Spintharus berniesandersi | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
Class: | Arachnida |
Order: | Araneae |
Infraorder: | Araneomorphae |
Family: | Theridiidae |
Genus: | Spintharus |
Species: | S. berniesandersi
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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 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]
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]
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]
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]
Part of the diagnosis of S. berniesandersi includes the combination of four specific mitochondrial DNA nucleotide substitutions. [2]
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]
Scientists have named a new species of spider after Bernie Sanders, and I can only assume its webs try to cover everybody.