MicroCT analysis unveils the role of inflatable female genitalia and male tibial complex in the genital coupling in the spider genus Aysha (Anyphaenidae, Araneae).

Sperm transfer in spiders is achieved by copulatory organs on the male pedipalps (i.e., copulatory bulbs), which can be simple or a complex set of sclerites and membranes. During copulation, these sclerites can be used to anchor in corresponding structures in the female genitalia by means of hydraulic pressure. In the most diverse group of Entelegynae spiders, the retrolateral tibial apophysis clade, the female role in the coupling of genitalia is considered rather passive, as conformational changes of the female genital plate (i.e., the epigyne) during copulation are scarce. Here, we reconstruct the genital mechanics of two closely related species belonging to the Aysha prospera group (Anyphaenidae) that bear a membranous, wrinkled epigyne and male pedipalps with complex tibial structures. By using microcomputed tomography data of a cryofixed mating pair, we reveal that most of the epigyne remains greatly inflated during genital coupling, and that the male tibial structures are coupled to the epigyne by the inflation of a tibial hematodocha. We propose that a turgent female vulva is a prerequisite for the genital coupling, which could implicate a female control device, and that the structures from the male copulatory bulb have been functionally replaced by tibial structures in these species. Furthermore, we show that the conspicuous median apophysis is maintained in spite of being functionally redundant, posing a puzzling situation.

An update of morphological and distributional data of the genus Patrera Simon (Araneae: Anyphaenidae: Anyphaeninae) with the description of twenty-five new species from Colombia.

The knowledge on the diversity of the genus Patrera Simon in Colombia is widely expanded. P. auricoma (L. Koch, 1866) and P. armata (Chickering, 1940) are redescribed and their females are described for the first time and recorded from Cundinamarca and Meta departments, respectively. Aysha strandi (Caporiacco, 1947) is synonymized with P. armata. Three species groups in the genus Patrera are proposed to include the bulk of its species (fulvastra, florezi, and philipi). These groups are diagnosed based on sexual characters. Twenty-five new species are herein described, illustrated and mapped: P. anchicaya n. sp. (♂♀); P. barbacoas n. sp. (♂); P. borjai n. sp. (♂♀); P. danielae n. sp. (♂♀); P. dimar n. sp. (♂♀); P. perafani n. sp. (♂♀); P. platnicki n. sp. (♂); P. quillacinga n. sp. (♂♀), and P. ramirezi n. sp. (♂♀) into the fulvastra species group. P. bonaldoi n. sp. (♂♀); P. boteroi n. sp. (♂); P. carvalhoi n. sp. (♂♀); P. florezi n. sp. (♂♀); P. perijaensis n. sp. (♀); P. quimbaya n. sp. (♂♀); P. sampedroi n. sp. (♂); P. yukpa n. sp. (♂♀), and P. wiwa n. sp. (♂♀) in florezi species group. P. sutu n. sp. (♂); P. chucurui n. sp. (♂♀); P. dawkinsi n. sp. (♂); P. dentata n. sp. (♂); P. dracula n. sp. (♂); P. kuryi n. sp. (♂♀), and P. longitibialis n. sp. (♂) in philipi species group. We also briefly discuss some aspects of the species groups' genital morphology, based on a comparison with the type, P. fulvastra Simon. Additionally, distribution maps for all Colombian species including new records for P. armata (Chickering, 1940), P. auricoma (L. Koch, 1866) and P. suni Dupérré Tapia, 2016 from Cundinamarca, Meta and Nariño departments are also herein included.

An update of morphological and distributional data of the genus Patrera Simon (Araneae: Anyphaenidae: Anyphaeninae) with the description of twenty-five new species from Colombia

The knowledge on the diversity of the genus Patrera Simon in Colombia is widely expanded. P. auricoma (L. Koch, 1866) and P. armata (Chickering, 1940) are redescribed and their females are described for the first time and recorded from Cundinamarca and Meta departments, respectively. Aysha strandi (Caporiacco, 1947) is synonymized with P. armata. Three species groups in the genus Patrera are proposed to include the bulk of its species (fulvastra, florezi, and philipi). These groups are diagnosed based on sexual characters. Twenty-five new species are herein described, illustrated and mapped: P. anchicaya n. sp. (♂♀); P. barbacoas n. sp. (♂); P. borjai n. sp. (♂♀); P. danielae n. sp. (♂♀); P. dimar n. sp. (♂♀); P. perafani n. sp. (♂♀); P. platnicki n. sp. (♂); P. quillacinga n. sp. (♂♀), and P. ramirezi n. sp. (♂♀) into the fulvastra species group. P. bonaldoi n. sp. (♂♀); P. boteroi n. sp. (♂); P. carvalhoi n. sp. (♂♀); P. florezi n. sp. (♂♀); P. perijaensis n. sp. (♀); P. quimbaya n. sp. (♂♀); P. sampedroi n. sp. (♂); P. yukpa n. sp. (♂♀), and P. wiwa n. sp. (♂♀) in florezi species group. P. sutu n. sp. (♂); P. chucurui n. sp. (♂♀); P. dawkinsi n. sp. (♂); P. dentata n. sp. (♂); P. dracula n. sp. (♂); P. kuryi n. sp. (♂♀), and P. longitibialis n. sp. (♂) in philipi species group. We also briefly discuss some aspects of the species groups’ genital morphology, based on a comparison with the type, P. fulvastra Simon. Additionally, distribution maps for all Colombian species including new records for P. armata (Chickering, 1940), P. auricoma (L. Koch, 1866) and P. suni Dupérré & Tapia, 2016 from Cundinamarca, Meta and Nariño departments are also herein included.

The spider genus Patrera Simon (Araneae: Dionycha, Anyphaeninae) in the Atlantic Forest biome, with the description of one new species from Brazil

The species of Patrera Simon, 1903 from Brazilian Atlantic Forest biome are revised. With more than 2715 specimens examined, nine species were found and, of these, only one new species is described, Patrera teresopolis n. sp. from state of Rio de Janeiro. The other valid names were described by a single author: Patrera procera (Keyserling, 1891), P. longipes (Keyserling, 1891), P. virgata (Keyserling, 1891), P. cita (Keyserling, 1891), P. tensa (Keyserling, 1891), n. comb., P. opertanea (Keyserling, 1891), n. comb., P. concolor (Keyserling, 1891), n. comb. and P. recentissima (Keyserling, 1891), n. comb. (Later four here transferred from Teudis O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1896) and P. pellucida (Keyserling, 1891), n. comb. (here transferred from Sillus F.O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1900). The males of Patrera opertanea, P. pellucida and P. recentissima are described for the first time. The species Teudis itatiayae Mello-Leitão, 1915 and Sillus delicatus Mello-Leitão, 1922 are synonymized with P. longipes; Osoriella pallidoemanu Mello-Leitão, 1926 is synonymized with P. concolor. All species are described, illustrated and mapped. The known distribution of Patrera procera and P. longipes is expanded to Argentina and that of Patrera procera to Paraguay.

Two new species of the ghost spider genus Macrophyes O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1893 from Colombia and description of the first male of Mesilla Simon, 1903 (Araneae: Anyphaenidae: Anyphaeninae).

Two new species of the elongated-body ghost spider genus Macrophyes O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1893 from Colombia are herein described and illustrated: Macrophyes sanzi n. sp. known by both sexes from Chocó department and Macrophyes ceratii n. sp. by females from Santander department. Additionally, the male of Mesilla vittiventris Simon, 1903 is described for the first time based on specimens from Nariño and Cauca departments, Colombia. A distribution map for the species herein reported is included.

Two new species of the ghost spider genus Macrophyes O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1893 from Colombia and description of the first male of Mesilla Simon, 1903 (Araneae: Anyphaenidae: Anyphaeninae)

Two new species of the elongated-body ghost spider genus Macrophyes O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1893 from Colombia are herein described and illustrated: Macrophyes sanzi n. sp. known by both sexes from Chocó department and Macrophyes ceratii n. sp. by females from Santander department. Additionally, the male of Mesilla vittiventris Simon, 1903 is described for the first time based on specimens from Nariño and Cauca departments, Colombia. A distribution map for the species herein reported is included.

Description of five new Wulfila (Araneae, Anyphaenidae) species from Mexico with comments on the taxonomy of the genus.

The genus Wulfila O. Pickard-Cambridge 1895 belongs to the family Anyphaenidae Bertkau, 1878, commonly called ghost spiders. Wulfila is endemic to the Americas and currently has 43 valid species; here we describe five new: Wulfila conchamonile spec. nov., W. xilitlensis spec. nov., W. luisi spec. nov., W. unguis spec. nov. and W. phantasma spec. nov. Specimens were collected in Mexico as part of three biological inventories developed in Xilitla, San Luis Potosí, and Atotonilco and Xamaticpac, Veracruz, between 2011 and 2014. In addition, we provide an overview of Wulfila taxonomic literature with a discussion on the genus taxonomy, diagnostic characters, species placement, and novel genital characters.