Myrmarachnini (Araneae: Salticidae: Salticinae: Astioida) of Salonga National Park, D.R. Congo, with description of a new species and two new species records

Researchers have identified three species of Myrmarachnini jumping spiders within Salonga National Park, the largest tropical rainforest reserve in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Notably, they describe a new species, Myrmarachne salongensis, distinguished by unique genitalic morphology, cheliceral dentition, and dorsal color pattern. Additionally, two previously recorded species—Myrmarachne foenisex and Belippo calcarata—are reported for the first time from the park. This discovery underscores the significant biodiversity of Salonga National Park, which, despite its size (36,000 km²), had no prior spider records. The study highlights the understudied nature of Afrotropical spider fauna and suggests that the D.R. Congo may harbor at least 500 salticid species, far exceeding the current 66 recorded.

Pett, B. L., Iyomi, D. M., & Mbende, M. (2023). Myrmarachnini (Araneae: Salticidae: Salticinae: Astioida) of Salonga National Park, D.R. Congo, with description of a new species and two new species records. Arthropoda Selecta, 32(4), 466–473. https://doi.org/10.15298/arthsel.32.4.11