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Issue: Vol. 5760 No. 5: 26 Feb. 2026
Type: Article
Published: 2026-02-26
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5760.5.4
Page range: 563-576
Abstract views: 254
PDF downloaded: 5

“The Cordyceps spider”: Taczanowskia waska sp. nov. (Araneae: Araneidae), a new spider species and a novel case of mimicry of an araneopathogenic fungus (Cordycipitaceae: Gibellula)

Fundación Waska Amazonía; Vía Río Anzu km 1; Mera; Pastaza; Ecuador; Instituto Nacional de Biodiversidad INABIO; Quito; Ecuador; Red de Investigación del Corredor de Conectividad Llanganates-Sangay; Av. Luis A. Martínez y C. Vann Shoote; Mera; Pastaza; Ecuador; Fundación URU; Quito; Ecuador
Fundación Waska Amazonía; Vía Río Anzu km 1; Mera; Pastaza; Ecuador; Instituto Nacional de Biodiversidad INABIO; Quito; Ecuador; Red de Investigación del Corredor de Conectividad Llanganates-Sangay; Av. Luis A. Martínez y C. Vann Shoote; Mera; Pastaza; Ecuador
Museum of Nature Hamburg; Zoology; Leibniz-Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change (LIB); Center for Taxonomy and Morphology; Martin-Luther-King-Platz 3; 20146 Hamburg; Germany
Araneae fungal-mimicry arachnids mycelium amazon llanganates-Sangay Connectivity Corridor

Abstract

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.

 

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How to Cite

Díaz-Guevara, D.R., Bentley, A.G. & Dupérré, N. (2026) “The Cordyceps spider”: Taczanowskia waska sp. nov. (Araneae: Araneidae), a new spider species and a novel case of mimicry of an araneopathogenic fungus (Cordycipitaceae: Gibellula). Zootaxa, 5760 (5), 563–576. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5760.5.4