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SANSA NEWS South African National Survey of Arachnida SANSA NEWS South African National Survey of Arachnida No. 22 OCT-DEC 2014 CONGRATULATIONS Leon Lotz (left) was awarded his Inside this issue: PhD degree in entomology at the December 2014 graduation cere- Congratulations……….…...……....1 mony at the University of the Free New appointment………...…. …....1 State in Bloemfontein. Charles SANSA HIGHLIGHTS 2014 ……..2 Haddad (right) was his study Congresses ………………..…….. .2 promoter, and Ansie Dippenaar- Spider open day……...…………....2 Schoeman his co-promoter. His Courses/workshop………..…….....3 research formed part of a project Field trips………………………...4-5 spanning nearly two decades that Books/poster…………………….....5 continued work done during his Factsheets………..………………...6 MSc study. Virtual Museum…………………….6 Other research activities…………..7 His thesis, titled THE New taxa………………………….8-9 AFROTROPICAL SPECIES OF Did you know……………………...10 THE SAC SPIDER GENERA Publications………………………..11 CHEIRACANTHIUM AND CHEIRAMIONA (ARANEAE: EUTICHURIDAE), makes an important contribution to a better understanding of the biodiversity of Eutichuridae sac spiders in the Afrotropical Region. Sac spiders are a significant group from a Editors and coordinators: medical and agricultural perspec- Ansie Dippenaar-Schoeman tive, and through his work, Leon provides the taxonomic basis to ARC-Plant Protection Research Institute facilitate the accurate identifica- Private Bag X134 tion of these spiders. His work Leon Lotz and Charles Haddad Queenswood includes the redescription of 19 0121 species and descriptions of 40 South Africa new species of Cheiracanthium, E-mail: [email protected] and the redescription of eight scriptive papers that have already been published since 1999, species and description of 41 new several additional papers have been submitted for publication Charles Haddad species of Cheiramiona. Apart recently, dealing with both genera. Department of Zoology & Entomology from several revisionary and de- University of the Free State P.O. Box 339 Bloemfontein 9300 NEW APPOINTMENT AT THE NATIONAL MUSEUM South Africa E-mail: [email protected] Jan-Andries Neethling submitted his MSc thesis at the end of January 2015, titled REVI- SION OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN GE- OGARYPIDAE (ARACHNIDA: PSEUDO- SCORPIONES). He has subsequently taken SA SPIDER up a position as a Researcher in the Depart- ment of Arachnology at the National Museum COUNT in Bloemfontein, where he will continue taxo- nomic work on South African pseudoscorpi- JANUARY 2015 ons. 2171spider spp. SANSA NEWS 22 SANSA HIGHLIGHTS FOR 2014 1. CONGRESSES ATTENDED Symposium of Contemporary Conservation Practices in Howick 11th AFRAS Colloquium The Spider Unit of the ARC was invited to attend a Symposium of A SANSA session was held at the 11th Colloquium of the African Arach- Contemporary Conservation Practices held at Howick in KZN from nological Society in the Free State in January 2014. Ten papers and 3-7 November. A special session on invertebrate conservation was posters on the activities of SANSA were presented. organised at the symposium, and some of the delegates were sponsored by the JRS Biodiversity Foundation. A talk on SANSA and the way forward was presented to attendees. 5th Annual Diamond Route Research Conference in Johannesburg The SANSA team consist- ing of Robin Lyle and Ansie Dippenaar-Schoeman at- tended the conference and presented two posters on the surveys in Ezemvelo Nature Reserve and other surveys in Gauteng. 2. SANSA OPEN DAY IN IRENE A Spider Open Day was held on 1 November 2014 in the Irene Village Hall, Gauteng. The aim of the day was to generate interest in the Spiders in Cities Monitoring project. It was well attended, and the following activi- ties and demonstrations took place. How to photograph spiders, by top macro-photographer Peter Webb. How to participate in the SANSA project and surveys. How to submit images to the SANSA Virtual Museum. Books and posters were for sale, and factsheets and newsletters on spiders were distributed by the Spider Unit of the ARC-PPRI. Display of posters on research activities presently undertaken by the Jonathan Leeming from Venom- SANSA teams. Works telling the people about scorpions and the various cours- For the children, a drawing competition with some grand prizes. es he presents to the public. Tea and coffee were served, and the funds will go towards spider research. Talks on spiders were presented by Ansie Dippenaar-Schoeman and Peter Webb on the “Wonder world of spiders” and the “Spiders presently known from Irene”. The first poster on the spiders of Irene was on display. Sma Mathebula and a visitor with some of the SANSA books and The Spider Club of Southern Africa, lead by Astri Leroy and Joan Faiola, posters that were for sale. told the public more about the club’s activities. Jonathan Leeming, from VenomWorks, informed the public about his courses on scorpions and venomous arachnids. Robin Lyle and Sma Mathebula represented the Spider Unit of the ARC. 2 SANSA NEWS 22 SANSA HIGHLIGHTS CONTINUED 3. COURSES AND WORKSHOPS PRESENTED Sorting workshops in Pretoria Para-ecologist workshop in Grahamstown Members of the Spider Club of Southern Africa once again joined the Arachnid Unit of Biosystematics to sort and identify specimens during An “Introduction to Spiders and other Arachnids” workshop was pre- July and August. The workshops were held over a day, and the pur- sented by Robin Lyle to six para-ecologists of the South African Na- pose was twofold. The first was to sort and identify specimens from tional Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) as part of their Threatened Spe- Klipriviersberg Nature Reserve in Johannesburg, and the second was cies Programme (TSP). to work through the backlog of unsorted material from the Iimbovane Project. Spider bite course in Cape Town Spider course for SANBI interns in Pretoria A three day spider identification course was presented at Biosystemat- Drs Gerbus Műller (right) and Ansie Dippenaar-Schoeman (left) were ics on spiders to five interns of the South African Biodiversity Institute asked to present a course on Spiders and Spider Bites at Stellen- (SANBI), and to two of the technical personnel at ARC. These interns bosch University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences Poison are actively part of the National Species List and Encyclopedia of Life Information Centre on 28 October 2014. They are pictured here with projects with SANBI. Norman Larsen (back), amateur arachnologist and photographer from Cape Town. VENOM POISON INFORMATION CENTRE For any questions concerning spider bites and scorpion stings and the treatment of the wounds please contact the Tygerberg Poison Information Centre: Tel: 021 931 6129 E-mail: [email protected] 3 SANSA NEWS 22 SANSA HIGHLIGHTS CONTINUED 4. FIELD TRIPS UNDERTAKEN Ezemvelo Nature Reserve, Gauteng Aardvark Nature Reserve Biodiversity Conser- vation Area, Western Cape As part of the SANSA Grassland Project, a bio-blitz survey was undertaken in April 2014 at the Ezemvelo Nature Reserve The Arachnid Unit was invited to sample spiders at the Aard- (ENR), one of the Diamond Route Reserves near Bronk- vark Nature Reserve Biodiversity Conversation Area near Riv- horstspruit. ersdale, Western Cape Province in February 2014. Rudy Jocqué and his wife Elizabeth accompanied them. Tswaing Crater Nature Reserve, Gauteng Groenkloof Nature Reserve, Gauteng A SANSA team consisting of Ansie Dippenaar-Schoeman, Peter Webb, and Vida van der Walt visited the Tswaing Crater The SANSA team are conducting a survey at the Groenkloof Nature Reserve (TCNR) in April 2014 to sample spiders. Nature Reserve as part of the Grassland Project. Roodeplaat Dam Nature Reserve, Gauteng Irene grassland, Gauteng A SANSA team consisting of Ansie Dippenaar-Schoeman, A survey in and around Irene, a village in Centurion, Gauteng, Peter Webb, and Vida van der Walt visited the Roodeplaat is presently underway as part of SANSA. It is being conducted Dam Nature Reserve in May 2014 to sample spiders. by Peter Webb and Ansie Dippenaar-Schoeman. 4 SANSA NEWS 22 SANSA HIGHLIGHTS CONTINUED Bio-blitz on the farm Zandrivier, Limpopo Collecting around Cape Town A bio-blitz was undertaken on the farm Zandriver in Lephahlale. Peter Webb went along to sample arachnids. All collected speci- mens were identified by Ansie Dippenaar-Schoeman, and the mate- rial is deposited in the NCA. A SANSA team consisting of Ansie Dippenaar-Schoeman, Peter Webb, and Vida van der Walt visited Cape Town and sampled 11 sites around Cape Town during October 2014. 5. NEW BOOKS AND POSTER Field guide to the Spiders of South Africa Spiders of the Grassland Biome ISBN: 978-0-7993-6018-9 ISBN: 13-978-1-86849-429-3 AUTHOR: Ansie Dippenaar-Schoeman AUTHORS: Ansie Dippenaar-Schoeman and Charles Haddad Plant Protection Research Institute Hand- A1 full-colour laminated wall posters available book No.19, Agricultural Research Council, Pretoria; 2014: 120 pp. An illustrated guide to the spiders of South Africa, which can be used to identify the various families, is available on request from MANUAL TO IDENTIFY THE COMMON SPIDER FAMILIES OF SOUTH AFRICA the Spider Unit at the ARC. Contact Robin Lyle at [email protected]. Compiled by Ansie Dippenaar-Schoeman and Robin Lyle ARC-Plant Protection Research Institute 2014 Highlights 2014 compiled by Ansie Dippenaar-Schoeman at [email protected] 5 SANSA NEWS 22 6. NEW FACTSHEETS Owing to the high number of queries received about spiders, the Spider Unit has decided to produce a factsheet series on those most frequently enquired about. Seven factsheets are available for download from the ARC website (http://www.arc.agric.za/arc-ppri/Pages/ Biosystematics/SANSA.aspx). The following factsheets are now available on the SANSA website. Black-legged golden orb-web spiders Red-legged golden orb-web spiders Banded legged golden orb-web spiders Rain spiders Common black button spiders Brown button spiders Violin spiders House sac spiders Contact: Robin Lyle at [email protected] 7. VIRTUAL MUSEUM We have experienced many problems in the display of the VIRTUAL MUSEUM due to the upgrading of websites and the databases at the ARC.
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