Mass media plays an important role in the construction and circulation of risk perception associated with animals. Widely feared groups such as spiders frequently end up in the spotlight of traditional and social media. We compiled an expert-curated global database on the online newspaper coverage of human-spider encounters over the past ten years (2010–2020). This database includes information about the location of each human-spider encounter reported in the news article and a quantitative characterisation of the content—location, presence of photographs of spiders and bites, number and type of errors, consultation of experts, and a subjective assessment of sensationalism. In total, we collected 5348 unique news articles from 81 countries in 40 languages. The database refers to 211 identified and unidentified spider species and 2644 unique human-spider encounters (1121 bites and 147 as deadly bites). To facilitate data reuse, we explain the main caveats that need to be made when analysing this database and discuss research ideas and questions that can be explored with it.

The type materials of seven Indian Rhene species available at the Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata, have been studied. R. mus (Simon, 1889) is illustrated for the first time in 132 years since its first description. Eleven new synonyms and five new combinations are proposed: Zeuxippus Thorell, 1891 syn. n. with Rhene Thorell, 1869; R. biembolusa Song & Chai, 1991 syn. n. with R. flavicomans Simon, 1902; R. haldanei Gajbe, 2004 syn. n. with Bianor angulosus (Karsch, 1879); R. decorata Tikader, 1977 syn. n. and R. pantharae Biswas & Biswas, 1992 syn. n. with R. pallida (Thorell, 1895) comb. n.; R. citri (Sadana, 1991) syn. n., R. danieli Tikader, 1973 syn. n., R. indica Tikader, 1973 syn. n., R. khandalaensis Tikader, 1977 syn. n. and R. sanghrakshiti Gajbe, 2004 syn. n., with R. flavigera (C.L. Koch, 1846); Rhenefictus tropicus Logunov, 2021 syn. n. with Rhenefictus wandae (Wang & Li, 2021) comb. n. (ex. Rhene), Rhene atellana (Thorell, 1895) comb. n., Rhene histrio (Thorell, 1891) comb. n., Rhene pallida (Thorell, 1895) comb. n., and Rhene yunnanensis (Peng & Xie, 1995) comb. n. (all ex. Zeuxippus). Detailed digital illustrations and distributional maps are also provided.

Hyllus semicupreus (Simon, 1885) is called as heavy jumper spider. Observations of this species as non-sexual cannibalism phenomenon on Nerium oleander plants. H. semicupreus species sample was analysed by DNA barcoding for confirmation. The result was analysed with the other Hyllus species followed by NCBI.