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Type: Article
Published: 2024-10-24
Page range: 175-185
Abstract views: 437
PDF downloaded: 81

A master in disguise? The rediscovery of Misumena bicolor Simon, 1875 (Araneae: Thomisidae)

Institute for Environmental Research; RWTH Aachen University; Worringerweg 1; 52074 Aachen
Berliner Str. 185; 45144 Essen
Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change (LIB); Adenauerallee 127; 53113 Bonn
Westlicher Stadtgraben 50; 94469 Deggendorf
Department of Zoology; State Museum of Natural History Karlsruhe; Erbprinzenstr. 13; 76133 Karlsruhe
Araneae crab spider new record Sardinia Germany taxonomy

Abstract

Misumena bicolor Simon, 1875, an enigmatic species known only from the male holotype collected on Corsica (France), has remained elusive since its initial description. In this study, we report new occurrences of M. bicolor from Sardinia (Italy) and Bavaria (Germany) based on male material, considerably expanding its known distribution. Employing an integrative taxonomic approach encompassing both morphological and COI (barcode) analyses, we confirm M. bicolor as a valid species. As the male of M. bicolor apparently has a distinct coloration, we complement the known distributional data with possible sightings of photographic observations from various naturalist portals and hereby provide additional evidence for the establishment of the species on the French mainland and in Germany.

 

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