Alba Enguídanos García, a laboratory technician in the group of Miquel A. Arnedo at the University of Barcelona, recently received the prestigious „Don Rosen“ award for the best poster at the XXXVII Annual Meeting of the Willi Hennig Society. The event took place from September 17th to 20th in Barcelona, where researchers and scientists from around the world gathered to discuss and present their latest findings in the field of evolutionary biology.
The award-winning poster, titled „Knocking on the trap-door: Unraveling the species boundaries and evolutionary history of western Mediterranean ctenizid trap-door spiders,“ was a collaborative effort led by Professor Miquel A. Arnedo from the Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology, and Environmental Sciences at the Faculty of Biology and the Biodiversity Research Institute of the University of Barcelona (IRBio). The research also involved contributions from David Combosch (University of Guam), Vanina Tonzo (Doñana Biological Station), and Gonzalo Giribet (Harvard University).
The study focused on the genus of spiders known as Cteniza, which are characterized by their low dispersal ability and distinct population structure. These spiders create burrows in which they live and protect with a trapdoor, and are found in the western Mediterranean region, specifically on the islands of Corsica, Sardinia, and possibly Sicily, as well as in the Maritime Alps and Calabria. While there are currently four recognized species within this genus, their taxonomy is challenging due to their morphological uniformity, making identification difficult.
To address this taxonomic challenge, the researchers combined DNA sequences from nuclear and mitochondrial genes with genomic markers known as RAD-seq to determine the species diversity within the genus and reconstruct its evolutionary history. The results of the study revealed the presence of additional evolutionary lineages beyond those previously recognized, shedding light on the importance of tectonic movements in the western Mediterranean basin for the diversification of this spider group.
Overall, Alba Enguídanos García’s award-winning research not only contributes to our understanding of the evolutionary history and species boundaries of western Mediterranean ctenizid trap-door spiders but also highlights the significance of interdisciplinary collaboration in advancing scientific knowledge in the field of evolutionary biology. The recognition of her work with the „Don Rosen“ award underscores the importance of continued research and exploration in uncovering the complexities of biodiversity and evolution in our natural world.