Zoological Studies最新文献

{"title":"Taxonomy and Molecular Phylogeny of the Ribbon Worm <i>Tetrastemma luteum</i> sp. nov. (Nemertea: Eumonostilifera: Tetrastemmatidae) and First Record of <i>Tetrastemma phaeobasisae</i> Kulikova, 1987 from Japan.","authors":"Jamael C Abato, Hiroshi Kajihara","doi":"10.6620/ZS.2025.64-68","DOIUrl":"10.6620/ZS.2025.64-68","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>A new ribbon worm, <i>Tetrastemma luteum</i> sp. nov., reported from Japanese waters, is described using morphological and DNA sequence data based on 15 specimens-10 from Oshoro, 2 from Otsuchi, and 3 from Sugashima-all associated with brown algae in the family Sargassaceae. The new species is characterized by its entirely yellowish body; a rounded, notched, and knobbed head that is similarly coloured to (or lighter than) the body; brown-orange, more indented anterior and bright-orange posterior ocelli; a central stylet shorter than the stylet basis; ventrolateral, non-connected anterior cephalic furrows that are not visible in dorsal view; and a posterior cephalic furrow encircling the head. <i>Tetrastemma luteum</i> sp. nov. exhibits variation in the degree of its body colouration, body and head pigmentation patterns, head shape, stylet basis shape, and number of accessory stylets. Additionally, we report a new locality, Oshoro, for <i>Tetrastemma phaeobasisae</i> Kulikova, 1987, based on a single specimen, representing the first record of this species in Japan. This species was previously known to be distributed only in Vostok Bay and Peter the Great Bay, Russia. Its occurrence in Oshoro is confirmed both by morphology and DNA sequence. Furthermore, we tested the phylogenetic positions of <i>T. luteum</i> sp. nov. and <i>T. phaeobasisae</i> within the genus <i>Tetrastemma</i> Ehrenberg, 1828 using newly determined 16S, 18S, and 28S ribosomal RNA, cytochrome <i>c</i> oxidase subunit I, and histone H3 gene sequences. Our phylogenetic analyses confirmed the genus placement of <i>T. luteum</i> sp. nov. being nested within the Asian-Australia Pacific subclade of the genus together with <i>T. phaeobasisae</i>. The new species is a sister taxon to the clade consisting of <i>Tetrastemma pseudocoronatum</i> Chernyshev, 1998 and <i>T. phaeobasisae</i>.</p>","PeriodicalId":49331,"journal":{"name":"Zoological Studies","volume":"64 ","pages":"e68"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2025-12-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12824492/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146054508","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Reply to Fuke (2024): Clarifying the Taxonomic and Biogeographic Interpretations of <i>Neocaridina</i> in Japan.","authors":"Yixiong Cai, Hsi-Te Shih","doi":"10.6620/ZS.2025.64-66","DOIUrl":"10.6620/ZS.2025.64-66","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The taxonomy and biogeography of <i>Neocaridina</i> species in Japan remain complex and contested. In a recent commentary, Fuke (2024) criticized the conclusions of Shih et al. (2024), challenging their species delineations and argues that such taxonomy directly conditions interpretations of native versus introduced lineages. As the first two authors of Shih et al. (2024), we agree that accurate identification is essential for conservation of native taxa, but we contend that several of Fuke's inferences reflect misreadings of both morphological and genetic data. In this reply, we address these misinterpretations, clarify our taxonomic conclusions, and reassess phylogenetic and population genetic evidence. Our findings suggest that <i>N. denticulata</i> and <i>N. davidi</i> can be consistently distinguished using integrated molecular and morphological criteria, in contrast to Fuke's claim of conspecificity. We also emphasize the limitations of relying solely on mitochondrial DNA or SNP admixture patterns for species delimitation, particularly in hybridizing lineages. Finally, we advocate for integrative, evidence-based taxonomy as the best approach to resolving species boundaries and supporting conservation of cryptic native species of <i>Neocaridina</i>.</p>","PeriodicalId":49331,"journal":{"name":"Zoological Studies","volume":"64 ","pages":"e66"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2025-12-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12813609/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146013024","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Multiple Infestation of Ectoparasitic Isopods <i>Tachaea chinensis</i> on the Freshwater Shrimp <i>Palaemon paucidens</i> in Shimane Prefecture, Japan.","authors":"Aoi Suenaga, Al-Wahaibi Mohamed Khalfan, Daisuke Yakushijin, Chogo Ogasawara, Shotaro Tani, Tadashi Imai, Hidetoshi Saito","doi":"10.6620/ZS.2025.64-64","DOIUrl":"10.6620/ZS.2025.64-64","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><i>Tachaea chinensis</i> Thielemann, 1910 is a species of ectoparasitic isopod that infests freshwater shrimps and prawns. Individuals are often found attached to the side of their host shrimp's carapace. Despite the limited space for attachment there, records indicate that several isopods can infest a single host shrimp simultaneously. There are limited data, however, on the prevalence of such occurrences and their potential effect on host survival. Here, we report on the occurrence of multiple infestation by <i>T. chinensis</i> on the freshwater shrimp <i>Palaemon paucidens</i> De Haan, 1844 in Izumo, Shimane Prefecture, Japan, during April and May of 2018 and 2019. The prevalence of infested shrimp was higher (80.0-90.2%) at St. 1, a semi-closed spillway that alternates between continuous water flow and isolated stagnancy, than at St. 2 (45.0-55.0%), an open stream with year-round continuous water flow. The number of parasites per host was zero to nine at St.1 and zero to three at St. 2. A significant positive correlation was observed between the prevalence of isopods on shrimp and the mean number of these parasites per host. In a laboratory experiment in which individual shrimp of three size groups were reared for seven days with different numbers of isopods from three matching size groups, the survival rate of hosts was 100% with one <i>T. chinensis</i>, 90-100% with two, 50-80% with four, and 10-40% with eight. These results suggest that the presence of two or more parasites negatively affects the hardiness of the host, increasing shrimp mortality and potentially reducing their density in nature, especially in semi-closed habitats. This has obvious implications for shrimp farms, which should strive to prevent the entry of this isopod into their water systems.</p>","PeriodicalId":49331,"journal":{"name":"Zoological Studies","volume":"64 ","pages":"e64"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2025-12-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12833487/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146067866","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Integrating Wing Morphometrics and Mitogenomic Sequences Supports Species-level Distinction between <i>Papilio maraho</i> and <i>Papilio elwesi</i> (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae).","authors":"Lan-Wei Yeh, Bo-Cheng Wang, Chih-Chien Lu, Chia-Lung Huang, Yu-Feng Hsu, Li-Wei Wu","doi":"10.6620/ZS.2025.64-63","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.6620/ZS.2025.64-63","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The Taiwan Broad-tailed Swallowtail, <i>Papilio maraho</i>, is an endangered species in Taiwan and has been recognized as sister to continental <i>Papilio elwesi</i>. However, the exact species identification between them has remained contentious because of similar genital morphology and only a few DNA diagnostic sites. Here, we integrate wing morphometrics and next-generation sequencing to reevaluate their identification. Our analyses show that hindwing morphology clearly separates these taxa: <i>Papilio maraho</i> has a broader, shorted hindwing with a much higher proportion of red scaling, whereas <i>Papilio elwesi</i> shows a narrower, elongated hindwing with higher proportion of black scaling. Furthermore, phylogenetic relationships and the haplotype network based on 37 mitochondrial genes separates the two taxa into reciprocally monophyletic clusters, further confirming their genetic distinctiveness. The congruence among morphological and genetic evidences strongly supports that <i>Papilio maraho</i> is an independent lineage. Formal recognition at the species level will facilitate more targeted and effective conservation strategies.</p>","PeriodicalId":49331,"journal":{"name":"Zoological Studies","volume":"64 ","pages":"e63"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2025-12-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12835687/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146094728","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Morphological and Molecular Characterization of the Nemantode <i>Dorylaimellus</i> (<i>Dorylaimellus</i>) <i>grandis</i> sp. nov. (Dorylaimida, Belondiridae) from Peninsular Spain.","authors":"Miriam García-Ruiz, Alba N Ruiz-Cuenca, Joaquín Abolafia, Reyes Peña-Santiago","doi":"10.6620/ZS.2025.64-60","DOIUrl":"10.6620/ZS.2025.64-60","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><i>Dorylaimellus</i> (<i>Dorylaimellus</i>) <i>grandis</i> sp. nov. is described, including morphological data, LM and SEM illustrations, and molecular (18S-, 28S-rDNA) analyses. The new taxon is widely distributed in the southern part of the Iberian Peninsula, where it is mainly associated with natural habitats. It is characterized by its 1.57-2.43 mm long body, lip region cap-like and offset by marked constriction, cheilostom slightly flasklike with thick and visibly refractive walls bearing distinct circumoral platelets, odontostyle 9.0-9.5 μm long or almost equal to lip region diameter, odontophore linear, relatively short neck (<i>b</i> = 6.1-9.7), anterior pharyngeal region weakly muscular and bearing a spindle-shaped and valve containing region behind the odontophore base, pharyngeal expansion 113-157 μm long or 44-54% of total neck length, longitudinal vulva (<i>V</i> = 5057), tail conoid to subcylindroid (31-47 μm, <i>c</i> = 37-59, <i>c'</i> = 1.4-1.9 in females), spicules 38-40 μm, and five ventromedian supplements with hiatus. The results confirm an intricate scenario for elucidating both the phylogeny and the taxonomy of Dorylaimellinae in particular, and of Belondiridae in general. The morphological heterogeneity of the group is even more complex than usually assumed, and its internal evolutionary relationships are not well established as the phylogenies derived from the molecular analyses significantly differ depending on the gene considered.</p>","PeriodicalId":49331,"journal":{"name":"Zoological Studies","volume":"64 ","pages":"e60"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2025-11-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12824494/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146053900","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effects of Morphological Changes Induced by the Rhizocephalan Parasite <i>Polyascus polygenea</i> on Predation Risk of the Asian Shore Crab <i>Hemigrapsus sanguineus</i>.","authors":"Asami Kajimoto, Kenji Toyota, Yoichi Yusa","doi":"10.6620/ZS.2025.64-59","DOIUrl":"10.6620/ZS.2025.64-59","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Parasites can significantly influence ecological communities by altering the traits of their hosts. hizocephalans, a group closely related to thoracican barnacles within Cirripedia, are common in marine ecosystems and profoundly impact their hosts, most notably by inducing reproductive castration. However, their influence on other host traits, particularly those related to predator defense, remains underexplored. The rhizocephalan <i>Polyascus polygenea</i> modifies the length of the cheliped propodus in the host crab <i>Hemigrapsus sanguineus</i>. To determine whether parasitized crabs are more vulnerable to predation, we conducted field tethering experiments comparing parasitized and unparasitized individuals. The results showed that parasitism itself did not directly increase the likelihood of crabs being lost (presumably due to predation) in either sex. However, structural equation modeling revealed that in parasitized males, a reduced cheliped propodus length indirectly increased predation risk. In females, parasitism reduced carapace width, which in turn shortened the cheliped propodus and increased vulnerability to predation. These findings demonstrate that <i>Polyascus</i> infection heightens predation risk through non-consumptive effects by inducing host morphological changes.</p>","PeriodicalId":49331,"journal":{"name":"Zoological Studies","volume":"64 ","pages":"e59"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2025-11-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12854855/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146108339","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Museum Fish Collections and DNA Barcoding Reveal the Invasion History of the Zoonotic Yellow Grub Parasite (<i>Clinostomum sinensis</i>) in Taiwan's Rivers.","authors":"Shih-Pin Huang, Yi-Hsiang Chen, Tzi-Yuan Wang","doi":"10.6620/ZS.2025.64-62","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.6620/ZS.2025.64-62","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><i>Clinostomum</i> species are typical trematodes (or flatworms) and zoonotic parasites of humans, fish, and birds. These parasites require at least two definitive hosts, fish and birds, to complete their life cycle. Previous studies indicated that the yellow grub, identified as <i>C. complanatum</i>, first appeared in northern Taiwan around the 1990s, with uncertain origins. This study identified 65 of 2,181 museum fish specimens with leech-like metacercariae across four main river systems (Tamshui, Houlong, Tzengwen, and Xiuguluan Rivers) and documented new infection records in fishes from Beigang, Puzih, Kaoping, and Bie Rivers during subsequent field work. The parasite appears to have established in the Houlong and Tamshui Rivers before dispersing to southern and eastern waterways. <i>COI</i> barcode analysis revealed that most metacercariae belong to <i>C. sinensis</i> with low nucleotide diversity (π = 0.00314353). The closely related haplotypes with insignificant Tajima's <i>D</i> (-1.89473 with <i>p</i>-value = 0.981839) suggest a gentle population expansion after their colonization to Taiwan. Additionally, yellow grub infections were more prevalent in carnivorous fishes (> 60%) compared to omnivorous and algal-feeding fishes. The high infection rates documented in literature and museum specimens suggest that Jhonggang and Houlong rivers represent the primary (or earlier) infection areas from which the parasite subsequently spread throughout Taiwan, highlighting the need for enhanced regulations to protect endangered or cultivated species.</p>","PeriodicalId":49331,"journal":{"name":"Zoological Studies","volume":"64 ","pages":"e62"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2025-11-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12835688/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146094648","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Dispersal and Foraging Strategies of Adult Loggerhead Sea Turtles (Caretta caretta) Breeding in Kyparissia Bay, Greece: Implications for Conservation.","authors":"ALan F Rees, Tasos Dimalexis, George Mikoniatis, Yannis Vavassis","doi":"10.6620/ZS.2025.64-61","DOIUrl":"10.6620/ZS.2025.64-61","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Sea turtles are long-lived wide-ranging animals undertaking long-distance breeding migrations showing fidelity to both foraging and breeding sites. This fidelity has led to population structuring with regional management units defined for globally distributed species. Loggerhead sea turtles (&lt;i&gt;Caretta caretta&lt;/i&gt;) have established such a management unit in the Mediterranean, with the greatest number of turtles breeding in Greece. Kyparissia Bay, Greece, has been identified as the location with largest nesting aggregation of loggerhead turtles in the Mediterranean. Determining where this aggregation of turtle migrates to outside the breeding season is important for its continued conservation. Long-distance flipper tag recaptures have identified certain high use areas for these turtles but lack route data and certainty that recaptured turtles are resident in the area of capture. Satellite tracking has been used to validate such tag return data and generate insights into turtle migrations patterns and their relationship with phenological and fecundity metrics. Here we recorded turtles' curved carapace lengths as a metric for general body size and deployed Argos satellite transmitters on 11 adult loggerhead sea turtles (8 females, 3 males) during their breeding period in Kyparissia Bay, to examine the implications of their selected migratory routes and foraging strategies. Average carapace length (± SD) was 82.0 cm (± 4.6 cm) for the 8 female turtles and 86.0 cm (± 5.5 cm) for the 3 males. Turtles were tracked for an average of 326.9 days. End points for the tracked turtles were grouped into four distinct regions The Aegean Sea was the end point for 3 turtles, and the Adriatic Sea was the end point for another 3 turtles with one turtle spending an extended period in the northern Ionian. The northern Ionian Sea was the end point for a further 3 turtles and the Tunisian plateau was the end point for final 2 turtles. Six turtles migrated to restricted area foraging sites, 1 turtle remained nomadic for the entirety of its tracking duration, 2 turtles were semi-nomadic incorporating both restricted area foraging and large-scale movements during their tracking period, and the tracks of the final 2 turtles ceased before their behaviour type could be determined, but sedentary behaviour type was inferred. Notably the one turtle that remained nomadic was 6 cm shorter than the next shortest turtles, suggesting carry-over effects of the nomadic life-history. The turtles generally moved to locations that had been identified by flipper tag recaptures, however the tracking identified routes taken to get there, which were often highly convoluted. These foraging sites, also identified through other tracking studies of loggerhead turtles nesting elsewhere in Greece and from Cyprus, were often sites of high fishing activity and cause for concern for turtles present there. Given that up to around 2,000 turtles may nest in Kyparissia Bay during a single summer, we","PeriodicalId":49331,"journal":{"name":"Zoological Studies","volume":"64 ","pages":"e61"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2025-11-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12833486/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146068425","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Global Biogeography of Predatory Stink Bugs (Pentatomidae: Asopinae): Richness, Endemism and Regionalization.","authors":"Talita Roell, João Afonso Poester-Carvalho, Luiz Alexandre Campos, Augusto Ferrari","doi":"10.6620/ZS.2025.64-50","DOIUrl":"10.6620/ZS.2025.64-50","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Asopinae is a globally distributed subfamily of Pentatomidae, encompassing 65 genera and over 300 known species. Most asopines are generalist predators, making them valuable for the biological control of agricultural pests. Although the subfamily has a wide global range, most genera are region-specific. To date, no database has consolidated collection sites or provided organized, updated distributional records for these predatory stink bugs. Here, we aim to build a web interactive database after compiling distribution data for Asopinae species across all continents except Antarctica, using taxonomic revisions, regional lists, catalogues, and specimen collections. Our study also examines global patterns of taxonomic richness using multiple analytical units, including political boundaries, biogeographic realms, ecoregions, and grid cells. The resulting database of 5,831 records for 299 species is now available on the \"Asopinae of the World Database,\" an interactive, live website. Results indicate that the most species-rich countries are predominantly the world's largest, with the exception of nations characterized by high proportions of deserts or extreme environments. Species richness across ecoregions exhibits discontinuous patterns, even between adjacent areas. Among biogeographic realms, the Neotropics host the highest richness, followed by Indo-Malay, Palearctic, Afrotropic, Nearctic, and Australasian regions. Furthermore, we identified 23 bioregions that align closely with classical biogeographical realms, and we recognized 14 key areas of endemism within the group. The extensive data presented in this study offer a valuable resource for future systematic, taxonomic, biological, and applied research on Asopinae.</p>","PeriodicalId":49331,"journal":{"name":"Zoological Studies","volume":"64 ","pages":"e50"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2025-11-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12833490/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146068423","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Rapid Distribution Updates for Arachnids of Conservation Concern through Citizen Collaboration: the Case of the Spider <i>Macrothele calpeiana</i> (Walckenaer, 1805) (Mygalomorphae: Macrothelidae).","authors":"Fernando Cortés-Fossati","doi":"10.6620/ZS.2025.64-52","DOIUrl":"10.6620/ZS.2025.64-52","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Despite the severe decline that arthropod communities are experiencing worldwide, there are still basic scientific knowledge deficits that are preventing policymakers from implementing optimal decisions for their conservation. Chorological maps, fundamental conservation tools, are not available for most species or are not updated periodically in an agile way. Limited funding or an unaffordable workforce are some of the impediments to surveying species distribution. To address these challenges in the near term, several solutions have been proposed. One option involves engaging citizens in the collection of data, a method not commonly employed for studying spiders. Here, the distribution of the only spider species protected by EU legislation, the elusive Iberian endemism <i>Macrothele calpeiana</i> Walckenaer, 1805 (Macrothelidae) is updated by using traditional sources, but mostly citizen records, both in its native range and for the whole European continent, given that the species has frequently been unintentionally exported to various countries. The native range has been slightly expanded and currently occupies 156 UTM 10 × 10 grid cells, which means ca. 2.7% of the total area of the Iberian Peninsula. Citizen collaboration proved decisive, especially to generate recent information in a short period of time: over just the last 10 years, data from third parties covered 35 grid cells, 17 of them new to science. On the other hand, <i>M. calpeiana</i> has been reported as non-native in eight different countries. In some of them, such as France and Italy, the reports are recurrent. The outcomes of the methodology used in the study were highly encouraging, showcasing its potential for implementation by budget-constrained administrations to effectively monitor this species of conservation concern.</p>","PeriodicalId":49331,"journal":{"name":"Zoological Studies","volume":"64 ","pages":"e52"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2025-11-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12824490/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146054423","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}