Biology:Spintharus berniesandersi
| Spintharus berniesandersi | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Araneomorphae |
| Family: | Theridiidae |
| Genus: | Spintharus |
| Species: | S. berniesandersi
|
| Binomial name | |
| Spintharus berniesandersi | |
Spintharus berniesandersi is a species of Spintharus ("smiley-faced spiders") in the family Theridiidae. It is endemic to Cuba. It was described in 2018 by Ingi Agnarsson (nl) and Lily Sargeant of the University of Vermont in a revision of the genus by Agnarsson and colleagues. S. berniesandersi was discovered alongside 14 other species of smiley-faced spiders.[2] This revision is in contrast to Herbert Walter Levi's taxonomy, which considered it to be intraspecific variation within Spintharus flavidus.[3][4]
Distribution
The specimens mentioned in the original species description all came from Cuba. The holotype was collected in Mensura-Piloto National Park, near Mayarí, Holguín Province. Additional specimens were collected from El Yunque Mountain, near Baracoa, Guantánamo Province and Gran Piedra, Santiago de Cuba Province.[2]
Description
The species has a lemon-yellow colour and the female abdomen lacks humps and is nearly oval. On the spider's back is an ornate pattern halfway between a distorted smiley face and grimace.[2]
Measurements
The male's total length is 2.47–2.66 mm, with a cephalothorax length of 0.74–0.98 mm and femur I length of 1.23–1.90 mm. The female's total length is 2.89–2.40 mm, with a cephalothorax length of 0.91–0.80 mm and a femur I length of 1.75–1.44 mm.[2]
Genetics
Part of the diagnosis of S. berniesandersi includes the combination of four specific mitochondrial DNA nucleotide substitutions.[2]
Etymology
The specific name honors Vermont senator Bernie Sanders, whom the authors describe as "a tireless fighter for human rights and equality, and environmentally aware social democracy".[2] Due to its name, this species received media attention.[5][6][7]
See also
- List of organisms named after famous people (born 1900–1949)
References
- ↑ World Spider Catalog (2018). Spintharus berniesandersi Agnarsson & Sargeant, 2018. 19.0. Bern: Natural History Museum. doi:10.24436/2. https://wsc.nmbe.ch/species/56547/Spintharus_berniesandersi. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 Agnarsson, Ingi; Van Patten, Chloe; Sargeant, Lily; Chomitz, Ben; Dziki, Austin; Binford, Greta J. (2018). "A radiation of the ornate Caribbean 'smiley-faced spiders', with descriptions of 15 new species (Araneae: Theridiidae, Spintharus)". Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 182 (4): 772. doi:10.1093/zoolinnean/zlx056. https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/55a9/e7b44c2b85ed837b893fd2bef1d52881feed.pdf.
- ↑ Levi, Herbert W. (1954). "The Spider Genera Episinus and Spintharus from North America, Central America and the West Indies (Araneæ: Theridiidæ)". Journal of the New York Entomological Society 62 (2): 65–90.
- ↑ Levi, Herbert W. (1963). "The American Spider Genera Spintharus and Thwaitesia (Araneae: Theridiidae)". Psyche: A Journal of Entomology 70 (4): 223–234. doi:10.1155/1963/54690.
- ↑ Guarino, Ben (26 September 2017). "Meet Bernie Sanders's new namesake: A spider from Cuba". Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/speaking-of-science/wp/2017/09/26/meet-bernie-sanderss-new-namesake-a-spider-from-cuba/.
- ↑ Lewis, Rachel (26 September 2017). "Meet the New Spider Species Named After Bernie Sanders". Time. http://time.com/4957265/bernie-sanders-barack-obama-spider/. Retrieved 28 September 2017.
- ↑
Klepper, Jordan; Miller, Stuart; Noah, Trevor. "September 26, 2017: Neal Katyal". The Opposition with Jordan Klepper. Season 1. Episode 2. Comedy Central.
Scientists have named a new species of spider after Bernie Sanders, and I can only assume its webs try to cover everybody.
External links
- Browna, Joshua E. (26 September 2017). "Discovery: Bernie Sanders Spider. Undergrads find new spider species—name them after Obamas, Leonardo DiCaprio". The University of Vermont. http://www.uvm.edu/~uvmpr/?Page=news&storyID=25010&category=ucommall.
Wikidata ☰ Q42266374 entry
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