David R. Diaz-Guevara

Two new species from the family Thomisidae are described from Ecuador: Sidymella ayahuma sp. nov. from the Andean chocó region in Northwestern Ecuador (♀) and Sidymella malefica sp. nov. (♀) from the Andes region in central Ecuador.

Herein, we describe a new species of the rare spider genus Taczanowskia Keyserling, 1879 (Araneae: Araneidae), Taczanowskia waska sp. nov. (♀) from the Ecuadorian Amazon. Additionally, we discuss its unique fungal mimicry, comment on Taczanowskia ecology, and provide an updated taxonomic key for females of the genus. The importance of this discovery extends well beyond the description of a novel taxon, representing the first reported case of Arachnid mimicry of an araneopathogenic fungus. Finally, we discuss the application of citizen science to collecting ecological and biogeographical data on arachnids and its potential use for describing new taxa.

Two new species from the genus Metopiellus Raffray, 1908 (Staphylinidae, Pselaphinae, Metopiasini) are described from both sides of the Ecuadorian Andes: Metopiellus palamaku sp. nov. from the Amazon in eastern Ecuador and Metopiellus chasqui sp. nov. from montane cloud forest in western Ecuador. These findings represent the first country record of the genus.

Orchid bees (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Euglossini) play a vital role as key pollinators in the Neotropical forests. Their preference for forested areas makes these bees more susceptible to environmental changes, particularly in areas under severe human impact, such as the Chocó-Darien biodiversity hotspot. This study presents new data on orchid bees within ...

Twelve new species of Bibrax Fletcher, 1927 (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Pselaphinae: Euplectitae: Metopiasini) from Ecuador are described: B. chullachaquisp. nov., B. chocoensissp. nov., B. onoreisp. nov., B. aratrifersp. nov., B. longiventersp. nov., B. cerroblancosp. nov., B. canelazosp. nov., B. pectinifersp. nov., B. arachnoidessp. nov., B. amasangasp. nov., B. yasunisp. nov., and B. grandissp. nov. A key for all species of Bibrax is provided. These are the first records of the genus for the country, and we report species from most major environments in the country, from seasonal coastal forests to cloud forests and the Amazonian Basin. The new species expand the scope of morphological variability in the genus, with discovery of numerous microphthalmous and wingless species, and a range of previously unreported secondary sexual characters. Most of the species are only known from single localities, suggesting a large fauna remaining to be discovered from a large portion of South America.

Two new species from the family Araneidae are described: a new species from the monotypic orb-weaving genus Spinepeira Levi, 1995, Spinepeira erwini sp. nov. (♀), and a new species of Scoloderus Simon, 1887, Scoloderus neilli sp. nov. (♀), are described from the Ecuadorian Amazon. Both species were collected with insecticidal canopy knockdown. Furthermore, herein, we present the first images of Spinepeira’s internal genitalia, and the first country record of Pozonia Schenkel, 1953 is reported with Pozonia bacillifera (Simon, 1897) collected in the canopy of Tiputini in Ecuador.