Cor Vink

Spider: an R package for the analysis of species identity and evolution, with particular reference to DNA barcoding.

Spider: SPecies IDentity and Evolution in R is a new R package implementing a number of useful analyses for DNA barcoding studies and associated research into species delimitation and speciation. Included are functions essential for generating important summary statistics from DNA barcode data, assessing specimen identification efficacy, and for testing and optimizing divergence threshold limits. In terms of investigating evolutionary and taxonomic questions, techniques for assessing diagnostic nucleotides and probability of reciprocal monophyly are also provided. Additionally, a sliding window function offers opportunities to analyse information across a gene, essential for marker design in degraded DNA studies. Spider capitalizes on R’s extensible ethos and offers an integrated platform ideal for the analysis of both nucleotide and morphological data. The program can be obtained from the comprehensive R archive network (CRAN, http://cran.r‐project.org) and from the R‐Forge package development site (http://spider.r‐forge.r‐project.org/).

The effects of preservatives and temperatures on arachnid DNA

We tested the effects of different preservatives and temperatures on the yield of spider and scorpion DNA useable for PCR amplification. Our experiment was designed to simulate conditions in the field and laboratory over a six-week time period, testing the preservatives RNAlater®, propylene glycol, and various ethanol concentrations. Three replicates of each preservation treatment were stored at five different temperature treatments; –80°C, –20°C, 2–4°C, 19–24°C, and 40°C. DNA was extracted and quality was assessed by electrophoresis on mini-gels, and by PCR amplification of high copy mitochondrial DNA fragments (cytochrome oxidase subunit I) and low copy nuclear DNA fragments (actin). Results show that RNAlater® and propylene glycol are significantly better than the other preservatives for high quality DNA preservation and that tissue is best stored at –80°C or –20°C. Storage in 95% ethanol is appropriate if specimens are stored at –20°C or –80°C. We believe our results can help guide biologists in choosing preservatives and temperatures for DNA-based research on arachnids, other arthropods and invertebrates in general.

Combined molecular and morphological phylogenetic analyses of the New Zealand wolf spider genus Anoteropsis (Araneae: Lycosidae).

Datasets from the mitochondrial gene regions NADH dehydrogenase subunit I (ND1) and cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) of the 20 species in the New Zealand wolf spider (Lycosidae) genus Anoteropsis were generated. Sequence data were phylogenetically analysed using parsimony and maximum likelihood analyses. The phylogenies generated from the ND1 and COI sequence data and a previously generated morphological dataset were significantly congruent (p<0.001). Sequence data were combined with morphological data and phylogenetically analysed using parsimony. The ND1 region sequenced included part of tRNA(Leu(CUN)), which appears to have an unstable amino-acyl arm and no TpsiC arm in lycosids. Analyses supported the existence of five species groups within Anoteropsis and the monophyly of species represented by multiple samples. A radiation of Anoteropsis species within the last five million years is inferred from the ND1 and COI likelihood phylograms, habitat and geological data, which also indicates that Anoteropsis arrived in New Zealand some time after it separated from Gondwana.

The spider tree of life: phylogeny of Araneae based on target‐gene analyses from an extensive taxon sampling

We present a phylogenetic analysis of spiders using a dataset of 932 spider species, representing 115 families (only the family Synaphridae is unrepresented), 700 known genera, and additional representatives of 26 unidentified or undescribed genera. Eleven genera of the orders Amblypygi, Palpigradi, Schizomida and Uropygi are included as outgroups. The dataset includes six markers from the mitochondrial (12S, 16S, COI) and nuclear (histone H3, 18S, 28S) genomes, and was analysed by multiple methods, including constrained analyses using a highly supported backbone tree from transcriptomic data. We recover most of the higher‐level structure of the spider tree with good support, including Mesothelae, Opisthothelae, Mygalomorphae and Araneomorphae. Several of our analyses recover Hypochilidae and Filistatidae as sister groups, as suggested by previous transcriptomic analyses. The Synspermiata are robustly supported, and the families Trogloraptoridae and Caponiidae are found as sister to the Dysderoidea. Our results support the Lost Tracheae clade, including Pholcidae, Tetrablemmidae, Diguetidae, Plectreuridae and the family Pacullidae (restored status) separate from Tetrablemmidae. The Scytodoidea include Ochyroceratidae along with Sicariidae, Scytodidae, Drymusidae and Periegopidae; our results are inconclusive about the separation of these last two families. We did not recover monophyletic Austrochiloidea and Leptonetidae, but our data suggest that both groups are more closely related to the Cylindrical Gland Spigot clade rather than to Synspermiata. Palpimanoidea is not recovered by our analyses, but also not strongly contradicted. We find support for Entelegynae and Oecobioidea (Oecobiidae plus Hersiliidae), and ambiguous placement of cribellate orb‐weavers, compatible with their non‐monophyly. Nicodamoidea (Nicodamidae plus Megadictynidae) and Araneoidea composition and relationships are consistent with recent analyses. We did not obtain resolution for the titanoecoids (Titanoecidae and Phyxelididae), but the Retrolateral Tibial Apophysis clade is well supported. Penestomidae, and probably Homalonychidae, are part of Zodarioidea, although the latter family was set apart by recent transcriptomic analyses. Our data support a large group that we call the marronoid clade (including the families Amaurobiidae, Desidae, Dictynidae, Hahniidae, Stiphidiidae, Agelenidae and Toxopidae). The circumscription of most marronoid families is redefined here. Amaurobiidae include the Amaurobiinae and provisionally Macrobuninae. We transfer Malenellinae (Malenella, from Anyphaenidae), Chummidae (Chumma) (new syn.) and Tasmarubriinae (Tasmarubrius, Tasmabrochus and Teeatta, from Amphinectidae) to Macrobuninae. Cybaeidae are redefined to include Calymmaria, Cryphoeca, Ethobuella and Willisius (transferred from Hahniidae), and Blabomma and Yorima (transferred from Dictynidae). Cycloctenidae are redefined to include Orepukia (transferred from Agelenidae) and Pakeha and Paravoca (transferred from Amaurobiidae). Desidae are redefined to include five subfamilies: Amphinectinae, with Amphinecta, Mamoea, Maniho, Paramamoea and Rangitata (transferred from Amphinectidae); Ischaleinae, with Bakala and Manjala (transferred from Amaurobiidae) and Ischalea (transferred from Stiphidiidae); Metaltellinae, with Austmusia, Buyina, Calacadia, Cunnawarra, Jalkaraburra, Keera, Magua, Metaltella, Penaoola and Quemusia; Porteriinae (new rank), with Baiami, Cambridgea, Corasoides and Nanocambridgea (transferred from Stiphidiidae); and Desinae, with Desis, and provisionally Poaka (transferred from Amaurobiidae) and Barahna (transferred from Stiphidiidae). Argyroneta is transferred from Cybaeidae to Dictynidae. Cicurina is transferred from Dictynidae to Hahniidae. The genera Neoramia (from Agelenidae) and Aorangia, Marplesia and Neolana (from Amphinectidae) are transferred to Stiphidiidae. The family Toxopidae (restored status) includes two subfamilies: Myroinae, with Gasparia, Gohia, Hulua, Neomyro, Myro, Ommatauxesis and Otagoa (transferred from Desidae); and Toxopinae, with Midgee and Jamara, formerly Midgeeinae, new syn. (transferred from Amaurobiidae) and Hapona, Laestrygones, Lamina, Toxops and Toxopsoides (transferred from Desidae). We obtain a monophyletic Oval Calamistrum clade and Dionycha; Sparassidae, however, are not dionychans, but probably the sister group of those two clades. The composition of the Oval Calamistrum clade is confirmed (including Zoropsidae, Udubidae, Ctenidae, Oxyopidae, Senoculidae, Pisauridae, Trechaleidae, Lycosidae, Psechridae and Thomisidae), affirming previous findings on the uncertain relationships of the “ctenids” Ancylometes and Cupiennius, although a core group of Ctenidae are well supported. Our data were ambiguous as to the monophyly of Oxyopidae. In Dionycha, we found a first split of core Prodidomidae, excluding the Australian Molycriinae, which fall distantly from core prodidomids, among gnaphosoids. The rest of the dionychans form two main groups, Dionycha part A and part B. The former includes much of the Oblique Median Tapetum clade (Trochanteriidae, Gnaphosidae, Gallieniellidae, Phrurolithidae, Trachelidae, Gnaphosidae, Ammoxenidae, Lamponidae and the Molycriinae), and also Anyphaenidae and Clubionidae. Orthobula is transferred from Phrurolithidae to Trachelidae. Our data did not allow for complete resolution for the gnaphosoid families. Dionycha part B includes the families Salticidae, Eutichuridae, Miturgidae, Philodromidae, Viridasiidae, Selenopidae, Corinnidae and Xenoctenidae (new fam., including Xenoctenus, Paravulsor and Odo, transferred from Miturgidae, as well as Incasoctenus from Ctenidae). We confirm the inclusion of Zora (formerly Zoridae) within Miturgidae.

The dominance of seismic signaling and selection for signal complexity in Schizocosa multimodal courtship displays

Schizocosa wolf spiders show tremendous diversity in courtship complexity, with different species employing varying numbers of components within and across sensory modalities. Using a comparative approach, we investigate the importance of each signaling modality in the courtship display of five Schizocosa species (three stridulating and two drumming) by assessing mating success under manipulated signaling environments. Irrespective of the degree of male ornamentation, the three stridulating species exhibit a dependence on the seismic, but not visual, signaling environment for mating success. Mating was independent of signaling environment for the two drumming species. We next ask whether the degree to which each species depends upon a signaling modality for mating (i.e., modality importance) is correlated with the estimated modality-specific signal complexity. We first calculate effect sizes for the influence of seismic versus visual signaling environments on the likelihood to mate for ten Schizocosa species and then use an element-counting approach to calculate seismic and visual signal complexity scores. We use a phylogenetic regression analysis to test two predictions: (1) the importance of seismic signaling is correlated with seismic signal complexity and (2) the importance of visual signaling is correlated with visual signal complexity. We find a significant relationship between visual signal importance and visual signal complexity, but no relationship between seismic signal importance and seismic signal complexity. Finally, we test the hypothesis that selection acts on complexity per se by determining whether seismic and visual signal complexity is correlated across species. We find support for this hypothesis in a significant relationship between seismic and visual signal complexity.

Genetic variation in Microctonus aethiopoides (Hymenoptera: Braconidae)

Abstract The Palaearctic parasitoid Microctonus aethiopoides Loan (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) has been introduced to North America for biological control of weevils in the genera Sitona and Hypera (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) and to Australia and New Zealand for control of Sitona discoideus Gyllenhal. Various geographic and host-associated populations of M. aethiopoides have exhibited differences in host preference, host range, and adult morphology. These differences have generally been interpreted as indicative of genetically differentiated biotypes of M. aethiopoides, but direct genetic evidence of biotypic variation has been lacking. Nucleotide sequence data were generated from the gene regions COI, 16S, 28S, and β-tubulin to assess genetic variation among M. aethiopoides reared from various host species collected in Australia, Iran, New Zealand, the United States, and 10 European countries. Ten adult morphological characters were also measured to validate the identity of the specimens and to assess morphological variation among the geographic and host-associated populations. Parsimony and maximum likelihood analyses of the COI, 16S, and β-tubulin sequences provided strong support for the presence of at least two M. aethiopoides biotypes, one associated with Hypera species and the other with Sitona species. There was also evidence for genetic divergence among parasitoids associated with different Sitona species. Morphological variation was also closely correlated with host species, but the occurrence of morphological variation in the absence of genetic variation suggested morphological characters should be used cautiously with M. aethiopoides biotypes.

The role of habitat complexity on spider communities in native alpine grasslands of New Zealand

Abstract.  1. Physical structure and species composition of vegetation determine spider diversity through habitat availability. Here, we assess, for the first time, the role of plant structure on spider communities in New Zealand native alpine tussock grasslands. We investigate the specific associations between spider assemblages and plant communities and test the hypothesis that spider diversity increases with plant diversity and tussock cover.

Species status and conservation issues of New Zealand's endemic Latrodectus spider species (Araneae : Theridiidae)

New Zealand has two endemic widow spiders, Latrodectus katipo Powell, 1871 and L. atritus Urquhart, 1890. Both species face many conservation threats and are actively managed. The species status of the Latrodectus spiders of New Zealand was assessed using molecular (COI, ITS1, ITS2) and morphological methods and with cross-breeding experiments. Latrodectus katipo and L. atritus were not found to be reciprocally monophyletic for any of the gene regions or morphological traits. Other than colour, which is variable, there were no morphological characters that separated the two species, which cross-bred in the laboratory and produced fertile eggsacs. Colour variation is clinal over latitude and correlates significantly with mean annual temperature. We conclude that L. atritus is a junior synonym of L. katipo. An example of introgression from the Australian species L. hasseltii Thorell, 1870 was also detected and its conservation implications are discussed.

Revision of the wolf spider genus Venatrix Roewer (Araneae : Lycosidae)

The Australasian lycosid genus Venatrix Roewer, 1960, with Venator fuscus Hogg, 1900 as type, is reinstated and redefined to include 22 species as follows: Venatrix funesta (C. L. Koch, 1847), comb. nov. (= Venator fuscus Hogg, 1900; syn. nov.); V. penola, sp. nov.; V. australiensis, sp. nov.; V. roo, sp. nov.; V. mckayi, sp. nov.; V. koori, sp. nov.; V. archookoora, sp. nov.; V. pictiventris (L. Koch, 1877), comb. nov.; V. hickmani, sp. nov.; V. allopictiventris, sp. nov.; V. speciosa (L. Koch, 1877), comb. nov. (= Lycosa mayama McKay, 1976; syn. nov.); V. esposica, sp. nov.; V. pseudospeciosa, sp. nov.; V. brisbanae (L. Koch, 1878), comb. nov.; V. forsteri, sp. nov.; V. lapidosa (McKay, 1974), comb. nov.; V. fontis, sp. nov.; V. furcillata (L. Koch, 1867), comb. nov.; V. arenaris (Hogg, 1905), comb. nov.; V. pullastra (Simon, 1909), comb. nov.; V. goyderi (Hickman, 1944), comb. nov. (= Lycosa howensis McKay, 1979; syn. nov.); and V. hoggi, sp. nov. Hogna albosparsa (L. Koch, 1876) is considered nomen dubium. Venatrix comprises species mainly found in temperate forests and open areas near watercourses, lakes and springs. Notes on the distribution together with maps, zoogeography and subfamilial placement of Venatrix are given. A solution is proposed to resolve confusion over the dates of some of Roewer’s publications.

The invasive Australian redback spider, Latrodectus hasseltii Thorell 1870 (Araneae: Theridiidae): current and potential distributions, and likely impacts

Populations of the Australian redback spider, Latrodectus hasseltii Thorell 1870, were first recorded in New Zealand in the early 1980s and in Osaka, Japan in 1995. Reliable records suggest that naturalised populations of L. hasseltii in New Zealand are present only in Central Otago and New Plymouth. In Central Otago, L. hasseltii feeds on endangered invertebrates, such as Prodontria modesta (Broun 1909). Latrodectus hasseltii is also a hazard to the New Zealand endemic L. katipo through interbreeding and competitive displacement. CLIMEXTM was used to model the potential global distribution of L. hasseltii based on current climate, and using ArcGIS® 9.2, areas of suitable climate in New Zealand were overlaid with favourable habitats to identify areas most suitable for L. hasseltii establishment. In addition, shelter that urban areas offer L. hasseltii were modelled in CLIMEX and incorporated into ArcGIS to produce maps indicating cities and built up areas where the species could establish. The presence of L. hasseltii in New Zealand and Japan, and its possible spread to other areas, is of human health significance, and the species may also impact on native biodiversity.