First record of Theridula aelleni (Araneae: Theridiidae) in Crete, Greece

Summary Theridula aelleni (Hubert, 1970) (Araneae: Theridiidae) is a Mediterranean species with a limited known distribution, so far reported only in Tunisia, Madeira, and Spain. Here, we present the first record of T. aelleni in Greece. Two adult males were collected in an olive grove in the area of Asterousia in the Messara valley of Heraklion, Crete during pitfall trapping in 2022 and 2025. Identification was confirmed through comparison with diagnostic characters provided in the original description and subsequent taxonomic treatments. This finding significantly extends the known geographical range of the species eastwards within the Mediterranean basin and contributes to expanding our knowledge regarding the spider fauna of Greece.