Oonops erinaceus Benoit, 1977, a junior synonym of Triaeris stenaspis Simon, 1892 (Araneae: Oonopidae)

recently, the Saint helenian oonopids have been discussed by Sherwood & Fowler (2022) who indicated all but one species was non-endemic. the sole remaining endemic species, Oonops erinaceus Benoit, 1977, was described based on the female and the type material has not been reconsidered in the taxonomic literature since its original description. Sherwood & Fowler (2022) did not make changes to the taxonomy of this species, stating the types had to be examined in order to resolve its systematic placement.In this work, following a visit to the royal Museum for Central Africa (rMCA) by the senior author in early 2023, where the types were examined, we can finally resolve the identity of Oonops erinaceus forty-five years after its original description. Photographs of the habitus and epigyne of the holotype were taken by DS at the rMCA using a leica DMC500 digital camera mounted on a leica Mz16A and stacked using the leica Application Suite (lAS) v. 4.13. Photographs of the rMCA specimens are accessible through the rMCA virtual Collection website (https://virtualcol.africamuseum.be). A non-type from Brazil deposited at the Instituto Butantan, São Paulo (IBSP) was used here for comparison to show a more recently preserved specimen. It is thus now the fact that the Saint helenian oonopidae taxa consist solely of invasive species, this information is important as the synonymy established here will allow for the future removal of O. erinaceus from the International union for the Conservation of Nature’s red list and demonstrates that oonopids should not be considered a priority concern for conservation on the island unless any true endemic (novel) species are discovered in the future.

Three new species of the genus Ranops (Araneae: Zodariidae) from southern Africa.

The genus Ranops Jocqué, 1991 was only known from three species so far. Three new species of the genus are described here: R. robinae sp. nov. (♂♀) from South Africa, R. tharinae sp. nov. (♂♀) from Botswana, and R. wandae sp. nov. (♂♀) from Namibia. Its distribution is discussed and a distribution map for all the Ranops species is provided. Ranops expers (O.P. Cambridge, 1876) does not belong to Ranops and is transferred back to Zodarion Walckenaer, 1826.

Revision of the ant-eating spider genus Mallinus Simon, 1893 (Araneae, Zodariidae).

The zodariine spider genus Mallinus Simon, 1893 is redescribed and diagnosed. The type species, M.nitidiventris Simon, 1893 from South Africa, was originally described from subadult specimens. Adults of both sexes of M.nitidiventris are described for the first time, based on recently collected material, and the genus is rediagnosed, redescribed, and its relationships discussed. A single aberrant male specimen from Namibia is here described as a morphospecies, as it is presumed to only be superficially related. A second species, M.defectus Strand, 1906 from Tunisia, is considered a 'species inquirenda', as the type specimens could not be traced, but this species is in any case unlikely to be congeneric. The genus is one of 10 cases of a monotypic genus in the Zodariidae. Notes are provided on the biology of M.nitidiventris.

On three new oonopid species from China and the discovery of the male Orchestina bialata Liu, Xiao & Xu, 2016 (Araneae: Oonopidae).

Expeditions in the Jinggangshan National Nature Reserve in China yielded the discovery of some interesting goblin spiders (Oonopidae). Three new species of oonopid spiders are described and illustrated with photographs and SEMs: Ischnothyreus tergeminus sp. nov. (♂), Orchestina colubrina sp. nov. (♀), and O. zhiwui sp. nov. (♂). Both sexes of the species Orchestina bialata Liu, Xiao & Xu, 2016 were also collected and the male is described for the first time in this paper.

Luciobarbus lanigarensis and L. numidiensis, two new species of barbels from the Mediterranean Sea basin in North Africa (Teostei: Cyprinidae).

Two new species of Luciobarbus are described from the Mediterranean Sea basin in Morocco and Algeria. Their monophyly and phylogenetic placement are resolved by molecular analyses using two mitochondrial markers (cyt b and D-loop). Luciobarbus lanigarensis, new species, from the Tafna River drainage in Algeria and Morocco, is distinguished by having orange fins, a great predorsal length (52-59% SL) and a very long pectoral fin (79-90% HL). Luciobarbus numidiensis, new species, from the El-Kébir River drainage in Algeria, is distinguished by having a golden pectoral-fin margin, 43-47+1-3 lateral line scales and a very long anal-fin (19-23%).

The genus Clubiona Latreille, 1904 (Araneae: Clubionidae) in the Maghreb, with notes on the genevensis group and new records from the Mediterranean Region.

A survey of the members of the genus Clubiona Latreille, 1904 in the Maghreb is presented. The presence of Clubiona comta C. L. Koch, 1839, C. dinienis Simon, 1878, C. leucaspis Simon, 1932, C. phragmitis C. L. Koch 1843 and C. vegeta Simon, 1918 is confirmed. Clubiona pseudosimilis Mikhailov, 1990, from the eastern Mediterranean is new to Africa and Portugal. A specimen of C. neglecta O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1862, cited from Morocco in the past, was misidentified and appears to be C. pseudoneglecta Wunderlich, 1994. The species is new to Algeria and Spain. Two new synonyms are revealed: Clubiona baborensis Denis, 1937 from Algeria = C. diniensis Simon, 1878 N. Syn. and Clubiona venusta Pavesi, 1880 from Tunisia = Selamia reticulata (Simon, 1870) N. Syn. Clubiona mandibularis Lucas, 1846 is considered a Nomen dubium. The comta group is redefined and the "genevensis subgroup" is elevated to species group, including two subgroups. A key and illustrations to the species of the genevensis group are presented and all the species occurring in the Maghreb are illustrated.

Luciobarbus chelifensis and L. mascarensis, two new species from Algeria (Teleostei: Cyprinidae).

Cyprinids of the genus Luciobarbus are the most abundant and widespread fishes in most freshwater ecosystems in the Maghreb. In the Mediterranean basin of Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia, all species of Luciobarbus-with exception of L. guercifensis-are superficially very similar and are distinguished mostly by minor morphometric characters. Molecular characters distinguish all species well and nine species are recognised from the area, two of them described here. Luciobarbus chelifensis, from the Chelif River drainage in Algeria, is distinguished by having 41-43+1-2 lateral line scales and a very short anal fin (18-19% SL). Luciobarbus mascarensis, from the Macta River drainage in Algeria, is distinguished by having usually 41+1-2 lateral line scales, a long anal-fin (19-22%) and a short caudal peduncle (15-17% SL). An identification key is given for all African Mediterranean Luciobarbus species except for L. callensis and L. rifensis, which could not be distinguished.

Genetic and morphological consequences of Quaternary glaciations: A relic barbel lineage (Luciobarbus pallaryi, Cyprinidae) of Guir Basin (Algeria).

Climatic variations during the Quaternary period had a considerable impact on landscapes and habitat fragmentation (rivers) in North Africa. These historical events can have significant consequences on the genetic structure of the populations. Indeed, geographically separated and genetically isolated populations tend to differentiate themselves through time, eventually becoming distinct lineages, allowing new species to emerge in later generations. The aim of the present study is to use genetic and morphological techniques to evaluate the major role of the Saalian glaciation (Middle Quaternary) in the establishment of the geographic space and in the evolution of the intraspecific genetic diversity, by tracing the demographic history of barbels belonging to the Luciobarbus pallaryi (Cyprinidae) species in the Guir Basin (Algeria). In this context, two populations, from two distinct and isolated sites, were studied. Analysis of the cytochrome b (cyt b) mitochondrial markers and of the "D-loop" control region has shown that the "upstream" and "downstream" Guir populations are genetically differentiated. The molecular analyses suggest that the upstream population was disconnected from this hydrographic system during the Saalian glaciation period of the Quaternary. Subsequently, it was isolated in the foggaras underground waters in the Great Western Erg, at approximately 320 000 years BP, creating, through a bottleneck effect, a new allopatric lineage referred to as "Adrar". Conversely, the high genetic diversity in the upstream Guir (Bechar) population suggests that the stock is globally in expansion. These barbels (n=52) were also examined with meristic, morphometric, osteological, and biological features. These data also reveal a complete discrimination between the two populations, with a remarkable and distinctive behavioural adaptation for the Adrar specimens: neoteny.

On the new Afrotropical genus Suffrica with discovery of an abdominal gland and a dual femoral organ (Araneae, Zodariidae).

A new genus, Suffrica, is described from Tanzania and Kenya. It contains three new species occurring in the Eastern Arc Mountains and the adjacent Mkomazi Game Reserve: S. exotica, S. chawia and S. gus. They are characterized by a remarkable combination of features which has not been documented in spiders so far: a pair of femoral organs on each leg, a gland on the dorsal side of the abdomen in both sexes and a dorsal abdominal groove in males. A dual femoral organ appears to occur in species of the genus Suffasia Jocqué, 1991 and Asceua Thorell, 1887. The discovery of a new African genus close to Suffasia is remarkable since the latter genus is known only from Asia.