1. Nephila spider male aggregation : preference for optimal female size and web clusteringMatjaž Kuntner, Maj Kuntner, Eva Kuntner, Alexandra Bogožalec Košir, Irena Kuntner, Viktorija Tomič, Jana Faganeli Pucer, Erik Štrumbelj, Daiqin Li, 2024, izvirni znanstveni članek Povzetek: Sexual size dimorphism theory predicts biased operational sex ratios (OSRs) and an uneven distribution of males among certain females. We studied this phenomenon through a field census of the giant wood spider Nephila pilipes (family Nephilidae) in Singapore, a species where females are, on average, 6.9 times larger than males. Specifically, we tested two hypotheses concerning male distribution, given their tendency to aggregate in certain female webs. The optimal female size hypothesis predicts that males would predominantly occupy webs of intermediate-sized females. The web clustering hypothesis posits that more males would be found in webs closer together compared to those farther apart. Our snapshot census revealed a female-biased OSR (females: males = 1.85) with an uneven distribution of males in female webs. Most males were found in webs of intermediate-sized females aligning with the optimal female size hypothesis. Proximity among female webs was indicative of male presence, lending support to the web clustering hypothesis. While our study's limited sample size warrants caution, we conclude that in N. pilipes, male occupation of female webs is facilitated by the clustering of webs, and males prefer to cohabit with optimally sized, receptive females. Ključne besede: sexual size dimorphism, operational sex ratios (OSRs), male distribution, optimal female size hypothesis, web clustering hypothesis, female-biased OSR, intermediate-sized females, proximity of webs, male aggregation, arachnology, behavioral ecology, environmental zoology Objavljeno v DiRROS: 03.09.2024; Ogledov: 29; Prenosov: 22
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2. Phylogenomic, biogeographic, and evolutionary research trends in arachnologyznanstvena monografija Povzetek: This book focuses on systematics, biogeography, and evolution of arachnids, a group of ancient chelicerate lineages that have taken on terrestrial lifestyles. The book opens with the questions of what arachnology represents, and where the field should go in the future. Twelve original contributions then dissect the current state-of-the-art in arachnological research. These papers provide innovative phylogenomic, evolutionary and biogeographic analyses and interpretations of new data and/or synthesize our knowledge to offer new directions for the future of arachnology. Ključne besede: biogeography, phylogeny, systematics, evolution, arachnology Objavljeno v DiRROS: 09.08.2024; Ogledov: 165; Prenosov: 107
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3. Phylogenomic, biogeographic, and evolutionary research trends in arachnologyMatjaž Kuntner, 2022, drugi znanstveni članki Povzetek: Textbook knowledge tells us that arachnids are a hyper diverse clade of chelicerates that have taken on terrestrial lifestyles. Original papers published in prestigious venues routinely reconstruct details of this purported single terrestrialization event that would have been followed by arachnid diversification on land. However, we are beginning to understand that arachnids are very likely paraphyletic; as such, Arachnida can only circumscribe an assemblage of chelicerates that live terrestrially. If so, arachnid terrestrialization may have taken several independent routes at different historic times. While the diversity and phylogeny of spiders, scorpions and harvestmen may be relatively well documented and understood, additional groups that we deem to be arachnids remain enigmatic and will likely continue to be more or less neglected after this Special Issue. We have here assembled examples of contemporary studies that include both original research as well as reviews focusing on “arachnids” and cover loosely defined biological subdisciplines of phylogenomics, biogeography, and evolution. The latter includes systematics, taxonomy, DNA barcoding, and trait evolution. In this editorial, I introduce the authors of these papers and their featured research, and through this narrative, I pose two questions. The first one is what is arachnology given that arachnids may not be monophyletic? The second question is where should our field be headed toward in the near future? Ključne besede: biogeography, phylogeny, systematics, evolution, arachnology Objavljeno v DiRROS: 06.08.2024; Ogledov: 150; Prenosov: 63
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4. Jumping spider invades an orb web to prey on a resident maleMatjaž Kuntner, Eva Kuntner, Maj Kuntner, Irena Kuntner, Daiqin Li, 2023, drugi znanstveni članki Povzetek: While surveying operational sex ratios of the giant golden orb weaver Nephila pilipes (Fabricius, 1793) in Singapore, we documented a stunning case of predatory behavior of a jumping spider Viciria pavesii Thorell, 1877. A female V. pavesii invaded a N. pilipes orb web that was occupied by the resident female and four males, and successfully captured, killed, and removed one of the Nephila males. Whether araneophagy in V. pavesii is opportunistic or a predatory ritual remains to be tested more precisely, but because the observed predatory event triggered an aggressive response by the N. pilipes alpha male, it is plausible that V. pavesii may engage in aggressive mimicry. We place our observation into the context of jumping spider cognition and behavioral tactics that are so far well understood only in a few spartaeine genera, notably Portia Karsch, 1878. Viciria Thorell, 1877, we argue, is another such jumping spider taxon worthy of behavioral scrutiny. Ključne besede: Nephila, Nephilidae, predation, Salticidae, Viciria Objavljeno v DiRROS: 06.08.2024; Ogledov: 143; Prenosov: 86
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5. A new species of Stenasellus Dollfus, 1897 from Iran, with a key to the western Asian species (Crustacea, Isopoda, Stenasellidae)Valiallah Khalaji-Pirbalouty, Yaser Fatemi, Mohammad Javad Malek-Hosseini, Matjaž Kuntner, 2018, izvirni znanstveni članek Povzetek: A new stenasellid isopod is described from Tashan Cave, Khuzestan Province, south-west Iran, belonging to the genus Stenasellus Dollfus, 1897. The first recorded species of Stenasellidae from Iran, Stenasellus tashanicus sp. n., is diagnosed by the presence of antennae with a minute squama bearing paired, long, robust setae; a maxilliped endite with six coupling hooks; and slender appendix masculina with an acute apex. A revised generic diagnosis is provided with a key to the six known western Asian Stenasellus species. Ključne besede: Stenasellidae, Tashan Cave (Iran) Objavljeno v DiRROS: 24.07.2024; Ogledov: 190; Prenosov: 161
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6. Golden orbweavers ignore biological rules : phylogenomic and comparative analyses unravel a complex evolution of sexual size dimorphismMatjaž Kuntner, Christopher A. Hamilton, Ren-Chung Cheng, Matjaž Gregorič, Nik Lupše, Tjaša Lokovšek, Emily Moriarty Lemmon, Alan R. Lemmon, Ingi Agnarsson, Jonathan A. Coddington, Jason E. Bond, 2019, izvirni znanstveni članek Povzetek: Instances of sexual size dimorphism (SSD) provide the context for rigorous tests of biological rules of size evolution, such as Cope’s rule (phyletic size increase), Rensch’s rule (allometric patterns of male and female size), as well as male and female body size optima. In certain spider groups, such as the golden orbweavers (Nephilidae), extreme female-biased SSD (eSSD, female:male body length
2) is the norm. Nephilid genera construct webs of exaggerated proportions, which can be aerial, arboricolous, or intermediate (hybrid). First, we established the backbone phylogeny of Nephilidae using 367 anchored hybrid enrichment markers, then combined these data with classical markers for a reference species-level phylogeny. Second, we used the phylogeny to test Cope and Rensch’s rules, sex specific size optima, and the coevolution of web size, type, and features with female and male body size and their ratio, SSD. Male, but not female, size increases significantly over time, and refutes Cope’s rule. Allometric analyses reject the converse, Rensch’s rule. Male and female body sizes are uncorrelated. Female size evolution is random, but males evolve toward an optimum size (3.2–4.9 mm). Overall, female body size correlates positively with absolute web size. However, intermediate sized females build the largest webs (of the hybrid type), giant female Nephila and Trichonephila build smaller webs (of the aerial type), and the smallest females build the smallest webs (of the arboricolous type). We propose taxonomic changes based on the criteria of clade age, monophyly and exclusivity, classification information content, and diagnosability. Spider families, as currently defined, tend to be between 37 million years old and 98 million years old, and Nephilidae is estimated at 133 Ma (97–146), thus deserving family status. We, therefore, resurrect the family Nephilidae Simon 1894 that contains Clitaetra Simon 1889, the Cretaceous GeratonephilaPoinar and Buckley (2012), Herennia Thorell 1877, IndoetraKuntner 2006, new rank, Nephila Leach 1815, Nephilengys L. Koch 1872, Nephilingis Kuntner 2013, Palaeonephila Wunderlich 2004 from Tertiary Baltic amber, and TrichonephilaDahl 1911, new rank. We propose the new clade Orbipurae to contain Araneidae Clerck 1757, Phonognathidae Simon 1894, new rank, and Nephilidae. Nephilid female gigantism is a phylogenetically ancient phenotype (over 100 Ma), as is eSSD, though their magnitudes vary by lineage. Ključne besede: spiders, evolution of sexual size dimorphism, golden orbweavers, analyses Objavljeno v DiRROS: 24.07.2024; Ogledov: 318; Prenosov: 161
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7. A taxonomic monograph of the liphistiid spider genus Heptathela, endemic to Japanese islandsXin Xu, Hirotsugu Ono, Matjaž Kuntner, Fengxiang Liu, Daiqin Li, 2019, izvirni znanstveni članek Povzetek: Among the eight extant genera of primitively segmented spiders, family Liphistiidae, two are confined to East Asian islands, Heptathela Kishida, 1923 and Ryuthela Haupt, 1983. In this paper, a taxonomic revision of the genus Heptathela (Heptathelinae) from Kyushu and Ryukyu archipelago, Japan is provided. This study follows a multi-tier species delimitation strategy within an integrative taxonomic framework that is presented in a parallel paper, in which diagnosable lineages are considered as valid species. There, the initial hypothesis of species diversity (19) based on classical morphological diagnoses is tested with multiple species delimitation methods aimed at resolving conflict in data. This revision follows those analyses that converge on the species diversity of 20, which includes a pair of cryptic species that would have been undetected with morphology alone. After this revision, eight previously described species remain valid, two junior synonyms are proposed, and 12 new Heptathela species are described based on diagnostic evidence. To ease identification and to hint at putative evolutionary units, Heptathela is divided into three groups. The Kyushu group contains H. higoensis Haupt, 1983, H. kikuyai Ono, 1998, H. kimurai (Kishida, 1920), and H. yakushimaensis Ono, 1998; the Amami group contains H. amamiensis Haupt, 1983, H. kanenoi Ono, 1996, H. kojima sp. nov., H. sumiyo sp. nov., and H. uken sp. nov.; and the Okinawa group contains H. yanbaruensis Haupt, 1983, H. aha sp. nov., H. gayozan sp. nov., H. kubayama sp. nov., H. mae sp. nov., H. otoha sp. nov., H. shuri sp. nov., H. tokashiki sp. nov., H. unten sp. nov., and H. crypta sp. nov. Heptathela helios Tanikawa & Miyashita, 2014 is not assigned to a species group. A combination of diagnostic tools augments the morphological diagnoses that, in isolation, would be prone to error in morphologically challenging groups of organisms. Ključne besede: Heptathelinae, island endemism, Kyushu, Ryukyu archipelago, species delimitation, trapdoor spiders Objavljeno v DiRROS: 24.07.2024; Ogledov: 156; Prenosov: 134
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8. Comparative morphology refines the conventional model of spider reproductionYongjia Zhan, He Jiang, Qingqing Wu, Huitao Zhang, Zishang Bai, Matjaž Kuntner, Lihong Tu, 2019, izvirni znanstveni članek Povzetek: Our understanding of spider reproductive biology is hampered by the vast anatomical diversity and difficulties associated with its study. Although authors agree on the two general types of female spider genitalia, haplogyne (plesiomorphic) and entelegyne (apomorphic), our understanding of variation within each group mostly concerns the external genital part, while the internal connections with the reproductive duct are largely unknown. Conventionally and simplistically, the spermathecae of haplogynes have simple two-way ducts, and those of entelegynes have separate copulatory and fertilization ducts for sperm to be transferred in and out of spermathecae, respectively. Sperm is discharged from the spermathecae directly into the uterus externus (a distal extension of the oviduct), which, commonly thought as homologous in both groups, is the purported location of internal fertilization in spiders. However, the structural evolution from haplo- to entelegyny remains unresolved, and thus the precise fertilization site in entelegynes is ambiguous. We aim to clarify this anatomical problem through a widely comparative morphological study of internal female genital system in entelegynes. Our survey of 147 epigyna (121 examined species in 97 genera, 34 families) surprisingly finds no direct connection between the fertilization ducts and the uterus externus, which, based on the homology with basal-most spider lineages, is a dead-end caecum in entelegynes. Instead, fertilization ducts usually connect with a secondary uterus externus, a novel feature taking over the functional role of the plesiomorphic uterus externus. We hypothesize that the transition from haplo- to entelegyny entailed not only the emergence of the two separate duct systems (copulatory, fertilization), but also involved substantial morphological changes in the distal part of the oviduct. Thus, the common oviduct may have shifted its distal connection from the uterus externus to the secondary uterus externus, perhaps facilitating discharge of larger eggs. Our findings suggest that the conventional model of entelegyne reproduction needs redefinition. Ključne besede: spiders, comparative anatomy, genital anatomy Objavljeno v DiRROS: 23.07.2024; Ogledov: 313; Prenosov: 164
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9. The transcriptome of Darwinʼs bark spider silk glands predicts proteins contributing to dragline silk toughnessJessica E. Garb, Robert A. Haney, Evelyn E. Schwager, Matjaž Gregorič, Matjaž Kuntner, Ingi Agnarsson, Todd A. Blackledge, 2019, izvirni znanstveni članek Povzetek: Darwin’s bark spider (Caerostris darwini) produces giant orb webs from dragline silk that can be twice as tough as other silks, making it the toughest biological material. This extreme toughness comes from increased extensibility relative to other draglines. We show C. darwini dragline-producing major ampullate (MA) glands highly express a novel silk gene transcript (MaSp4) encoding a protein that diverges markedly from closely related proteins and contains abundant proline, known to confer silk extensibility, in a unique GPGPQ amino acid motif. This suggests C. darwini evolved distinct proteins that may have increased its dragline’s toughness, enabling giant webs. Caerostris darwini’s MA spinning ducts also appear unusually long, potentially facilitating alignment of silk proteins into extremely tough fibers. Thus, a suite of novel traits from the level of genes to spinning physiology to silk biomechanics are associated with the unique ecology of Darwin’s bark spider, presenting innovative designs for engineering biomaterials. Ključne besede: spiders Objavljeno v DiRROS: 23.07.2024; Ogledov: 177; Prenosov: 115
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10. Biogeography of the Caribbean Cyrtognatha spidersKlemen Čandek, Ingi Agnarsson, Greta Binford, Matjaž Kuntner, 2019, izvirni znanstveni članek Povzetek: Island systems provide excellent arenas to test evolutionary hypotheses pertaining to gene flow and diversification of dispersal-limited organisms. Here we focus on an orbweaver spider genus Cyrtognatha (Tetragnathidae) from the Caribbean, with the aims to reconstruct its evolutionary history, examine its biogeographic history in the archipelago, and to estimate the timing and route of Caribbean colonization. Specifically, we test if Cyrtognatha biogeographic history is consistent with an ancient vicariant scenario (the GAARlandia landbridge hypothesis) or overwater dispersal. We reconstructed a species level phylogeny based on one mitochondrial (COI) and one nuclear (28S) marker. We then used this topology to constrain a time-calibrated mtDNA phylogeny, for subsequent biogeographical analyses in BioGeoBEARS of over 100 originally sampled Cyrtognatha individuals, using models with and without a founder event parameter. Our results suggest a radiation of Caribbean Cyrtognatha, containing 11 to 14 species that are exclusively single island endemics. Although biogeographic reconstructions cannot refute a vicariant origin of the Caribbean clade, possibly an artifact of sparse outgroup availability, they indicate timing of colonization that is much too recent for GAARlandia to have played a role. Instead, an overwater colonization to the Caribbean in mid-Miocene better explains the data. From Hispaniola, Cyrtognatha subsequently dispersed to, and diversified on, the other islands of the Greater, and Lesser Antilles. Within the constraints of our island system and data, a model that omits the founder event parameter from biogeographic analysis is less suitable than the equivalent model with a founder event. Ključne besede: biogeography, spiders Objavljeno v DiRROS: 23.07.2024; Ogledov: 164; Prenosov: 125
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