🕷️

Exploring Colombia's Unique Arachnids

Apr 27, 2025

Lecture Notes: Dinospiders and Biodiversity in Colombia's West Coast

Introduction

  • Location: Mountains of Colombia's west coast
  • Objective: Search for Dinospiders, a unique order of arachnids
  • Other fauna encountered: Cope's Parrot Snake, Green Parrot Snake, etc.

Cope's Parrot Snake (Leptophis depressirostris)

  • One of two parrot snake species in the area
  • Distinguishing features:
    • Green scales on top of the head
    • Smaller than the Green Parrot Snake
  • Diurnal; diet includes birds, eggs, frogs, lizards
  • Cannibalistic tendencies

Searching for Dinospiders

  • Habitat: Leaf litter, areas between leaves and ground
  • Identification of Ricinulei:
    • Common name: Hooded Tick-Spiders
    • Characteristics: No eyes, no external mouthparts, ventrally hanging pedipalps
    • Diet: Ant larvae, termites, bat guano (cave species)
    • Fluorescence under UV light

Mantises in the Genus Choeradodis

  • Peruvian Shield Mantis (Choeradodis rhombicollus)
  • Distribution: Southern Mexico, Central America, Colombia, Ecuador
  • Epizoites: Liverworts, fungi, lichens growing on the mantis

Grasshopper: Colpolopha sinuata

  • Distribution: Magdalena Valley, Solano Bay, Andes
  • Habitat: Prefers forest interiors over clearings

Brown Vine Snake (Oxybelis aeneus)

  • Recent taxonomic splits causing geographical limits confusion
  • Features: Purplish mouth interior, juvenile lacks yellow chin

Detailed Study of Dinospiders (Ricinulei)

  • Extant order related to mites (Acari)
  • Emerged late Carboniferous (319 million years ago)
  • Lazarus taxon: Discovered first as fossils
  • Unique Characteristics:
    • Six-legged nymph form
    • Diet and reproduction: Single egg under mother's hood
    • Fluorescence in deutonymphs

Stick Insects and Other Invertebrates

  • Unique stick insect from the tribe Xerosomatini
  • Characteristics: Horns on thorax, leafy bits, possibly undescribed species

Katydids

  • Pezochiton grandis: Monotypic species endemic to the region
  • Characteristics and behavior: Nocturnal, arboreal, feeds on fallen fruits

Collection and Study of Dinospiders

  • Genus Cryptocellus, possibly undescribed species
  • Distribution: Neotropics; other genera include Pseudocellus and Ricinoides
  • Behavioral observation: Laterigrade legs tucked in, potential play-dead behavior

Conclusion

  • Successful exploration and collection of Dinospiders
  • Observations provide insights into arachnid biodiversity and behavior in the region

These notes cover the key points and observations from the lecture on the exploration for Dinospiders in Colombia, providing an overview of the regional biodiversity and specific behaviors of various species encountered.

Full transcript