A taxonomic revision of Neodietrichia (Araneae: Linyphiidae), a rarely encountered but widespread spider taxon.

The linyphiid spider Dietrichia hesperia was described from California in 1933 by Crosby and Bishop. The genus was renamed to Neodietrichia in 2008 by Özdikmen since Dietrichia was already occupied by a fossil bivalve. Until now, this rarely collected arboreal spider was the sole member of Neodietrichia. Herein we revise the genus by redescribing Neodietrichia hesperia (Crosby and Bishop, 1933), transferring Lophomma depressum (Emerton, 1882) to Neodietrichia as Neodietrichia depressum n. comb., and provide the first description of the female of this species.

New species in old mountains: integrative taxonomy reveals ten new species and extensive short-range endemism in Nesticus spiders (Araneae, Nesticidae) from the southern Appalachian Mountains.

This revision is based on sampling efforts over the past three decades in the southern Appalachian Mountains which have provided Nesticus (Araneae, Nesticidae) collections of approximately 2100 adult specimens from more than 475 unique collecting events. Using a "morphology first" framework we examined recently collected specimens plus museum material to formulate morphology-based species hypotheses for putative new taxa (discovery phase). Using sequence capture of nuclear ultraconserved elements (UCEs) we analyzed 801 nuclear loci to validate new (and prior) morphology-based species hypotheses (validation phase) and reconstructed a robust backbone phylogeny including all described and new species. Sanger sequencing and UCE-bycatch were also used to gather mitochondrial data for more than 240 specimens. Based on our integrative taxonomic framework ten new Nesticus species are herein described, including N.binfordaesp. nov., N.bondisp. nov., N.caneisp. nov., N.cherokeensissp. nov., N.dellingerisp. nov., N.dykemanaesp. nov., N.jemisinaesp. nov., N.lowderisp. nov., N.roanensissp. nov., and N.templetonisp. nov. Previously unknown males are also described for N.bishopi Gertsch, 1984, N.crosbyi Gertsch, 1984, and N.silvanus Gertsch, 1984, as well as the previously unknown female for N.mimus Gertsch, 1984. Based on combined evidence N.cooperi Gertsch, 1984 is placed in synonymy with N.reclusus Gertsch, 1984. Overall, the montane radiation of Appalachian Nesticus reveals a general lack of species sympatry and compelling biogeographic patterns. Several regional Nesticus taxa are rare, microendemic habitat specialists that deserve conservation attention and detailed future monitoring as conservation sentinels.

Effects of Fire on Ground-Dwelling Spider (Araneae) Assemblages in Central Indiana Forests.

Fire is a natural disturbance that occurs in many temperate and tropical ecosystems worldwide. As ubiquitous members of these ecosystems, spiders (Araneae) are often affected by fire, and their response to this disturbance has been shown to be dependent on taxonomy, functional diversity, seasonality, and a variety of environmental factors. We examined the effect of fire on ground-dwelling spider assemblages in temperate forests in central Indiana over 5 yr and found that spider assemblages were significantly affected by fire disturbance. Overall spider abundance decreased, whereas species richness and diversity remained unaffected. We also found that spider response depended heavily on the family and/or guild to which the spider belonged. We suspect that altered habitat heterogeneity, the patchy nature of fire's effect on leaf litter, and the high rate of recolonization by spiders all played important roles in these observed patterns.

Revision of the spider genus Epiceraticelus (Araneae, Linyphiidae) with a description of a new species.

The type species of the genus, Epiceraticelus fluvialis Crosby Bishop, 1931, is herein redescribed since the types are presumed lost. In addition, a new species, Epiceraticelus mandyae n. sp., from the Southeastern United States is described.

Globally distributed occurrences utilised in 200 spider species conservation profiles (Arachnida, Araneae).

BACKGROUND: Data on 200 species of spiders were collected to assess the global threat status of the group worldwide. To supplement existing digital occurrence records from GBIF, a dataset of new occurrence records was compiled for all species using published literature or online sources, from which geographic coordinates were extracted or interpreted from locality description data. NEW INFORMATION: A total of 5,104 occurrence records were obtained, of which 2,378 were from literature or online sources other than GBIF. Of these, 2,308 had coordinate data. Reporting years ranged from 1834 to 2017. Most records were from North America and Europe, with Brazil, China, India and Australia also well represented.

Species conservation profiles of a random sample of world spiders IV: Scytodidae to Zoropsidae.

BACKGROUND: The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species is the most widely used information source on the extinction risk of species. One of the uses of the Red List is to evaluate and monitor the state of biodiversity and a possible approach for this purpose is the Red List Index (RLI). For many taxa, mainly hyperdiverse groups, it is not possible within available resources to assess all known species. In such cases, a random sample of species might be selected for assessment and the results derived from it extrapolated for the entire group - the Sampled Red List Index (SRLI). The current contribution is the final in four papers that will constitute the baseline of a future spider SRLI encompassing 200 species distributed across the world. NEW INFORMATION: A sample of 200 species of spiders were randomly selected from the World Spider Catalogue, an updated global database containing all recognised species names for the group. The selected species were classified taxonomically at the family level and the familes were ordered alphabetically. In this publication, we present the conservation profiles of 50 species belonging to the families alphabetically arranged between Scytodidae and Zoropsidae, which encompassed Scytodidae, Selenopidae, Sicariidae, Sparassidae, Tetrablemmidae, Tetragnathidae, Theraphosidae, Theridiidae, Theridiosomatidae, Thomisidae, Trochanteriidae, Zodariidae and Zoropsidae.

Species conservation profiles of a random sample of world spiders III: Oecobiidae to Salticidae.

BACKGROUND: The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species is the most widely used information source on the extinction risk of species. One of the uses of the Red List is to evaluate and monitor the state of biodiversity and a possible approach for this purpose is the Red List Index (RLI). For many taxa, mainly hyperdiverse groups, it is not possible within available resources to assess all known species. In such cases, a random sample of species might be selected for assessment and the results derived from it extrapolated for the entire group - the Sampled Red List Index (SRLI). The current contribution is the third in four papers that will constitute the baseline of a future spider SRLI encompassing 200 species distributed across the world. NEW INFORMATION: A sample of 200 species of spiders were randomly selected from the World Spider Catalogue, an updated global database containing all recognized species names for the group. The 200 selected species where divided taxonomically at the family level, and the familes were ordered alphabetically. In this publication, we present the conservation profiles of 58 species belonging to the famillies alphabetically arranged between Oecobiidae and Salticidae, which encompassed Oecobiidae, Oonopidae, Orsolobidae, Oxyopidae, Palpimanidae, Philodromidae, Pholcidae, Pisauridae, Prodidomidae and Salticidae.

Species conservation profiles of a random sample of world spiders II: Gnaphosidae to Nemesiidae.

BACKGROUND: The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species is the most widely used information source on the extinction risk of species. One of the uses of the Red List is to evaluate and monitor the state of biodiversity and a possible approach for this purpose is the Red List Index (RLI). For many taxa, mainly hyperdiverse groups, it is not possible within available resources to assess all known species. In such cases, a random sample of species might be selected for assessment and the results derived from it extrapolated for the entire group - the Sampled Red List Index (SRLI). The current contribution is the second in four papers that will constitute the baseline of a future spider SRLI encompassing 200 species distributed across the world. NEW INFORMATION: A sample of 200 species of spiders were randomly selected from the World Spider Catalogue, an updated global database containing all recognised species names for the group. The 200 selected species where divided taxonomically at the family level and the familes were ordered alphabetically. In this publication, we present the conservation profiles of 45 species belonging to the families alphabetically arranged between Gnaphosidae and Nemesiidae, which encompassed Gnaphosidae, Idiopidae, Linyphiidae, Liocranidae, Lycosidae, Micropholcommatidae, Mysmenidae and Nemesiidae.

Species conservation profiles of a random sample of world spiders I: Agelenidae to Filistatidae.

BACKGROUND: The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species is the most widely used information source on the extinction risk of species. One of the uses of the Red List is to evaluate and monitor the state of biodiversity and a possible approach for this purpose is the Red List Index (RLI). For many taxa, mainly hyperdiverse groups, it is not possible within available resources to assess all known species. In such cases, a random sample of species might be selected for assessment and the results derived from it extrapolated for the entire group - the Sampled Red List Index (SRLI). With the current contribution and the three following papers, we intend to create the first point in time of a future spider SRLI encompassing 200 species distributed across the world. NEW INFORMATION: A sample of 200 species of spiders were randomly selected from the World Spider Catalogue, an updated global database containing all recognised species names for the group. The 200 selected species where divided taxonomically at the family level and the familes were ordered alphabetically. In this publication, we present the conservation profiles of 46 species belonging to the famillies alphabetically arranged between Agelenidae and Filistatidae, which encompassed Agelenidae, Amaurobiidae, Anyphaenidae, Araneidae, Archaeidae, Barychelidae, Clubionidae, Corinnidae, Ctenidae, Ctenizidae, Cyatholipidae, Dictynidae, Dysderidae, Eresidae and Filistatidae.

First description of the male of the linyphiid spider Disembolus corneliae (Chamberlin Ivie, 1944) (Araneae, Linyphiidae).

The erigonine linyphiid genus Disembolus currently contains 24 described species (World Spider Catalog 2018). Disembolus was erected by Chamberlin and Ivie (1933) to accommodate their new species D. stridulans Chamberlin and Ivie from Utah. Since then, 23 species have been added to the genus. Chamberlin (1949) described D. zygethus Chamberlin, but the majority of species were added to the genus by Millidge (1981). Millidge (1981) described 16 species from museum specimens at the American Museum of Natural History and transferred five species from the genera Tapinocyba and Soudinus (D. alpha (Chamberlin 1949), D. kesimbus (Chamberlin 1949), D. phanus (Chamberlin 1949), D. sacerdotalis (Crosby Bishop 1933), and D. corneliae (Chamberlin Ivie 1944)). The last species added to the genus was D. bairdi Edwards described by Edwards in 1999. Disembolus corneliae Chamberlin and Ivie was described from the female only by Chamberlin and Ivie (1944) as Soudinus corneliae. The species was then transferred to Disembolus by Millidge (1981). Herein, I describe the male of the species for the first time.

Larval aquatic and terrestrial mites infesting a temperate assemblage of mosquitoes.

We collected 22,769 adult female mosquitoes, representing 27 species, from light traps in Norfolk, Virginia (2006-2007) and examined them to assess infestation by larval mites. Mosquitoes were parasitized by two species of aquatic (Acari: Arrenuridae: Arrenurus) and three species of terrestrial mites (Acari: Erythraeidae). The prevalence of infestation varied from 0.55% (2006) to 0.17% (2007). The mean intensity of parasitism ranged from 3.6 mites per host (2006) to 1.8 mites per host (2007). The most common host species for aquatic mites was Culex erraticus, while the most common host for terrestrial mites was Anopheles quadrimaculatus. Relationships between biotic and abiotic factors were investigated in an attempt to provide insight into temporal, spatial, and interspecific variation in mite-mosquito interactions. Scanning electron microscopy was used to examine the mode of attachment for larval mites. While the prevalence of aquatic mite parasitism was correlated for Culex erraticus, the invasive mosquito, Aedes albopictus, was never parasitized through the duration of the study.