Madagascar is a biodiversity hotspot with excessive endemism and historic phylogenetic range. We right here report the invention of Osmooka aphana gen. nov., sp. nov. from Marojejy Nationwide Park. Phylogenomic analyses place Osmooka as sister to the Australian Paraplectanoides Keyserling, 1886 and this doublet is sister to Nephilidae Simon, 1894. When proposed, Paraplectanoididae Kuntner, Coddington, Agnarsson & Bond, 2023 was completely Australian and monogeneric, however was predicted to include further, undescribed taxa. The invention of Osmooka and its phylogenetic placement in Paraplectanoididae help this prediction. We current a taxonomic remedy of Osmooka and Paraplectanoides, and a reappraisal of Orbipurae morphological homologies. With this new discovery, we revalidate Paraplectanoididae, Nephilidae, and Phonognathidae Simon, 1894 ranks resurrected as unique, monophyletic, and well-diagnosed households, whereas Araneidae Clerck, 1757 requires additional redefinition. Lastly, we take a look at the speculation of East Gondwanan vicariant origin of Osmooka and Paraplectanoides. This state of affairs would predict an historic age of their ancestor, predating the 130 Ma breakup of Gondwana. Divergence relationship refutes this speculation by estimating their widespread ancestor at 57 Ma. Relatively than via vicariance, the disjunct distribution of Osmooka and Paraplectanoides is greatest defined via Cenozoic intercontinental dispersal and/or extinctions. Potential discovery of further paraplectanoidid range would possibly higher elucidate the timing, modes, and trajectories of historic dispersal and extinction occasions.
Matjaž Kuntner, Kuang-Ping Yu, Matjaž Bedjanič, Matjaž Gregorič, Eva Turk, Klemen Čandek, Jonathan A Coddington, Ingi Agnarsson, James Starrett, Jason E Bond, Osmooka, a brand new spider genus from Madagascar: a stunning relative of the Australian fauna (Araneae: Paraplectanoididae), Insect Systematics and Range, Quantity 9, Situation 6, November 2025, ixaf050, https://doi.org/10.1093/isd/ixaf050
