CENTRO DE RECURSOS NATURALES RENOVABLES DE LA ZONA SEMIÁRIDA

CONICET - UNS


ARACHNOLOGY

Director: Dr. Nelson Ferretti
Independent Researcher, CONICET
Teaching Assistant, Biology, Biochemistry and Pharmacy Department, UNS.
Email: 
CV

The activities of the arachnological research group are oriented to the understanding of the origin and description of the spider diversity, by searching on the process that shapes the dynamics of its diversity in time and space. To achieve this objective, is imperative to integrate multiple approaches, such as systematics, biogeography, ecology and behavior. Our projects are based on Mygalomorphae spiders as the main study model. These spiders have many biological characteristics that can be considered among the key species not only because of their extinction risk but also by the enormous potential to develop integrated evolutionary studies. For example, they show a great habitat fidelity and sensitivity, have a limited dispersal capabilities and restricted distributional ranges to some particular areas. In this way, our goal is to develop multidisciplinary approaches that allow the use of mygalomorph spiders as study models to unveil the processes underpin in relation to the biodiversity and evolution of terrestrial ecosystems. Particularly, the description of new species, the making of biological inventories as databases and digital images are among principal activities. Also, we infer about the species delineation from molecular and morphological phylogenies and analyze the biogeographical patterns and processes involved. Moreover, we study the ecology of this group of spiders and its relevance from a conservation standpoint. Finally, an approximation of the understanding of their behavior, particularly from the sexual behavior is achieved, highlighting the importance as models from its phylogenetic position.        
   

Lines of Research

  • Taxonomy, systematics and biogeography of Neotropical Mygalomorphae.
  • Morphological and molecular phylogenetics of Mygalomorphae.
  • Phylogeography and niche modeling of Argentinean Mygalomorphae of the peripampasic arc with emphasis on the mountainous systems of the semiarid region.
  • Historical biogeography and conservation biogeography of Argentinean Mygalomorphae through different approaches: Panbiogeography, PAE, NDM/VNDM, spatial analysis of vicariance.
  • Evolutionary ecology of Mygalomorphae mountainous systems of southern Buenos Aires province.
  • Reproductive behavior of spiders, with emphasis on sexual behavior under different mechanisms of sexual selection.


Recent publications
See SIGEVA CONICET Dr. Nelson Ferretti and Dra. Leonela Schwerdt

Funding

  • PICT 2018-1751. Diversidad, evolución y biogeografía de arañas migalomorfas de Argentina: una aproximación integradora y su importancia en la conservación. IR: Dr. Nelson Ferretti.
  • 2020-2021. International Society of Arachnology. Discovery and description of a new species of Acanthogonatus (Nemesiidae) from southern Argentina: taxonomy and phylogenetic position. Director: Dr. Nelson Ferretti. Alumna: Mariana Mancini.
  • 2019-2020. American Arachnological Society. Ecology and conservation of Mecicobothrium thorelli Holmberg, 1882 (Araneae: Mecicobothriidae) in natural grasslands of Argentina. Director: Dr. Nelson Ferretti. Alumna: Justina Panchuk.
  • 2019-2020. American Arachnological Society. A new exception challenging rules? testing sex role reversal hypotheses in a South American spider. Director: Dr. Nelson Ferretti. Alumna: Carolina Guerra.
  • 2018-2020. Sue Wijdenes Memorial Grant, Neotropical Grassland Conservancy. Trapped for life: Research and conservation of endemic and threatened trapdoor spider (Calathotarsus simoni) in native mountainous grasslands, Argentina.
  • 2020. International Society of Arachnology. Mygalomorph spiders (Araneae) from the biogeographic island of Paraje Tres Cerros (Corrientes, Argentina): Diversity and taxonomy. Director: Dr. Nelson Ferretti. Alumna: Micaela Nicoletta.
  • 2018-2019. International Society of Arachnology. Far away from home: Discovery of a non-Andean new species of Euathlus Ausserer, 1875 (Araneae: Theraphosidae) inhabiting southern Argentinean coasts. Director: Dr. Nelson Ferretti. Alumna: Melisa Ayoroa.
National and International Collaborations

  • Dra. Sofía Copperi, Dr. Gabriel Pompozzi y Dra. Mariana Griotti, IADIZA-CONICET, Mendoza.
  • Dr. Duniesky Ríos-Tamayo y Dr. Pablo Goloboff, UEL-CCT, Tucumán.
  • Dra. Alda González, CEPAVE-CCT-CONICET, La Plata.
  • Dr. Alfredo Peretti, IDEA-CONICET, Córdoba.
  • MACN-Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales Bernardino Rivadavia
  • MLP-Museo de La Plata.
  • Dr. Fernando Pérez-Miles, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, Uruguay.
  • Dr. Miguel Simó, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, Uruguay.
  • Dra. Anita Aisenberg, Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable, IIBCE, Uruguay.
  • Dr. Miquel Arnedo, Facultat de Ciencias, Universitat de Barcelona, España.
  • Dr. Jose Paulo Guadanucci, Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade Estadual Paulista, Rio Claro, Brasil.
  • Rick West, Canada.
  • Dr. Pedro Cardoso, Finnish Museum of Natural History, University of Helsinki, Finlandia.
  • Dr. Chris Hamilton, Department of Entomology, Plant Pathology & Nematology, University of Idaho, USA.
  • Tracie Seimon, Wildlife Conservation Society, Zoological Health Program, Bronx, USA.
  • Dr. Juan Chaparro, Dr. José Ochoa, MUBI-Museo de Biodiversidad del Perú, Perú.
  • MUSMENT-Museo de Historia Natural, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima, Perú.
 
Participation of International Commissions
Member of the “South American Tarantula Red List Group” included in “Terrestrial and Freshwater Invertebrate Red List Authority” of the Species Survival Commission (SSC). Member of the “Spider and Scorpion Specialist Group” worldwide. International Union for Nature Conservation (IUCN).
 
TV shows and documentaries
  • 2018. Documentary entitled “Argentine Mountains of Extreme” produced by “Off the Fence”, UK. Participation in the set of the section: “Tarantulas”.
  • 2017. Documentary entitled “Wild Patagonia” produced by BBC Earth, UK. Participation in the set of the section: “Tarantula Mating: don't lose your head!” Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6p8VTZJm7UE
  • 2014. TV shows “Científicos Industria Argentina”, section “Mygalomorph spiders”. TV Channel: Tv Pública. Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8wVs0mjo2g

Group Members:

Dr Leonela Schwerdt
Assistant Researcher, CONICET
Topic: Biology and thermal ecology of Mygalomorph spiders: an individual and population level approach under global climate change.
Email: 

Leonela Schwerdt

Justina Panchuk
Degree in Biological Scs.
Doctoral fellow, CONICET
Topic: Integrating ecological and evolutionary aspects of the endemic spider Mecicobothrium thorelli (Araneae, Mygalomorphae, Mecicobothriidae) for the conservation of the natural mountain grasslands.
Email: 

Justina Panchuck


Micaela Nicoletta
Degree in Biological Scs.
Doctoral fellow, CONICET
Topic: Systematic revision, phylogeny and biogeography of the genus Grammostola (Araneae, Theraphosidae) in Argentina.
Email:  

Micaela Nicoletta
Carolina Guerra
Degree in Biological Scs.
Doctoral fellow, CONICET
Topic: Allocosa alticeps, a wolf spider with atypical sexual strategies and with potential as a bioindicator of environmental quality in coastal sand dunes of Argentina.
Email: 

Carolina Guerra

Maite Allegue
Degree in Biological Scs.
Doctoral fellow, CONICET
Topic: From the high Andes to the steppe: Systematics, phylogeny and biogeography of the genus Euathlus (Araneae: Theraphosidae) in South America.
Email:




Fiorella Signorotto
Undergraduate student, EVC-CIN fellow
Topic: Integrative taxonomy to explore intraspecific relationships in a mygalomorph spider from central Argentina
Email:





Micaela Millenpeier
Undergraduate student, Universidad Nacional del Sur
Topic: Description and biology of a new tarantula species from the genus Catumiri (Araneae: Theraphosidae) from Balcarce mountanious system, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Email: