (female) and E. tequendama new species (male) from Colombia; E. yungas new species (male and female) from Bolivia, and E. nancyae new species (male and female) from Brazil. The males of E. marquesae Bonaldo, 1994, E. madre Bonaldo, 1994 and E. zarate Bonaldo, 1994 are described for the first time. Eutichurus brescoviti Bonaldo, 1994, described on males, is synonymized with E. tropicus (L. Koch, 1866), previously known only from females. New records for E. ibiuna Bonaldo, 1994, E. ravidus Simon, 1897, E. putus O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1898, E. silvae Bonaldo, 1994, E. lizeri Mello-Leitão, 1938, E. saylapampa Bonaldo, 1994, E. tropicus and E. manu Bonaldo, 1994 are presented. A key to all species of Eutichurus is provided, variation in the epigynal morphology of E. ibiuna is recorded and the fine morphology of E. marquesae is documented.

The superficial ant: a revision of the Neotropical ant-mimicking spider genus Myrmecium Latreille, 1824 (Araneae, Corinnidae, Castianeirinae).

The ant-mimiking spider genus Myrmecium Latreille, 1824 is revised, including 38 species, all herein diagnosed, described and illustrated. The following synonymies are proposed: Myrmecium aurantiacum Mello-Leitão, 1941 syn. nov. with M. camponotoides Mello-Leitão, 1932; M. gounellei Simon, 1896 syn. nov. and M. obscurum Keyserling, 1891 syn. nov. with M. latreillei Lucas, 1857; M. itatiaiae Mello-Leitão, 1932 syn. nov. and M. vertebratum Walckenaer, 1837 syn. nov. with M. rufum Latreille, 1824. Myrmecium bonaerense Holmberg, 1881 is considered as species inquirenda. Males of M. dacetoniforme, Mello-Leitão, 1932, M. fuscum Dahl, 1907, M. latreillei Lucas, 1857, M. trifasciatum Caporiacco, 1947 and adults of M. viehmeyeri Dahl, 1907 and M. reticulatum Dahl, 1907 are described for the first time. Myrmecium bifasciatum Taczanowski, 1874, M. monacanthum Simon, 1897 and M. rufum Latreille, 1824 are also redescribed and illustrated. The following 28 new species are described, diagnosed and illustrated: M. amphora sp. nov. (female from Chichiriviche, Venezuela); M. bolivari sp. nov. (male and female from Caracas and Sucre, Venezuela and Colombia); M. carajas sp. nov. (male from Pará, Brazil); M. carvalhoi sp. nov. (female from Piauí, Tocantins and Goiás, Brazil); M. catuxy sp. nov. (female from Amazonas, Brazil and Puerto Lopez, Colombia); M. chikish sp. nov. (female from Huánuco, Peru); M. cizauskasi sp. nov. (male and female from Amazonas, Brazil); M. oliveirai sp. nov. (male from Amazonas, Brazil); M. deladanta sp. nov. (male from Sucúmbios, Ecuador); M. diasi sp. nov. (male and female from Amazonas, Brazil); M. erici sp. nov. (female from British Guiana); M. ferro sp. nov. (female from Paraiba, Brazil); M. indicatti sp. nov. (male and female from Pará, Brazil); M. nogueirai sp. nov. (female from Amazonas, Brazil and Madre de Dios, Peru); M. lomanhungae sp. nov. (male and female from Amazonas and Pará, Brazil); M. machetero sp. nov. (female from Beni, Bolivia); M. malleum sp. nov. (male and female from Aragua and Lara, Venezuela and Caldas, Colombia); M. oompaloompa sp. nov. (male and female from Bahia, Brazil and Kurupukari, Guyana); M. otti sp. nov. (male and female from Pará, Amazonas and Mato Grosso, Brazil and Madre de Dios in Peru); M. pakpaka sp. nov. (male and female from Huánuco, Peru); M. raveni sp. nov. (male and female from Amazonas and Pará, Brazil); M. ricettii sp. nov. (male and female from the states of Pará, Alagoas, Sergipe, Bahia, Goiás and Mato Grosso, Brazil and Puerto Lopez, Colombia); M. luepa sp. nov. (male from Bolívar, Venezuela); M. souzai sp. nov. (male from Amazonas, Brazil); M. tanguro sp. nov. (male and female from Rondonia, Mato Grosso, Brazil); M. tikuna sp. nov. (male from Amazonas, Brazil); M. urucu sp. nov. (female from Amazonas, Brazil); M. yamamotoi sp. nov. (male and female from Amapá, Amazonas and Pará, Brazil and Marowijne, Suriname).