Mourning dove (Zenaida macroura) wing-whistles may contain threat-related information for con- and hetero-specifics

Distinct acoustic whistles are associated with the wing-beats of many doves, and are especially noticeable when doves ascend from the ground when startled. I thus hypothesized that these sounds may be used by flock-mates as cues of potential danger. To test this hypothesis, I compared the responses of mourning doves (Zenaida macroura), northern cardinals (Cardinalis cardinalis), and house sparrows (Passer domesticus) to audio playbacks of dove ‘startle wing-whistles’, cardinal alarm calls, dove ‘nonstartle wing-whistles’, and sparrow ‘social chatter’. Following playbacks of startle wing-whistles and alarm calls, conspecifics and heterospecifics startled and increased vigilance more than after playbacks of other sounds. Also, the latency to return to feeding was greater following playbacks of startle wing-whistles and alarm calls than following playbacks of other sounds. These results suggest that both conspecifics and heterospecifics may attend to dove wing-whistles in decisions related to antipredator behaviors. Whether the sounds of dove wing-whistles are intentionally produced signals warrants further testing.     

Codling moth males do not discriminate between pheromone and a pheromone/antagonist blend during upwind flight

Discrimination between conspecific and heterospecific signals is a key element in the evolution of pheromone-mediated communication in insects. Pheromone antagonists prevent heterospecific attraction. They are typically pheromone synergists in other species and enable specific communication in closely related species, using partly the same chemicals. In codling moth, Cydia pomonella, as in other moths, upwind flights to a pheromone/antagonist blend were slower and more convoluted than to pheromone. However, this deteriorated flight behaviour did not account for the strong decrease in male attraction. The pheromone/antagonist blend blocked instead the onset of upwind flight. This was corroborated by placing a separate source of pheromone close by, which restored male attraction. Males flying upwind did not discriminate between pheromone and the adjacent pheromone/antagonist blend, and landed on either source. This indicates differences in the neural regulation for initiating and maintaining a behavioural response to pheromone.     

Heterospecific pairing and hybridization between <Emphasis Type="Italic">Nasutitermes corniger</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">N. ephratae</Emphasis>

The sympatric neotropical termites Nasutitermes corniger and Nasutitermes ephratae are clearly distinguishable based on morphology, nest architecture, defensive secretion composition, and molecular markers. However, given the extensive ecological, geographical, and behavioral overlap of these closely related species, the potential for interbreeding may exist. To explore this possibility, heterospecific pairs were formed experimentally to examine courtship and colony-establishment behaviors, and reproductive potential. Courtship and nest construction behavior occurred in heterospecific pairs in a similar manner to that of conspecific pairs. Survival of pairs depended upon the species of the female partner. N. ephratae females paired with N. corniger males produced as many offspring as conspecific pairs. N. corniger females mated to N. ephratae males, however, produced significantly fewer offspring at 60 days post-establishment than the reciprocal cross or conspecific N. ephratae or N. corniger pairs. This was also the only pairing in which any aggression was observed. Heterospecific pairs and groups formed in mate choice mesocosms, suggesting that species recognition between these two termites is not an important aspect of mate choice. Overall, species mismatch tolerance and hybrid offspring viability are high. The present data, together with previous evidence from defensive secretions and isozyme analysis, suggest that hybridization may periodically occur in nature, and that reproductive barriers between these two species may be incomplete. Hybridization could provide a rare but important source of genetic diversity and may ensure mating opportunities for the more abundant sex of alates in each species.     

The mimetic repertoire of the spotted bowerbird <Emphasis Type="Italic">Ptilonorhynchus maculatus</Emphasis>

Although vocal mimicry in songbirds is well documented, little is known about the function of such mimicry. One possibility is that the mimic produces the vocalisations of predatory or aggressive species to deter potential predators or competitors. Alternatively, these sounds may be learned in error as a result of their acoustic properties such as structural simplicity. We determined the mimetic repertoires of a population of male spotted bowerbirds Ptilonorhynchus maculatus, a species that mimics predatory and aggressive species. Although male mimetic repertoires contained an overabundance of vocalisations produced by species that were generally aggressive, there was also a marked prevalence of mimicry of sounds that are associated with alarm such as predator calls, alarm calls and mobbing calls, irrespective of whether the species being mimicked was aggressive or not. We propose that it may be the alarming context in which these sounds are first heard that may lead both to their acquisition and to their later reproduction. We suggest that enhanced learning capability during acute stress may explain vocal mimicry in many species that mimic sounds associated with alarm.     

Two sympatric species of passerine birds imitate the same raptor calls in alarm contexts

While some avian mimics appear to select sounds randomly, other species preferentially imitate sounds such as predator calls that are associated with danger. Previous work has shown that the Greater Racket-tailed Drongo (Dicrurus paradiseus) incorporates predator calls and heterospecific alarm calls into its own species-typical alarm vocalizations. Here, we show that another passerine species, the Sri Lanka Magpie (Urocissa ornata), which inhabits the same Sri Lankan rainforest, imitates three of the same predator calls that drongos do. For two of these call types, there is evidence that magpies also use them in alarm contexts. Our results support the hypothesis that imitated predator calls can serve as signals of alarm to multiple species.     

Individual differences and repeatability in vocal production: stress-induced calling exposes a songbird's personality

Recent research in songbirds has demonstrated that male singing behavior varies systematically with personality traits such as exploration and risk taking. Here we examine whether the production of bird calls, in addition to bird songs, is repeatable and related to exploratory behavior, using the black-capped chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) as a model. We assessed the exploratory behavior of individual birds in a novel environment task. We then recorded the vocalizations and accompanying motor behavior of both male and female chickadees, over the course of several days, in two different contexts: a control condition with no playback and a stressful condition where chick-a-dee mobbing calls were played to individual birds. We found that several vocalizations and behaviors were repeatable within both a control and a stressful context, and across contexts. While there was no relationship between vocal output and exploratory behavior in the control context, production of alarm and chick-a-dee calls in the stressful condition was positively associated with exploratory behavior. These findings are important because they show that bird calls, in addition to bird song, are an aspect of personality, in that calls are consistent both within and across contexts, and covary with other personality measures (exploration).     

Sex pheromone component ratios and mating isolation among three Lygus plant bug species of North America

The plant bugs Lygus hesperus, Lygus lineolaris, and Lygus elisus (Hemiptera: Miridae) are major pests of many agricultural crops in North America. Previous studies suggested that females release a sex pheromone attractive to males. Other studies showed that males and females contain microgram amounts of (E)-4-oxo-2-hexenal, hexyl butyrate, and (E)-2-hexenyl butyrate that are emitted as a defense against predators. Using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, we found that female L. lineolaris and L. elisus have a 4:10 ratio of hexyl butyrate to (E)-2-hexenyl butyrate that is reversed from the 10:1 ratio in female L. hesperus (males of the three species have ~10:1 ratio). These reversed ratios among females of the species suggest a behavioral role. Because both sexes have nearly equal amounts of the major volatiles, females should release more to attract males. This expectation was supported because L. hesperus females released more hexyl butyrate (mean of 86 ng/h) during the night (1800–0700 hours) than did males (<1 ng/h). We used slow-rotating pairs of traps to test the attraction of species to blends of the volatiles with a subtractive method to detect synergism. Each species’ major butyrate ester was released at 3 μg/h, the minor butyrate according to its ratio, and (E)-4-oxo-2-hexenal at 2 μg/h. The resulting catches of only Lygus males suggest that (E)-4-oxo-2-hexenal is an essential sex pheromone component for all three species, (E)-2-hexenyl butyrate is essential for L. elisus and L. lineolaris, and hexyl butyrate is essential for L. hesperus. However, all three components are recognized by each species since ratios of the butyrate esters are critical for conspecific attraction and heterospecific avoidance by males and thus play a role in reproductive isolation among the three species. Because L. hesperus males and females are known to emit these major volatiles for repelling ant predators, our study links defensive allomones in Lygus bugs with an additional use as sex pheromones.     

渭河流域鱼类群落结构特征及其受环境因子的影响分析

本文以渭河流域为研究区,调查了全流域45个点位的鱼类群落和水环境理化特征,采用聚类分析确定渭河流域主要的鱼类群落分布类型,并运用典范对应分析方法(Canonical correspondence analysis,CCA)识别影响渭河流域鱼类群落结构的主要环境因子.本次鱼类调查共鉴定出鱼类36种,其中,鲤科和鳅科是构成渭河流域鱼类群落的主要类群.鱼类聚类结果显示,群落结构可分为3组,第1组主要分布在渭河源头及上游支流,鱼类以陕西高原鳅(Triplophysa shaanxiensis)、岷县高原鳅(Triplophysa minxianensis)为优势物种,包括拉式鱥(Phoxinus lagowskii)、北方花鳅(Cobitis granoei)等敏感物种,耐受物种分布极少;第2组主要分布在渭河上游和泾洛河上游,鱼类以达里湖高原鳅(Triplophysa dalaica)、背斑高原鳅(Triplophysa stoliczkae dorsonotata)、棒花鱼(Abbottina rivularis)为优势物种,包括少数拉式鱥等敏感种;第3组主要分布在渭河中下游,鱼类以泥鳅(Misgurnus anguillicaudatus)、马口鱼(Opsariichthys bidens)、麦穗鱼(Pseudorasbora parva)、棒花鱼和鲫(Carassius auratus)等江河平原鱼类为主,耐受物种较多.CCA分析结果显示,影响渭河流域的主要环境因子有海拔高度、溶解氧含量、流速、高锰酸盐指数、砂/淤泥/粘土所占比例和草地所占比例.而对于不同的指示物种,影响其分布的主要环境因子也各有不同.本研究是继20世纪80年代以来首次对渭河全流域进行水生态调查,并分析渭河流域鱼类的群落结构特征,可为流域水生态系统恢复提供重要的科学依据.     

Acoustic underwater signals with a probable function during competitive feeding in a tadpole

Acoustic communication is widespread among adult stages of terrestrial animals and fish and has also been observed in insect larvae. We report underwater acoustic communication in the larvae of a frog, Gephyromantis azzurrae, from Isalo, a sandstone massif in western Madagascar. According to our field data, these tadpoles live in streams and prefer habitats characterized by comparatively low temperatures, shallow water depth, and a relatively fast current. Feeding experiments indicated that the tadpoles are carnivorous and macrophagous. They consumed insect larvae and, to a lesser extent, small shrimps, and conspecific as well as heterospecific tadpoles. Calls of these tadpoles consisted either of single click notes or of irregular series of various clicks. Some complex calls have a pulsed structure with three to nine indistinct energy pulses. Production of the pulses coincided with rapid closure of the jaw sheaths and often with an upward movement of the body. Calls were emitted while attacking prey and occurred significantly more often when attacking conspecifics. Tadpoles that had not been fed for some time emitted sounds more frequently than those that had been regularly fed. The spectral frequency of the calls differed in tadpole groups of different size and was higher in groups of smaller tadpoles, suggesting that spectral frequency carries some information about tadpole size which might be important during competitive feeding to assess size and strength of competitors. This report differs from those for the larvae of South American horned frogs, Ceratophrys ornata. These are the only other tadpoles for which sound production has reliably been reported but the calls of Ceratophrys tadpoles occur mainly in a defensive context.     

The molecular diversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in the arsenic mining impacted sites in Hunan Province of China

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi(AMF) can establish a mutualistic association with most terrestrial plants even in heavy metal contaminated environments. It has been documented that high concentrations of toxic metals, such as arsenic(As) in soil could adversely affect the diversity and function of AMF. However, there are still gaps in understanding the community composition of AMF under long-term As contaminations. In the present study, six sampling sites with different As concentrations were selected in the Realgar mining area in Hunan Province of China. The AMF biodiversity in the rhizosphere soils of the dominant plant species was investigated by sequencing the nuclear small subunit ribosomal RNA(SSU rR NA) gene fragments using 454-pyrosequencing technique. A total of 11 AMF genera were identified,namely Rhizophagus, Glomus, Funneliformis, Acaulospora, Diversispora, Claroideoglomus, Scutellopora,Gigaspora, Ambispora, Praglomus, and Archaeospora, among which Glomus, Rhizophagus, and Claroideoglomus clarodeum were detected in all sampling sites, and Glomus was the dominant AMF genus in the Realgar mining area. Redundancy analysis indicated that soil pH, total As and Cd concentrations were the main factors influencing AMF community structure. There was a negative correlation between the AMF species richness and the total As concentration in the soil,but no significant correlation between the Shannon–Wiener index of the AMF and plants. Our study showed that high As concentrations can exert a selective effect on the AMF populations.     

Importance of riparian habitats for small mammal and herpetofaunal communities in agricultural landscapes of southern Québec

The presence of adequate riparian strips in agricultural landscapes is generally recognized to contribute to the reduction of the impacts of agricultural practices on the water quality of streams, to regularize water temperature and to help in the creation of important wildlife habitats. This study aimed at determining the importance of riparian strips in agricultural landscapes of southern Québec for small mammal and herpetofaunal communities, and verifying farmers’ general belief that these habitats become shelters for species considered as agricultural pests. Abundance, composition and diversity of communities were compared between three types of riparian strips: herbaceous, shrubby and wooded. A total of 1460 small mammals belonging to 14 species and 329 amphibians and reptiles belonging to 11 species were captured with line trapping and drift fences. The generalist species Sorex cinereus, Zapus hudsonius, Blarina brevicauda, and Bufo americanus were abundant in all three types of riparian strips. Peromyscus maniculatus, Sorex fumeus, Clethrionomys gapperi, and Rana pipiens were associated more closely to wooded strips, whereas Rana sylvatica was captured mostly in shrubby strips. The abundance of small mammals and herpetofauna increased with complexity of vegetation structure. Small mammal diversity was higher in herbaceous and wooded riparian strips, whereas the herpetofaunal community was more diverse in shrubby strips. Proportion and abundance of pest species diminished with complexity of vegetation structure, whereas insectivores increased in abundance. Maintaining woody vegetation in riparian strips should increase abundance and diversity of wildlife within agricultural landscapes where increasing development pressure is presently contributing to the conversion of such habitats to herbaceous strips. Such a management approach should also help reducing the risk of riparian strips becoming shelters for pest species.     

贝江浮游藻类群落特征及富营养化风险分析

为了解贝江浮游藻类的分布特征与水质状况,于枯水期和丰水期对浮游藻类群落结构的时空动态进行调查和分析.结果表明,贝江共检出浮游藻类6门29科48属74种,其中枯水期5门23科41属58种,丰水期6门26科40属59种,藻类组成以硅藻门、绿藻门、蓝藻门为主,硅藻种群全年占优势,主要有颗粒沟链藻、变异脆杆藻、二列双菱藻、双头菱形藻、简单舟形藻、梅尼小环藻、肘状针杆藻、窄异极藻和膨胀桥弯藻;藻细胞总密度两期差异较小,枯水期平均值为3.54×105cells·L-1,丰水期平均值为4.87×105cells·L-1.RDA分析表明,DO、高锰酸盐指数和氮磷营养盐是影响贝江浮游藻类群落分布的主要环境因子,贝江流域水质整体良好,处于贫-中营养水平,但氮磷浓度较高,农业面源污染是导致水体中氮磷偏高的主要来源.     

昌黎生态监控区夏季浮游植物群落年际变化特征分析

为研究昌黎生态监控区夏季浮游植物群落结构特征及其与环境因子关系,采用2005~2013年夏季(8月)昌黎生态监控区海域浮游植物及环境因子的监测资料,基于Arc GIS 10.0和Canoco软件平台,运用典范对应分析方法,对浮游植物群落结构进行分析.结果表明,近9 a共鉴定出浮游植物3门23科39属105种,其中,硅藻门16科32属90种,占浮游植物总数的85.7%;甲藻门共6科6属14种,占总种类数的13.3%;金藻门1种.各年的优势种存在很大差异,按照优势度Y值的大小包括辐射圆筛藻(Coscinodiscus radiatus)、柔弱角毛藻(Coscinodiscus debilis)、笔尖根管藻(Rhizosolenia styliformis)、柏氏角管藻(Cerataulina bergoni)、威氏圆筛藻(Coscinodiscus wailesii)、海链藻(Thalassiosira sp.)、三角角藻(Ceratium tripos)、洛氏角毛藻(Coscinodiscus wailesii)、中肋骨条藻(Ceratium tripos)等.夏季细胞丰度年际变化较大,呈现逐渐降低的趋势.浮游植物的多样性指数H'值介于0.015~3.889,均匀度指数J值介于0.009~1,年际变化幅度较小;各站位间物种分布不均匀,优势种较少且优势度较大.对浮游植物群落与环境因子进行典范对应分析(CCA),结果表明影响夏季浮游植物群落结构变化的环境因子包括水温、营养盐(磷酸盐、硝酸氮、氨氮)、盐度等,且是各个环境因子相互作用的结果.     

筑坝蓄水对不同水深浮游微生物群落结构和种间互作模式的影响

微生物群落之间通过直接或间接的关系相互作用,在生态过程中发挥重要作用,然而目前对于水库微生物种间互作模式的关注仍然较少.选择江苏省横山水库为研究区域,分别采集表层及深层水样,探究浮游微生物群落结构和分子生态网络对水深变化的响应规律,并辨识不同水深处浮游微生物群落的关键物种.结果发现,表层浮游微生物丰富度及均匀度均高于深层,且不同深度浮游微生物群落结构具有显著差异.水深通过改变环境异质性间接对浮游微生物群落产生影响,其中总有机碳（TOC）、硝酸盐（NO^-₃）、铵盐（NH⁺₄）和磷酸盐(PO₄^3-)等指标对浮游微生物群落结构影响最为显著.此外,深层浮游微生物分子生态网络的节点数和边数均显著高于表层,且深层浮游微生物群落中关键物种数目和种类均显著高于表层,表明深层浮游微生物群落网络规模更大,但表层浮游微生物群落种间协同合作关系和网络连通性更强.上述结果将为水库微生物群落种间相互作用研究提供科学依据,对预测水库生态系统中微生物的生态规律及全球物质循环影响具有重要意...     

上海世博园后滩湿地桡足类群落特征及其对环境因子的响应

上海世博园后滩湿地是中国2010年上海世界博览会规划区的重点项目.于2009年9月～2010年8月研究了桡足类群落结构的时空变化特征.运用SPSS 18.0软件进行相关统计分析,并利用CANOCO 4.5软件对桡足类数据和环境因子数据进行典范对应分析(CCA).全年共鉴定出桡足类23种,隶属于6科11属.优势种为锯缘真剑水蚤(Eucyclops serrulatus)、台湾温剑水蚤(Thermocyclops taihokuensis)、广布中剑水蚤(Mesocyclops leuckarti)、短尾温剑水蚤(T.brevifurcatus)和跨立小剑水蚤(Microcyclops varicans).桡足类年均密度和生物量分别为(8.6±16.6)ind.L-1、(0.083 6±0.143 1)mg·L-1.现存量主高峰均出现在7月,次高峰均出现在10月,1月达到最低.1号站点的营养水平最高,沿着水流方向逐渐下降,直至10号站点降至最低.桡足类的Margelf指数呈现夏秋季高,春冬季低的变化格局.通过典范对应分析表明,水温、pH、硝态氮、总氮、总磷和溶解氧是影响世博园后滩湿地桡足类群落结构时空变化的主要环境因子.     

水质改善的浮游植物群落演替机制模拟研究

模拟了广州市某河流的不同水质改善阶段,并研究其对铜绿微囊藻（Microcystis aeruginosa）、斜生栅藻（Scenedesmus obliquus）、短线脆杆藻（Fragilaria brevistriata）和易变裸藻（Euglena mutabilis）生长及超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）活性的影响.同时,考察了由4种藻类构成的人工群落的生长特征和群落演替率,以探讨河流水质改善过程中浮游植物群落演替机制.结果表明：4种藻类对氮、磷营养盐和COD_Cr等胁迫的响应程度差异及种间相互竞争作用等是水质改善过程中导致浮游植物群落演替的影响因素;水质改善初期（1~3 d）,群落演替率与改善程度呈显著的正相关关系（p<0.05）;但较长时间（约13 d）处于相对稳定的环境条件下时,群落演替速率将趋于零,从而达到一个新的稳定状态.水质的不断改善将导致浮游植物的种类和数量呈现出蓝藻和裸藻逐渐减少,而绿藻和硅藻逐渐增多的变化趋势.     

Settlement decisions in blue tits: difference in the use of social information according to age and individual success

Dispersers are expected to assess breeding habitat quality before settlement. Although cues reflecting habitat quality are well studied, social cues have not been as well evaluated. In this paper, we studied breeding habitat selection during 3 years in a natural population of blue tits, Cyanistes caeruleus, breeding in nest-boxes. Our aim was to investigate if this species used conspecific density and/or reproductive success of con- and heterospecifics (i.e., social cues) in settlement decisions. The patterns observed were consistent with the idea that juveniles, when dispersing from their natal patches, did not react to any of the cues that we tested. In contrast, breeders that dispersed seemed to respond to both conspecific mean patch reproductive success (PRS) and breeding density of the settlement patch in the year of dispersal, their response differing according to their own reproductive success. Indeed, failed breeders moved to areas with high PRS and low density relative to source patches, while successful breeders behaved the opposite. The comparison between juveniles and adults might be modulated by the limited time available to juveniles to gather information on PRS and density at the end of the dispersing year. Adults lacking these time constraints, however, seemed to rely on these conspecific cues although limited by their own quality. Additionally, breeders were more likely to be immigrants in patches with relatively low breeding success and density the previous year, suggesting that settlement is influenced by multiple cues, which may reveal information on different aspects of habitat and be available at different moments. Collectively, our results support the importance of social cues for blue tits’ settlement.     

输水情景下白洋淀好氧反硝化菌群落对溶解性有机物的响应

溶解性有机物（DOM）是影响微生物群落演变的重要因素,而生态输水是白洋淀的一个重要特征,为了探究输水情境下DOM对好氧反硝化菌的影响,本文结合水体DOM的组分解析和好氧反硝化高通量测序技术,进行了水体好氧反硝化菌对DOM的响应研究.结果显示,白洋淀水体DOM的相对浓度存在显著差异,河口区要低于内部区;DOM呈现出较强自生源特征,河口区具有更高的分子量和更强的腐殖化;平行因子法解析出3种类蛋白组分和1种类腐殖质组分,类蛋白组分占比达到35.64%~96.38%,与荧光区域积分得到类蛋白占主体的结果相一致.与此同时,该时期水体好氧反硝化菌主要属于变形菌门（Protebacterice）,主要包括Cupriavidus、Aeromonas、Thauera、Shewanella和Pseudomonas,与随机森林筛选出的指示物种相一致;网络分析得到35个网络关键节点,主要隶属于Thauera、Cupriavidus以及Unclassified_bacteria;冗余分析（RDA）显示类腐殖质物质是影响水体整体好氧反硝化菌群落组成的因子,类蛋白物质是影响指示物种群落和关键节点群落结构分布的重要因素.综上可知,水体溶解性有机物中类蛋白组分可以作为筛选适于生态输水期水体特征的耐低温高效好氧反硝化菌的碳源选择.     

Chemically mediated burrow recognition in the Mexican tarantula <Emphasis Type="Italic">Brachypelma vagans</Emphasis> female

Chemically mediated communication is common in spiders but has been poorly studied in burrowing tarantulas. This study aimed to determine whether chemical cues influence the behaviour of females of Brachypelma vagans, a Mexican species of tarantula, during encounters with previously inhabited burrows or with extracts from the silk of conspecific females. In laboratory choice tests, female tarantulas entered a burrow that had previously been inhabited by a conspecific female significantly more frequently than a burrow that had never been inhabited. The identity of the previous inhabitant also affected the number of spiders that chose to enter a burrow. Spiders were quicker to choose and enter a burrow previously inhabited by themselves than a burrow previously inhabited by a conspecific or a burrow that had not been previously inhabited. Hexane, methanol and dichloromethane extracts of conspecific silk elicited different responses from female tarantulas when extracts were placed on filter paper disks at one end of an experimental arena with a control filter paper disk, on to which the corresponding solvent alone had been pipetted, placed on the other end of the arena. Spiders showed the strongest responses to hexane extracts of silk, with a significant preference to move towards the hexane extract and a significantly greater period of time spent in proximity to the hexane extract compared to the control disk. Overall and in contrast to expectations, tarantulas were most strongly attracted to the cues left by other conspecific females. As encounters between B. vagans females usually lead to aggression and mortality of one of the participants, we conclude that chemical cues are not signals that are deliberately released by burrow-inhabiting females but may inadvertently escape and cannot be easily suppressed.     

A giant spider from the Jurassic of China reveals greater diversity of the orbicularian stem group

A large female spider, Nephila jurassica, was described from Middle Jurassic strata of north-east China and placed in the modern genus Nephila (family Nephilidae) on the basis of many morphological similarities, but, as with many ancient fossils, the single specimen lacked synapomorphies of the family (Selden et al. 2011). In order to test the placement within the nephilid phylogenetic tree, Kuntner et al. (2013) calibrated the molecular phylogeny using N. jurassica in three different scenarios based on inferred mitochondrial substitution rates. They concluded that N. jurassica fitted better as a stem orbicularian than a nephilid. Now, a giant male spider has been discovered at the same locality that yielded N. jurassica. The two sexes are considered conspecific based on their similar morphological features, size, and provenance. The male cannot be accommodated in Nephilidae because of its pedipalp morphology, so the new genus Mongolarachne and family Mongolarachnidae are erected for the species. Comparison with possibly related families show that Mongolarachnidae is most likely on the orbicularian stem, close to other cribellate orbicularians (e.g., Deinopoidea), which suggests a greater diversity of cribellate orbicularians during the Middle Jurassic.