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Predatory behavior of the social orb-weaver spider, Geratonephila burmanica n. gen., n. sp. (Araneae: Nephilidae) with its wasp prey, Cascoscelio incassa n. gen., n. sp., (Hymenoptera: Platygasteridae) in Early Cretaceous Burmese amber

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https://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/concern/articles/0c483k53b

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  • The present work shows predatory behavior of the social orb-weaver spider, Geratonephila burmanica n. gen., n. sp. (Araneae: Nephilidae) against a parasitic wasp, Cascoscelio incassa n. gen., n. sp., (Hymenoptera: Platygasteridae) in Early Cretaceous Burmese amber. An adult male and juvenile of Geratonephila burmanica n. gen., n. sp. in the same web provide the first fossil evidence of sociality in spiders. The spider is characterized by a pedipalp with a hemispherical tegulum, a subtegulum curved at 180 ˚ and an apical spiraled embolas- conductor bent approximately 45 ˚ at midpoint. The male wasp is characterized by an ocellar tubercle, 12 segmented antennae with a jointed, feeble 5-segmented clava, thick sensilla trichodea curvata with rounded ends on the claval antennomeres, a short uncus, a short postmarginal vein and a nebulose Rs vein extending from the uncus to the costal margin of the fore wing. This is the first fossil evidence of spider sociality and a spider attacking prey trapped in its web.
  • Keywords: Burmese amber, Cretaceous, Platygastrid wasp prey, Fossil nephilid spider
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  • Poinar, G., & Buckley, R. (2012). Predatory behaviour of the social orb-weaver spider, Geratonephila burmanica n. gen., n. sp (Araneae: Nephilidae) with its wasp prey, Cascoscelio incassus n. gen., n. sp (Hymenoptera: Platygastridae) in Early Cretaceous Burmese amber. Historical Biology, 24(5), 519-525. doi: 10.1080/08912963.2011.640399
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  • 24
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  • 5
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