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Spiders collected during field trips and by spontaneous hand collection throughout Georgia between the years 2006 and 2023 were determined to species and partially assisted by genetic barcoding of the COI gene. Among the resulting 297 species, 100 species, 25 genera, and 1 family were recorded from Georgia for the first time, of which 18 species and 5 genera were recorded for the first time from the entire Caucasus. Of the 283 barcoded specimens representing 150 species, 26 were barcoded for the first time. 140 diagnostic drawings of 76 preserved specimens, along with photos of 15 preserved (Supplementary File) and one alive species, are provided. Baryphyma proclive (Simon, 1884), Pritha pallida (Kulczyński, 1897), and Zelotes khostensis Kovblyuk & Ponomarev, 2008 are indicated as the species with an Italo-Caucasian disjunctive distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The complex interplay between genetics, culture, and environment forms an individual's biology, influencing their behavior, choices, and health. However, to what extent information derived from this intertwined network could be quantitatively summarized to provide a glance at an individual's lifestyle is difficult to say. Here, we focused on dietary preferences as cultural proxies and genome-wide data of 543 individuals from six historical Silk Road countries: Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Tajikistan. These lands favored the dispersal of innovations, foods, and DNA halfway across Eurasia, thus representing an ideal subject to explore interactions of cultural factors and genetic ancestry. We used discriminant analysis of principal components to infer cultural clusters, where mixed memberships are allowed. Five different clusters emerged. Of these, clusters 1 and 3, driven by aversion to pork and alcoholic beverages, mirrored genetic admixture patterns with the exception of Azerbaijan, which shares preferences supported by Islamic culture with Eastern countries. Cluster 3 was driven by protein-rich foods, whose preference was significantly related to steppe pastoralist ancestry. Sex and age were secondary clustering factors, with clusters formed by male and young individuals being related to alcohol preference and a reduced liking for vegetables. The soft clustering approach enabled us to model and summarize the individual's dietary information in short and informative vectors, which show meaningful interaction with other nondietary attributes of the studied individuals. Encoding other cultural variables would help summarize an individual's culture quantitatively, thus ultimately supporting its inclusion as a covariate in future association studies.

India-Georgian relations might have been established with the operation of the Silk Route trade from Europe - via Caspian to Central Asia and then onwards to India. The early sources reflecting upon India-Georgian connections are Georgian chronicles, which establish Iranian campaigns to India in which Georgian soldiers formed an auxiliary unit. The chroniclers seem to have drawn from oral narratives and passing references with regard to Indian treasures as trophies of war and some legends. The Iranian military campaigns are substantiated by the Greek and Arab sources, besides 12th Century Georgian historian of Queen Zamar, who testifies to this campaign and booty acquired there from. In the following centuries the evidence of interaction are drawn from Georgian philology, in poetry and translations. From 15th Century onwards there are plenty of travelogues by travelers, traders and adventures, where facts about India are mixed with legends and mysteries. However, the intensive trade and cultural relations were established in 18th - 19th centuries advanced through ambassadorial missions by Erable the Zend. The merchant accounts of Khurtsidze, Stephen Zubalashvili, Catholic priest Anton Khulsishvili and diplomate Rafiel Danibegashivili testify to the activities of Georgian interests and involvement with India. The relations during Soviet rule were governed by Moscow, which are marked by mutual visits and bi-lateral trade agreements after independence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]