Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Klemen Candek, Ingi Agnarsson, Greta J. Binford, Matjaz Kuntner
Summary: Dispersal ability affects levels of gene flow and shapes species distribution and richness patterns. Long-jawed spiders in the Caribbean exhibit high diversity, potentially due to multiple colonization events.
Article
Biology
Xuankun Li, Chris A. Hamilton, Ryan St Laurent, Liliana Ballesteros-Mejia, Amanda Markee, Jean Haxaire, Rodolphe Rougerie, Ian J. Kitching, Akito Y. Kawahara
Summary: This study generated the first time-calibrated tree for the New World hawkmoth genus Xylophanes using phylogenomic and DNA barcode data, and examined the speciation and dispersal dynamics of this genus across different bioregions. The results indicate that Xylophanes originated in Caribbean-Mesoamerica and underwent multiple speciation and migration events.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Laura Lagourgue, Frederik Leliaert, Claude E. Payri
Summary: This study examines the biogeographical processes and biodiversity patterns of the siphonous green algal family Udoteaceae. Through the analysis of a comprehensive dataset, the study reveals the origin, diversification, and distribution patterns of the family. The study identifies three centers of species richness: the Central Indo-Pacific, the Western Indian Ocean, and the Greater Caribbean, which have been shaped by various drivers.
MOLECULAR PHYLOGENETICS AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Xin Xu, Yong-Chao Su, Simon Y. W. Ho, Matjaz Kuntner, Hirotsugu Ono, Fengxiang Liu, Chia-Chen Chang, Natapot Warrit, Varat Sivayyapram, Khin Pyae Pyae Aung, Dinh Sac Pham, Y. Norma-Rashid, Daiqin Li
Summary: Segmented trapdoor spiders (Liphistiidae) are the only surviving family of the suborder Mesothelae, with a limited distribution in East and Southeast Asia. Studying this group can provide insights into the deep evolutionary history of spiders, but uncertainties remain regarding their phylogeny and divergence times. Major tectonic events played a crucial role in shaping the evolutionary history, diversity, and distribution of these spiders.
SYSTEMATIC BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Zoology
Hannah M. Wood, Hukam Singh, David A. Grimaldi
Summary: This study documents the first fossil Archaeidae found in Cambay amber from India, dating back to the Eocene era. The specimen is identified as a spider exuvium, likely belonging to the genus Myrmecarchaea. This discovery extends the distribution of the family and genus to India and suggests affinities between Early Eocene India and the Palearctic mainland.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Lisa Chamberland, Ingi Agnarsson, Iris L. Quayle, Tess Ruddy, James Starrett, Jason E. Bond
Summary: Net-casting spiders are a charismatic family of spiders, with Deinopis and Asianopis known for their giant eyes. Molecular phylogenetic studies show that Deinopis is not monophyletic, leading to the transfer of 24 species to Asianopis. The evolutionary history and biogeography of these spiders are unique.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
D. Ross Robertson, Luke Tornabene, Claudia C. Lardizabal, Carole C. Baldwin
Summary: Understanding the diversity and ecology of deep-reef fishes is challenging. Traditional sampling methods have provided limited knowledge, but new technologies and research projects (such as DROP) have greatly increased our understanding of deep-reef fishes. The DROP project, using manned submersibles, has discovered numerous new species of deep-reef fishes in three islands of the Greater Caribbean, some of which were not found in other locations. These studies demonstrate that manned submersibles are versatile and efficient tools for studying the diversity of deep-reef fishes in the region.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Eva Turk, Jason E. Bond, Ren-Chung Cheng, Klemen Candek, Chris A. Hamilton, Matjaz Gregoric, Simona Kralj-Fiser, Matjaz Kuntner
Summary: This study reconstructs the origin and dispersal history of coin spiders using phylogenomic and classical marker phylogenetic data. The results suggest that Herennia multipuncta's internal splits were generally too old to be influenced by humans, indicating its natural colonization of Asia. The two dispersal models propose different colonization routes for H. multipuncta populations, with the ballooning model being more parsimonious in invoking fewer chance dispersals over large distances.
Article
Geology
Lazaro W. Vinola-Lopez, Ignacio A. Cerda, Julian Correa-Narvaez, Laura Codorniu, Carlos R. Borges-Sellen, Alberto F. Arano-Ruiz, Yasmani Ceballos-Izquierdo
Summary: The Caribbean islands are one of the most important hotspots of endemism and biodiversity globally, yet the origin and evolution of most groups in the region remain obscure due to the lack of fossils from deep time periods. The recent discovery of Late Cretaceous terrestrial community in the region provides the first evidence of its role in the First American Biotic Interchange.
CRETACEOUS RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Tobias Pfingstl, Sylvia Schaeffer, Iris Bardel-Kahr, Julia Baumann
Summary: A molecular genetic and morphometric investigation revealed that the supposedly widespread Caribbean and Western Atlantic oribatid mite species, Fortuynia atlantica, actually consists of two different species. Despite lacking distinct morphological differences, genetic sequence divergence and species delimitation analyses clearly identify these two species.
Article
Zoology
Maria Camila Vallejo-Pareja, Edward L. Stanley, Jonathan Bloch, David C. Blackburn
Summary: The establishment of terrestrial vertebrate faunas in North America was influenced by various factors at different geographic scales. A study of anurans from Florida in the Late Oligocene revealed fossils attributed to Eleutherodactylus, providing evidence of their presence in North America before colonizing Central America. This study demonstrates the dispersal of amphibians from the Caribbean into North America during the Late Oligocene.
ZOOLOGICAL JOURNAL OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Maria Esther Nieto-Blazquez, Lourdes Pena-Castillo, Julissa Roncal
Summary: The study of Caribbean Podocarpus showed that the genus colonized the Caribbean from the Andes during the Eocene to Oligocene, with Lesser Antillean species originating during the Oligocene. Despite new habitat opportunities, insular Podocarpus did not display higher diversification rates than continental taxa. Genotyping by sequencing proved useful in uncovering historical assembly processes in the Caribbean.
JOURNAL OF BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2021)
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Yufa Luo, Shuqiang Li
Summary: The Indian-Eurasian collision and Himalayan-Tibetan Plateau uplift are crucial geological events. This study focuses on the Scytodes spiders in the Himalayas and provides evidence for their diversification during the collision and uplift, supporting the stepwise model.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Seokmin Kim, Lilian Sales, Daiane Carreira, Mauro Galetti
Summary: This study examines the contribution of frugivore-driven biotic factors to plant diversity in the Caribbean archipelagos. The research findings suggest that biotic characteristics of frugivore communities are important predictors of plant diversity, emphasizing the significance of fruit-frugivore interactions in island biogeography.
DIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTIONS
(2022)
Article
Ornithology
Alexandra Heathcote, Christopher De Ruyck, Paulson Des Brisay, Paula Grieef, Nicola Koper
Summary: The study found strongest support for the ecological release hypothesis, but each of the other hypotheses also received some level of support. This suggests that ecological release, predation pressure from mongoose, and climate may all interact to influence morphological adaptations of birds to local conditions in the Caribbean.
Article
Ecology
Shakira G. Quinones-Lebron, Matjaz Kuntner, Simona Kralj-Fiser
Summary: This study experimentally investigated the effects of genetics, social cues, and food availability on developmental time and sexual size dimorphism in spiders. The results showed that poorly fed males had longer developmental time and matured at smaller sizes, while social cues did not affect developmental time or mature size. Males exposed to male cues grew more and were heavier, suggesting a response to perceived male-male competition.
EVOLUTIONARY ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Mohammad Javad Malek-Hosseini, Jan Muilwijk, Matjaz Gregoric, Matjaz Kuntner, Klemen Candek
Summary: This study advances the knowledge of Iranian cave biodiversity by describing two new Duvalius species from caves in the Zagros Mountains, investigating their phylogenetic relationships, and estimating the timing of their colonization. Phylogenetic analyses reveal a well-supported Zagros clade, with the split from other congeners estimated at 9.7 Ma, providing insights into the species richness of cave beetles in Iran and the timing of their subterranean colonization. However, taxonomic problems persist as several genera are nested deep within the Duvalius tree.
JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGICAL SYSTEMATICS AND EVOLUTIONARY RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Klemen Candek, Ingi Agnarsson, Greta J. Binford, Matjaz Kuntner
Summary: Dispersal ability affects levels of gene flow and shapes species distribution and richness patterns. Long-jawed spiders in the Caribbean exhibit high diversity, potentially due to multiple colonization events.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Jason E. Bond, Rebecca L. Godwin, Jordan D. Colby, Lacie G. Newton, Xavier J. Zahnle, Ingi Agnarsson, Chris A. Hamilton, Matjaz Kuntner
Summary: The study scrutinizes spider taxonomy over the last decade and reveals that taxonomy remains largely descriptive, lacking integration and explicit conceptual framework. Only a small percentage of accounts state a species concept, and many new species descriptions are based on limited specimens or genders. Only a few studies make data freely available, and a small percentage of newly described species employ multiple lines of evidence, with molecular data being rarely used. Similar trends have been observed in other animal groups, highlighting the challenges faced by taxonomists in justifying the rigor of their field and securing resources. Recommendations are made to enhance the rigor, repeatability, and scientific standards of taxonomy.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Eva Turk, Jason E. Bond, Ren-Chung Cheng, Klemen Candek, Chris A. Hamilton, Matjaz Gregoric, Simona Kralj-Fiser, Matjaz Kuntner
Summary: This study reconstructs the origin and dispersal history of coin spiders using phylogenomic and classical marker phylogenetic data. The results suggest that Herennia multipuncta's internal splits were generally too old to be influenced by humans, indicating its natural colonization of Asia. The two dispersal models propose different colonization routes for H. multipuncta populations, with the ballooning model being more parsimonious in invoking fewer chance dispersals over large distances.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Matjaz Gregoric, Denis Kutnjak, Katarina Bacnik, Cene Gostincar, Anja Pecman, Maja Ravnikar, Matjaz Kuntner
Summary: The concept of environmental DNA (eDNA) involves using nucleic acids from organisms found in the environment. Recent studies have successfully detected a wide range of eDNA from various environments, and spider webs may represent a promising new source of eDNA. Research has shown that genetic remains on spider webs can be used to detect different organisms and provide detailed temporal and spatial information.
MOLECULAR ECOLOGY RESOURCES
(2022)
Editorial Material
Biodiversity Conservation
Matjaz Kuntner
Article
Biology
Shichang Zhang, Long Yu, Min Tan, Noeleen Y. L. Tan, Xaven X. B. Wong, Matjaz Kuntner, Daiqin Li
Summary: Male spiders choose mating strategies to increase their mating success when faced with the risk of being cannibalized by females. The study finds that males select the sexual organ with more sperm for the first copulation with cannibalistic females and transfer more sperm when females have cannibalistic behavior or when there is a bias in sexual size dimorphism. These results provide credibility for the male mating syndrome.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Mohammad Javad Malek-Hosseini, Yaser Fatemi, Hamid Reza Esmaeili, Tjasa Lokovsek, Matjaz Kuntner
Summary: This study reported four obligate cave fish species in Zagros, Iran, and discovered a second population of Eidinemacheilus smithi, expanding its known distribution range. By comparing morphological evidence and genetic divergences, it is confirmed that these populations are conspecific. This finding has implications for the conservation of this rare and vulnerable species.
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Matjaz Kuntner, Klemen Candek, Matjaz Gregoric, Eva Turk, Chris A. Hamilton, Lisa Chamberland, James Starrett, Ren-Chung Cheng, Jonathan A. Coddington, Ingi Agnarsson, Jason E. Bond
Summary: Higher-level classifications need to consider monotypic taxa without synapomorphies of their sister clades. Named higher taxa must be monophyletic. In spider classification, families are the highest rank and must be well defined and informative.
SYSTEMATIC BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Simona Kralj-Fiser, Matjaz Kuntner, Paul Vincent Debes
Summary: Sexual dimorphism may evolve under antagonistic selection, where different optimal traits for the sexes are favored. Sexual-size dimorphism (SSD) is often assumed to indicate the resolution of sexual conflict, but the decoupling of trait architecture between sexes remains largely unknown. We tested the architecture of body size in the African hermit spider and found that the genetic and maternal effects on body size differed between sexes, suggesting a sex-specific architecture that allows for independent body-size evolution.
JOURNAL OF EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Matjaz Kuntner, Eva Kuntner, Maj Kuntner, Irena Kuntner, Daiqin Li
Summary: While studying the sex ratios of Nephila pilipes in Singapore, researchers observed a fascinating case of predatory behavior by Viciria pavesii, a jumping spider. The V. pavesii female invaded a N. pilipes orb web occupied by a female and four males, successfully capturing and killing one of the Nephila males. The aggressive response of the N. pilipes alpha male suggests that V. pavesii may engage in aggressive mimicry.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
K. Zin Htut, Angela M. Alicea-Serrano, Saranshu Singla, Ingi Agnarsson, Jessica E. Garb, Matjaz Kuntner, Matjaz Gregoric, Robert A. Haney, Mohammad Marhabaie, Todd A. Blackledge, Ali Dhinojwala
Summary: This study examines the protein secondary structure composition and mechanical properties of major ampullate (MA) silk from Caerostris darwini compared to other spider species, revealing unique characteristics of the MA silk composition in C. darwini with lower ratios of helices and beta-sheets. While before supercontraction, toughness, modulus and tensile strength correlate with specific protein structures, after supercontraction, only modulus and strain at break are correlated with certain protein structures, indicating additional information such as crystal size and orientation is needed for a complete structure-property correlation model.
JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY INTERFACE
(2021)