taxonID	type	description	language	source
03D987C6273DFFF5FDED07A4A17DF9AB.taxon	type_taxon	Type species Epeira mitralis Vinson, 1863, designated by Thorell, 1868: 4.	en	Gregorič, Matjaž, Yu, Kuang-Ping, Velez, Winny Rojas, Garb, Jessica E. (2025): Caerostris (Araneidae: Araneae) cryptic diversity highlights the need for taxonomic expertise in the genomic era. European Journal of Taxonomy 989: 1-23, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.989.2877, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/2877/13061
03D987C6273DFFF5FDED07A4A17DF9AB.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis Caerostris spiders of both sexes differ from other araneids by the following combination of somatic characteristics: prosoma and opisthosoma wider than long, head region of the prosoma wide and elevated from the thoracic region, prosoma with a frontal rostrum, cheliceral furrow smooth rather than denticulated, females with two pairs of median prosomal projections (one pair or none in males), sternal tubercule adjacent to coxae IV, median and lateral eyes grouped on separate tubercules, presence of abdominal sigillae, legs I, II, and IV with flattened and hairy patellae, tibiae, and metatarsi, femur IV with spatulate setae, the ventro-lateral abdominal sclerotization in several rather than one line of small dots (Grasshoff 1984; Kuntner et al. 2008; Kuntner & Agnarsson 2010; Gregorič et al. 2015 b). Caerostris differ from other araneids by the following genital features: female epigynum with paired epigynal hooks anteriorly (Figs 3 – 7), male palp with large subtegulum, cymbial ectal margin sclerotized as cymbium rather than transparent, absence of paracymbium (Figs 4, 7) (Kuntner et al. 2008; Kuntner & Agnarsson 2010; Gregorič et al. 2015 b).	en	Gregorič, Matjaž, Yu, Kuang-Ping, Velez, Winny Rojas, Garb, Jessica E. (2025): Caerostris (Araneidae: Araneae) cryptic diversity highlights the need for taxonomic expertise in the genomic era. European Journal of Taxonomy 989: 1-23, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.989.2877, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/2877/13061
03D987C6273DFFF7FDE6002AA01CFD7D.taxon	description	Fig. 3; Appendix 1	en	Gregorič, Matjaž, Yu, Kuang-Ping, Velez, Winny Rojas, Garb, Jessica E. (2025): Caerostris (Araneidae: Araneae) cryptic diversity highlights the need for taxonomic expertise in the genomic era. European Journal of Taxonomy 989: 1-23, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.989.2877, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/2877/13061
03D987C6273DFFF7FDE6002AA01CFD7D.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis As in C. extrusa (Figs 4 E, 6 C), C. darwini (Kuntner & Agnarsson 2010: fig. 6 e), C. kuntneri (Figs 6 I, 7 E), C. mitralis (Grasshoff 1984: figs 19 – 20, 29 – 30), C. tinamaze (Gregorič et al. 2015 b: fig. 9 c), and C. wallacei (Gregorič et al. 2015 b: fig. 10 c), and in contrast to other Afrotropical species of Caerostris, the epigynal hooks in C. bankana (Fig. 3 E) are short rather than long, positioned medially on the epigynal plate rather than anteriorly and pointing laterally rather than posteriorly. As in C. kuntneri but in contrast to the above mentioned species of Caerostris, C. bankana has short and stout epigynal hooks that are about as wide as long, while longer in other species of Caerostris. In contrast to all species of Caerostris, the anterior epigynal margin in C. bankana is S-shaped and perpendicular to the longitudinal body axis (Fig. 3 E).	en	Gregorič, Matjaž, Yu, Kuang-Ping, Velez, Winny Rojas, Garb, Jessica E. (2025): Caerostris (Araneidae: Araneae) cryptic diversity highlights the need for taxonomic expertise in the genomic era. European Journal of Taxonomy 989: 1-23, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.989.2877, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/2877/13061
03D987C6273DFFF7FDE6002AA01CFD7D.taxon	materials_examined	Type material Holotype MADAGASCAR • ♀; Nosy Be; SMF 3618 SMF.	en	Gregorič, Matjaž, Yu, Kuang-Ping, Velez, Winny Rojas, Garb, Jessica E. (2025): Caerostris (Araneidae: Araneae) cryptic diversity highlights the need for taxonomic expertise in the genomic era. European Journal of Taxonomy 989: 1-23, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.989.2877, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/2877/13061
03D987C6273DFFF7FDE6002AA01CFD7D.taxon	description	Description Female (holotype, Fig. 3 A – E) MEASUREMENTS AND COLORATION. Total body length 23.36. Prosoma 7.81 long, 8.05 wide, 6.97 high. Carapace and chelicerae reddish brown, covered with whitish to yellowish setae. Sternum 3.65 long, 3.46 wide, widest between coxae of second legs, brown with whitish setae. AME diameter 0.40, PME diameter 0.34, AME separation 0.52, PME separation 1.22, PME – PLE separation 3.00, ALE – PLE separation 0.07. Clypeus height 1.48. Appendages: palps brown. All leg segments uniformly reddish brown. Leg I femur 6.53, patella 3.71, tibia 5.51, metatarsus 6.55, tarsus 2.47. Opisthosoma 14.96 long, 14.58 wide, 10.22 high. Base color of dorsum light reddish brown, covered with dark reddishbrown spots, with several small, pointy tubercules on anterior half and pair of large posterior tubercules, pointing posteriorly and protruding past spinnerets. Anterior dorsum with broad, whitish speck. Venter light brown with several dark brown spots, two paler, grey, longitudinal bands. Epigynum as diagnosed (Fig. 3 E).	en	Gregorič, Matjaž, Yu, Kuang-Ping, Velez, Winny Rojas, Garb, Jessica E. (2025): Caerostris (Araneidae: Araneae) cryptic diversity highlights the need for taxonomic expertise in the genomic era. European Journal of Taxonomy 989: 1-23, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.989.2877, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/2877/13061
03D987C6273DFFF7FDE6002AA01CFD7D.taxon	distribution	Distribution Strand (1915) described the female he believed to be collected in Bandar Kwala, North Sumatra, Indonesia. However, the specimen closely resembles Malagasy species in morphology, and at the SMF was kept together with two resembling specimens from Nosy Be, Madagascar. As a similar specimen was never again found in Indonesia, Grasshoff (1984) concluded a confusion of specimen locality the most likely. We agree with this assessment and find Nosy Be, Madagascar as the most likely type locality and known distribution of this species.	en	Gregorič, Matjaž, Yu, Kuang-Ping, Velez, Winny Rojas, Garb, Jessica E. (2025): Caerostris (Araneidae: Araneae) cryptic diversity highlights the need for taxonomic expertise in the genomic era. European Journal of Taxonomy 989: 1-23, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.989.2877, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/2877/13061
03D987C6273DFFF7FDE6002AA01CFD7D.taxon	discussion	Remark Caerostris bankana Strand, 1915 was synonymized with C. extrusa Butler, 1882 by Grasshoff (1984). In epigynal morphology, the type of C. bankana is clearly different from both C. extrusa and C. kuntneri, as well as all other described species of Caerostris. Due to the lack of molecular data for this species, its phylogenetic position within the genus is unclear.	en	Gregorič, Matjaž, Yu, Kuang-Ping, Velez, Winny Rojas, Garb, Jessica E. (2025): Caerostris (Araneidae: Araneae) cryptic diversity highlights the need for taxonomic expertise in the genomic era. European Journal of Taxonomy 989: 1-23, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.989.2877, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/2877/13061
03D987C6273FFFFAFDED0578A76FFE31.taxon	description	Figs 1 D, 4, 6 A – C; Appendix 1	en	Gregorič, Matjaž, Yu, Kuang-Ping, Velez, Winny Rojas, Garb, Jessica E. (2025): Caerostris (Araneidae: Araneae) cryptic diversity highlights the need for taxonomic expertise in the genomic era. European Journal of Taxonomy 989: 1-23, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.989.2877, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/2877/13061
03D987C6273FFFFAFDED0578A76FFE31.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis As in C. kuntneri (Figs 6 I, 7 E), C. darwini (Kuntner & Agnarsson 2010: 6 e), C. mitralis (Grasshoff 1984: figs 19 – 20, 29 – 30), C. tinamaze (Gregorič et al. 2015 b: fig. 9 c), and C. wallacei (Gregorič et al. 2015 b: fig. 10 c), and in contrast to other Afrotropical species of Caerostris, the epigynal hooks in C. extrusa (Figs 4 E, 6 C) are short rather than long, positioned medially on the epigynal plate rather than anteriorly and pointing laterally rather than posteriorly. Different to all other species and as in C. darwini, the epigynal hooks in C. extrusa have an anteriorly pointing base that is longer than the hook length, but the hooks are wide and heavily sclerotized in C. extrusa but shorter and narrower in C. darwini. Male C. extrusa (Fig. 4 K – M) differ from those of other Afrotropical Caerostris, except C. tinamaze (Gregorič et al. 2015 b: fig. 9 j – k), by the relatively small palpal bulbus, and from all Caerostris by the twisted conductor positioned at a perpendicular axis to the cymbium.	en	Gregorič, Matjaž, Yu, Kuang-Ping, Velez, Winny Rojas, Garb, Jessica E. (2025): Caerostris (Araneidae: Araneae) cryptic diversity highlights the need for taxonomic expertise in the genomic era. European Journal of Taxonomy 989: 1-23, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.989.2877, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/2877/13061
03D987C6273FFFFAFDED0578A76FFE31.taxon	materials_examined	Type material Holotype MADAGASCAR • ♀; specimen photographs examined; BMNH, BMNH 1882.26. Other material examined MADAGASCAR • 1 ♀; Toamasina Province, Mantadia National Park; lat. - 18.783784, lon. 48.427617; 26. Feb. 2010; M. Kuntner, I. Agnarsson and M. Gregorič leg.; Cox 1 not obtained; USNM, ARA 4270 • 1 ♂; Toamasina Province, Analamazoatra National Park; lat. - 18.937172, lon. 48.4200538; Dec. 2017; M. Gregorič, M. Kuntner, I. Agnarsson and P. Babb leg.; GenBank accession number PP 403861; ARA 1965; USNM • 1 ♀; Antsiranana Province, Marojejy National Park; lat. - 14.437629, lon. 49.775602, 30. Mar. 2022; M. Gregorič, M. Kuntner, K. P. Yu and M. Bedjanič leg.; GenBank accession number PP 403853; ARA 7936; ZRC SAZU • 1 ♀; Toamasina Province, Andasibe-Mantadia National Park; lat. - 18.8255 lon. 48.4349; 6. Dec. 2017; M. Gregorič, M. Kuntner, I. Agnarsson and P. Babb leg.; GenBank accession number PP 403854; CA 2017067; ZRC SAZU • 1 ♀; Toamasina Province, Analamazoatra National Park; lat. - 18.937172 lon. 48.420053; 10 – 16. Dec. 2017; M. Gregorič, M. Kuntner, I. Agnarsson and P. Babb leg.; GenBank accession number PP 403855; CA 2017089; ZRC SAZU • 1 ♀; same locality, date, and leg. data as for preceding; GenBank accession number PP 403856; CA 2017157; ZRC SAZU • same locality, date, and leg. data as for preceding; GenBank accession number PP 403857; CA 2017207; ZRC SAZU • 1 ♀; same locality, date, and leg. data as for preceding; GenBank accession number PP 403858; CA 2017221; ZRC SAZU • 1 ♀; same locality, date, and leg. data as for preceding; GenBank accession number PP 403859; CA 2017335; ZRC SAZU • 1 ♀; same locality, date, and leg. data as for preceding; GenBank accession number PP 403860; CA 2017379; ZRC SAZU • 1 ♂; same locality, and leg. data as for preceding; 9. Dec. 2017; GenBank accession number PP 403862; ARA 1974; ZRC SAZU • 1 ♂; Toamasina Province, Analamazoatra National Park; lat: - 18.932779, lon. 48.413215; 7; Dec. 2017; M. Gregorič, I. Agnarsson, M. Kuntner and P. Babb leg.; GenBank accession number PP 403863; ARA 1981; ZRC SAZU • 1 ♀; Toamasina Province, Analamazoatra National Park; lat. - 18.786784, lon. 48.427617; 26. Feb. 2010; M. Gregorič, I. Agnarsson and M. Kuntner leg.; Cox 1 not obtained; ARA 5603; ZRC SAZU.	en	Gregorič, Matjaž, Yu, Kuang-Ping, Velez, Winny Rojas, Garb, Jessica E. (2025): Caerostris (Araneidae: Araneae) cryptic diversity highlights the need for taxonomic expertise in the genomic era. European Journal of Taxonomy 989: 1-23, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.989.2877, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/2877/13061
03D987C6273FFFFAFDED0578A76FFE31.taxon	description	Description Female (ARA 4270 from Andasibe-Mantadia National Park, Madagascar, Fig. 4 A – E) MEASUREMENTS AND COLORATION. Total body length 20.11. Prosoma 7.84 long, 8.54 wide, 4.06 high. Carapace and chelicerae reddish brown, covered with whitish setae. Sternum 4.17 long, 3.76 wide, widest between coxae of second legs, dark brown with pale band in posterior half. AME diameter 0.36, PME diameter 0.32, AME separation 0.51, PME separation 1.07, PME – PLE separation 2.93, ALE – PLE separation 0.11. Clypeus height 1.22. Appendages: palps dark reddish brown. All leg segments uniformly dark reddish brown. Leg I femur 7.81, patella 4.21, tibia 6.15, metatarsus 7.55, tarsus 2.92. Opisthosoma 16.84 long, 14.94 wide, 5.08 high. Base color of dorsum light brown, with yellowish longitudinal band, covered with black spots, and with several small, pointy tubercules on anterior half and pair of large posterior tubercules, pointing posteriorly and protruding past spinnerets. Venter brown with several dark brown and black spots, two paler, grey, longitudinal bands. Epigynum as diagnosed (Fig. 4 E). Male (ARA 1965 from Andasibe-Mantadia National Park, Madagascar, Fig. 4 G-M) MEASUREMENTS AND COLORATION. Total body length 4.90. Prosoma 2.48 long, 2.37 wide, 2.12 high. Carapace and chelicerae dark reddish brown, covered with whitish to yellowish setae. Sternum 1.25 long, 1.14 wide, widest between coxae of second legs, orange, sparsely covered with white setae. AME diameter 0.23, PME diameter 0.21, AME separation 0.21, PME separation 0.49, PME – PLE separation 0.81, ALE – PLE separation 0.02. Clypeus height 0.42. Appendages: palps orange. Coxae, trochanters, and femurs orange, patellae, tibiae, metatarsi, and tarsi greenish orange. Leg I femur 3.20, patella 1.41, tibia 2.93, metatarsus 3.44, tarsus 1.26. Opisthosoma 3.46 long, 3.07 wide, 1.36 high. Base color of dorsum greenish brown, covered with black spots and areas, without small, pointy tubercules on anterior half. Venter greyish with black middle area and pair of white spots. Palp as diagnosed (Fig. 4 K – M). Variation Female total length 18.9 – 25.1, prosoma length 7.65 – 8.55. Base color of opisthosoma dorsum light brown to dark brown, with anterior tubercules from small to pronounced. Some individuals with light median band, others without or with light anterior speck (Figs 4 A, 6 A). Males with little variation in appearance.	en	Gregorič, Matjaž, Yu, Kuang-Ping, Velez, Winny Rojas, Garb, Jessica E. (2025): Caerostris (Araneidae: Araneae) cryptic diversity highlights the need for taxonomic expertise in the genomic era. European Journal of Taxonomy 989: 1-23, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.989.2877, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/2877/13061
03D987C6273FFFFAFDED0578A76FFE31.taxon	distribution	Distribution Eastern Madagascar, known from Andasibe-Mantadia National Park (Toamasina Province), Ranomafana National Park (Fianarantsoa Province), and Marojejy National Park (Antsiranana Province).	en	Gregorič, Matjaž, Yu, Kuang-Ping, Velez, Winny Rojas, Garb, Jessica E. (2025): Caerostris (Araneidae: Araneae) cryptic diversity highlights the need for taxonomic expertise in the genomic era. European Journal of Taxonomy 989: 1-23, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.989.2877, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/2877/13061
03D987C6273FFFFAFDED0578A76FFE31.taxon	biology_ecology	Natural history This species occurs in montane rainforests of eastern Madagascar. The web is typical of Caerostris (Gregorič et al. 2011 a), suspended at day and night. Several individuals have embolic plugs in copulatory openings (Kuntner et al. 2015), but never more than one per copulatory opening.	en	Gregorič, Matjaž, Yu, Kuang-Ping, Velez, Winny Rojas, Garb, Jessica E. (2025): Caerostris (Araneidae: Araneae) cryptic diversity highlights the need for taxonomic expertise in the genomic era. European Journal of Taxonomy 989: 1-23, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.989.2877, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/2877/13061
03D987C62732FFFBFDE607B4A003F961.taxon	description	Figs 1 E, 5, 6 D – F; Appendix 1	en	Gregorič, Matjaž, Yu, Kuang-Ping, Velez, Winny Rojas, Garb, Jessica E. (2025): Caerostris (Araneidae: Araneae) cryptic diversity highlights the need for taxonomic expertise in the genomic era. European Journal of Taxonomy 989: 1-23, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.989.2877, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/2877/13061
03D987C62732FFFBFDE607B4A003F961.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis Caerostris hirsuta differs from all known species of Caerostris by the lack of lateral prosomal projections (Figs 5 A, E, 6 D). The female copulatory openings in C. hirsuta (Figs 5 E, 6 F) are elliptical in shape and relatively larger than in all other Afrotropical species of Caerostris. The epigynal hooks in C. hirsuta (Figs 5 E, 6 F) are positioned anteriorly on the epigynal plate, resembling C. corticosa (Grasshoff 1984: fig. 26), C. vicina (Grasshoff 1984: figs 23 – 24), and C. linnaeus (Gregorič et al. 2015 b: fig. 7 d) from mainland Africa. As in C. corticosa and C. vicina, these hooks point posteriorly, but are narrow and short in C. hirsuta rather than narrow and long as in the other two species. In C. linnaeus the hooks are narrow and short as in C. hirsuta, but point laterally rather than posteriorly. In contrast to C. hirsuta, all other known species of Caerostris from Madagascar, as well as others from mainland Africa, have the epigynal hooks positioned medially on the epigynal plate rather than anteriorly, they are wide rather than narrow, and point laterally rather than posteriorly (Grasshoff 1984; Gregorič et al. 2015 b).	en	Gregorič, Matjaž, Yu, Kuang-Ping, Velez, Winny Rojas, Garb, Jessica E. (2025): Caerostris (Araneidae: Araneae) cryptic diversity highlights the need for taxonomic expertise in the genomic era. European Journal of Taxonomy 989: 1-23, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.989.2877, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/2877/13061
03D987C62732FFFBFDE607B4A003F961.taxon	materials_examined	Material examined Material examined MADAGASCAR • 1 ♀; Antsiranana Province, Marojejy National Park; lat. - 18.8255, lon. 48.4349; 29. Mar. 2022; M. Gregorič, M. Kuntner, K. P. Yu and M. Bedjanič leg.; Cox 1 not obtained; ARA 7894; USNM • 1 ♀; Antsiranana Province, Marojejy National Park; lat. - 14.437629, lon. 49.775602; 24. Mar. 2022; M. Gregorič, M. Kuntner, K. P. Yu and M. Bedjanič leg.; GenBank accession number PP 403864; ARA 7933; ZRC • 1 ♀; same locality, date, and leg. data as for preceding; Cox 1 not obtained; ARA 7987; ZRC • 1 ♀; same locality and leg. data as for preceding; 25. Mar. 2022; GenBank accession number PP 403865; ARA 7896; ZRC SAZU • 1 ♀; same locality, date, and leg. data as for preceding; GenBank accession number PP 403866; ARA 7985; ZRC SAZU • 1 ♀; same locality and leg. data as for preceding; 26. Mar. 2022; Cox 1 not obtained; ARA 7931; ZRC SAZU • 1 ♀; same locality, date, and leg. data as for preceding; Cox 1 not obtained; ARA 7928; ZRC SAZU.	en	Gregorič, Matjaž, Yu, Kuang-Ping, Velez, Winny Rojas, Garb, Jessica E. (2025): Caerostris (Araneidae: Araneae) cryptic diversity highlights the need for taxonomic expertise in the genomic era. European Journal of Taxonomy 989: 1-23, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.989.2877, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/2877/13061
03D987C62732FFFBFDE607B4A003F961.taxon	description	Description Female (ARA 7894 from Marojejy National Park, Madagascar, Fig. 5 A – E) MEASUREMENTS AND COLORATION. Total body length 21.93. Prosoma 9.70 long, 9.09 wide, 5.36 high. Carapace and chelicerae dark reddish brown, covered with long and dense yellowish setae. Sternum 4.40 long, 3.86 wide, widest between coxae of second legs, dark brown and sparsely covered with yellowish setae. AME diameter 0.45, PME diameter 0.35, AME separation 0.57, PME separation 1.28, PME – PLE separation 3.54, ALE – PLE separation 0.12. Clypeus height 1.72. Appendages: palps dark reddish brown. All leg segments uniformly dark reddish brown. Leg I femur 8.41, patella 6.47, tibia 6.85, metatarsus 8.62, tarsus 3.19. Opisthosoma 18.11 long, 16.87 wide, 6.92 high. Base color of dorsum light brown, with a yellowish longitudinal band, covered with black spots, and with several small, pointy tubercules on anterior half and pair of large posterior tubercules, pointing posteriorly and protruding past the spinnerets. Venter brown with several dark brown and black spots, two paler, grey, longitudinal bands. Epigynum as diagnosed (Fig. 5 E). Variation Female total length 21.93 – 23.30, prosoma length 8.71 – 9.70. Base color of opisthosoma dorsum light brown to dark brown, with anterior tubercules from small to pronounced. Some individuals with light median band, others without (Figs 5 A, 6 D).	en	Gregorič, Matjaž, Yu, Kuang-Ping, Velez, Winny Rojas, Garb, Jessica E. (2025): Caerostris (Araneidae: Araneae) cryptic diversity highlights the need for taxonomic expertise in the genomic era. European Journal of Taxonomy 989: 1-23, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.989.2877, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/2877/13061
03D987C62732FFFBFDE607B4A003F961.taxon	distribution	Distribution Toamasina (Tamatave), eastern Madagascar, is designated as the locality of the holotype. However, the species today does not occur in eastern Madagascar, and Toamasina as a major port-city was often designated as the locality in museum collections in the past. Therefore, the holotype might not have been collected there. This species is likely restricted to the northern wet montane forests of Madagascar.	en	Gregorič, Matjaž, Yu, Kuang-Ping, Velez, Winny Rojas, Garb, Jessica E. (2025): Caerostris (Araneidae: Araneae) cryptic diversity highlights the need for taxonomic expertise in the genomic era. European Journal of Taxonomy 989: 1-23, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.989.2877, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/2877/13061
03D987C62732FFFBFDE607B4A003F961.taxon	biology_ecology	Natural history This species occurs in montane rainforests of northeastern Madagascar. The web is typical of Caerostris (Gregorič et al. 2011 a), suspended at day and night.	en	Gregorič, Matjaž, Yu, Kuang-Ping, Velez, Winny Rojas, Garb, Jessica E. (2025): Caerostris (Araneidae: Araneae) cryptic diversity highlights the need for taxonomic expertise in the genomic era. European Journal of Taxonomy 989: 1-23, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.989.2877, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/2877/13061
03D987C62735FFE0FDAB0768A1EAFC81.taxon	description	urn: lsid: zoobank. org: act: D 5 F 8 C 1 C 5 - 41 DF- 477 F-B 01 B-F 93 BD 94593 E 6 Figs 1 F, 6 G – I, 7; Appendix 1	en	Gregorič, Matjaž, Yu, Kuang-Ping, Velez, Winny Rojas, Garb, Jessica E. (2025): Caerostris (Araneidae: Araneae) cryptic diversity highlights the need for taxonomic expertise in the genomic era. European Journal of Taxonomy 989: 1-23, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.989.2877, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/2877/13061
03D987C62735FFE0FDAB0768A1EAFC81.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis As in C. extrusa (Figs 4 E, 6 C), C. darwini (Kuntner & Agnarsson 2010: fig. 6 e), C. mitralis (Grasshoff 1984: figs 19 – 20, 29 – 30), C. tinamaze (Gregorič et al. 2015 b: fig. 9 c), and C. wallacei (Gregorič et al. 2015 b: fig. 10 c), and in contrast to other Afrotropical species of Caerostris, the epigynal hooks in C. kuntneri (Figs 6 I, 7 E) are short rather than long, positioned medially on the epigynal plate rather than anteriorly and pointing laterally rather than posteriorly. Caerostris kuntneri is similar to C. almae and C. mitralis but different from the abovementioned species of Caerostris by the anterior epigynal margin that circles around the copulatory openings; however, the hooks are small in C. mitralis (Grasshoff 1984: figs 19 – 20), heavily sclerotized, relatively wide, and longer than wide in C. almae (Gregorič et al. 2015 b: figs 3 d, 4 d, f), and short, about as long as wide in C. kuntneri (Figs 6 I, 7 E). Male C. kuntneri (Fig. 7 K – M) differ from those of other Afrotropical Caerostris, except C. almae (Gregorič et al. 2015 b: fig. 3 i – k), by the relatively large palpal bulbus with a large and blunt conductor. The conductor in C. kuntneri is large, pointing anteriorly, while mesally in C. almae.	en	Gregorič, Matjaž, Yu, Kuang-Ping, Velez, Winny Rojas, Garb, Jessica E. (2025): Caerostris (Araneidae: Araneae) cryptic diversity highlights the need for taxonomic expertise in the genomic era. European Journal of Taxonomy 989: 1-23, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.989.2877, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/2877/13061
03D987C62735FFE0FDAB0768A1EAFC81.taxon	etymology	Etymology The species epithet, a noun in the genitive case, honors the arachnologist Matjaž Kuntner, whose discoveries initiated recent research efforts on the genus Caerostris.	en	Gregorič, Matjaž, Yu, Kuang-Ping, Velez, Winny Rojas, Garb, Jessica E. (2025): Caerostris (Araneidae: Araneae) cryptic diversity highlights the need for taxonomic expertise in the genomic era. European Journal of Taxonomy 989: 1-23, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.989.2877, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/2877/13061
03D987C62735FFE0FDAB0768A1EAFC81.taxon	materials_examined	Type material Holotype MADAGASCAR • ♀, labeled “ ARA 5602, Andasibe-Mantadia, Madagascar ”; Toamasina Province, Mantadia National Park; lat. - 18.783784, lon. 48.427617; 28. Feb. 2010; M. Kuntner, I. Agnarsson and M. Gregorič leg.; Cox 1 not obtained; ARA 5602; USNM. Paratype MADAGASCAR • 1 ♂, labeled “ ARA 1961, Andasibe-Mantadia, Madagascar ”; Toamasina Province, Analamazoatra National Park; lat. - 18.937172, lon. 48.420053; 8. Dec. 2017; M. Gregorič, M. Kuntner and I. Agnarsson leg.; GenBank accession number PP 403877; ARA 1961; USNM. Other material examined MADAGASCAR • 1 ♀; sequence obtained from Kono et al. (2021), sequence voucher 7421 - W 1 _ S 15; Toamasina Province, Andasibe-Mantadia National Park; GenBank accession number PP 403852 • 1 ♀; Toamasina Province, Analamazoatra National Park; lat. - 18.932779 lon. 48.413215; 6. Dec. 2017; M. Gregorič, I. Agnarsson, M. Kuntner and P. Babb leg.; GenBank accession number PP 403867; CA 2017025; ZRC SAZU • 1 ♀; same locality, date, and leg. data as for preceding; GenBank accession number PP 403869; CA 2017141; ZRC SAZU • 1 ♂; same locality, and leg. data as for preceding; 7. Dec. 2017; GenBank accession number PP 403881; ARA 1977; ZRC SAZU • 1 ♂; same locality, date, and leg. data as for preceding; GenBank accession number PP 403882; ARA 1978; ZRC SAZU • 1 ♂; same data as for preceding; GenBank accession number PP 403883; ARA 1979; ZRC SAZU • ♂; same locality as for preceding; 11. Apr. 2022; M. Gregorič, M. Kuntner, K. P. Yu and M. Bedjanič leg.; GenBank accession number PP 403872; ARA 8078; ZRC SAZU • 1 ♂; same locality, date, and leg. data as for preceding; GenBank accession number PP 403873; ARA 8079; ZRC SAZU • 1 ♂; same locality, date, and leg. data as for preceding; GenBank accession number PP 403874; ARA 8080; ZRC SAZU • 1 ♀; Toamasina Province, Analamazoatra National Park; lat. - 18.937172 lon. 48.420053; 8. Dec. 2017; M. Gregorič, I. Agnarsson, M. Kuntner and P. Babb leg.; GenBank accession number PP 403868; CA 2017327; ZRC SAZU • 1 ♂; same locality, date, and leg. data as for preceding; GenBank accession number PP 403876; ARA 1960; ZRC SAZU • 1 ♂; same locality, date, and leg. data as for preceding; GenBank accession number PP 403877; ARA 1961; ZRC SAZU • 1 ♂; same locality, date, and leg. data as for preceding; GenBank accession number PP 403878; ARA 1962; ZRC SAZU • 1 ♂; same locality, date, and leg. data as for preceding; GenBank accession number PP 403879; ARA 1963; ZRC SAZU • 1 ♂; same locality, date, and leg. data as for preceding; GenBank accession number PP 403880; ARA 1964; ZRC SAZU • 1 ♀; same locality and leg. data as for preceding; 10 – 16. Dec. 2017; GenBank accession number PP 403870; CA 2017181; ZRC SAZU • 1 ♀; same locality and leg. data as for preceding; 4. Dec. 2017; GenBank accession number PP 403871; CA 2017211; ZRC SAZU • 1 ♂; same locality and leg. data as for preceding; 3. Dec. 2017; GenBank accession number PP 403875; ARA 1934; ZRC SAZU • 1 ♀; Toamasina Province, Analamazoatra National Park; lat. - 18.937703, lon. 48.371233; 5. Apr. 2022; M. Gregorič, M. Kuntner, K. P. Yu and M. Bedjanič leg.; Cox 1 not obtained; ARA 7923; ZRC SAZU • 1 ♀; same locality, date, and leg. data as for preceding; Cox 1 not obtained; ARA 7913; ZRC SAZU • 1 ♀; same locality and leg. data as for preceding; 5. Apr. 2022; Cox 1 not obtained; ARA 7937; ZRC SAZU • 1 ♀; same locality and leg. data as for preceding; 8. Apr. 2022; Cox 1 not obtained; ARA 7874; ZRC SAZU • 1 ♀; Toamasina Province, Analamazoatra National Park; lat. - 18.825368, lon. 48.434792; 6. Apr. 2022; M. Gregorič, M. Kuntner, K. P. Yu and M. Bedjanič leg.; Cox 1 not obtained; ZRC SAZU ARA 7967 • 1 ♀; Toamasina Province, Analamazoatra National Park; lat. - 18.889361, lon. 48.433165; 10. Apr. 2022; M. Gregorič, M. Kuntner, K. P. Yu and M. Bedjanič leg.; Cox 1 not obtained; ARA 7884; ZRC SAZU • 1 ♀; Toamasina Province, Analamazoatra National Park; lat. - 18.786784, lon. 48.427617; 28. Feb. 2010; M. Kuntner, I. Agnarsson and M. Gregorič leg.; Cox 1 not obtained; ARA 5602; ZRC SAZU • 1 ♀; same locality and leg. data as for preceding; 27. Feb. 2010; Cox 1 not obtained; ARA 5608; ZRC SAZU • 1 ♀; Antsiranana Province, Marojejy National Park; lat. - 14.437629, lon. 49.775602; 24. Mar. 2022; M. Gregorič, M. Kuntner, K. P. Yu and M. Bedjanič leg.; Cox 1 not obtained; ARA 7924; ZRC SAZU • 1 ♀; same locality and leg. data as for preceding; 25. Mar. 2022; Cox 1 not obtained; ARA 7925; ZRC SAZU.	en	Gregorič, Matjaž, Yu, Kuang-Ping, Velez, Winny Rojas, Garb, Jessica E. (2025): Caerostris (Araneidae: Araneae) cryptic diversity highlights the need for taxonomic expertise in the genomic era. European Journal of Taxonomy 989: 1-23, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.989.2877, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/2877/13061
03D987C62735FFE0FDAB0768A1EAFC81.taxon	description	Description Female (holotype, Fig. 7 A – E) MEASUREMENTS AND COLORATION. Total body length 26.21. Prosoma 9.64 long, 9.67 wide, 7.91 high. Carapace and chelicerae dark reddish brown, covered with whitish to yellowish setae. Sternum 4.59 long, 4.22 wide, widest between coxae of second legs, dark brown with pale band in posterior half. AME diameter 0.39, PME diameter 0.40, AME separation 0.59, PME separation 1.21, PME – PLE separation 3.42, ALE – PLE separation 0.10. Clypeus height 1.70. Appendages: palps dark reddish brown. All leg segments uniformly dark reddish brown. Leg I femur 7.26, patella 4.38, tibia 6.63, metatarsus 7.69, tarsus 2.93. Opisthosoma 17.07 long, 19.24 wide, 10.24 high. Base color of dorsum light brown, covered with black spots, with several small, pointy tubercules on anterior half and pair of large posterior tubercules, pointing posteriorly and protruding past spinnerets. Venter brown with several dark brown and black spots, two paler, grey, longitudinal bands. Epigynum as diagnosed (Fig. 7 E). Male (paratype, Fig. 7 G – M) MEASUREMENTS AND COLORATION. Total body length 5.15. Prosoma 2.96 long, 2.48 wide, 2.28 high. Carapace and chelicerae dark reddish brown, covered with whitish to yellowish setae. Sternum 1.27 long, 1.24 wide, widest between coxae of second legs, orange brown, sparsely covered with white setae. AME diameter 0.24, PME diameter 0.25, AME separation 0.22, PME separation 0.53, PME – PLE separation 0.92, ALE – PLE separation 0.03. Clypeus height 0.52. Appendages: palps orange. All leg segments uniformly orange. Leg I femur 2.70, patella 1.35, tibia 2.30, metatarsus 2.81, tarsus 1.05. Opisthosoma 3.76 long, 3.61 wide, 1.83 high. Base color of dorsum greenish brown, covered with dark brown spots and black amorphous areas, with several small, pointy tubercules on anterior half. Venter black with white spots. Palp as diagnosed (Fig. 7 K – M). Variation Female total length 19.6 – 26.2, prosoma length 7.85 – 9.64. Base color of opisthosoma dorsum light brown to dark brown, with anterior tubercules from small to pronounced. Some individuals with light median band, others without or with light anterior speck (Figs 6 G, 7 A).	en	Gregorič, Matjaž, Yu, Kuang-Ping, Velez, Winny Rojas, Garb, Jessica E. (2025): Caerostris (Araneidae: Araneae) cryptic diversity highlights the need for taxonomic expertise in the genomic era. European Journal of Taxonomy 989: 1-23, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.989.2877, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/2877/13061
03D987C62735FFE0FDAB0768A1EAFC81.taxon	distribution	Distribution Eastern Madagascar, known from Andasibe-Mantadia National Park (Toamasina Province), Ranomafana National Park (Fianarantsoa Province), and Marojejy National Park (Antsiranana Province).	en	Gregorič, Matjaž, Yu, Kuang-Ping, Velez, Winny Rojas, Garb, Jessica E. (2025): Caerostris (Araneidae: Araneae) cryptic diversity highlights the need for taxonomic expertise in the genomic era. European Journal of Taxonomy 989: 1-23, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.989.2877, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/2877/13061
03D987C62735FFE0FDAB0768A1EAFC81.taxon	biology_ecology	Natural history This species occurs in montane rainforests of eastern Madagascar. The web is typical of Caerostris (Gregorič et al. 2011 a), suspended at day and night. Several individuals have embolic plugs in copulatory openings (Kuntner et al. 2015), but never more than one per copulatory opening. Of the here investigated material, we observed mating in nature, where a male engaged in opportunistic mating (Kuntner & Coddington 2020) with a freshly molted female.	en	Gregorič, Matjaž, Yu, Kuang-Ping, Velez, Winny Rojas, Garb, Jessica E. (2025): Caerostris (Araneidae: Araneae) cryptic diversity highlights the need for taxonomic expertise in the genomic era. European Journal of Taxonomy 989: 1-23, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.989.2877, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/2877/13061
