Australasian Arachnology No. 55 Page 1

THE AUSTRALASIAN ARTICLES ARACHNOLOGICAL SOCIE"TY The newsletter can only thrive with your contributions ! We encourage articles on a We aim to promote interest in the ecology, range of topics including current research behaviour and of of activities, student projects, upcoming the Australasian region. events or notable behavioural observations.

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Membership is open to amateurs, students i) email attachments, in text, or preferably and professionals, and is managed by our MS Word, format to : Administrator : [email protected] Richard J. Faulder Agricultural Institute ii) typed or legibly written articles on one Yanco, New South Wales 2703. Australia. side of A4 paper. or on disk (which will be returned only upon request), to : or email : [email protected] Dr Tracey Churchill Membership fees (in Australian dollars): CSIRO Wildlife & Ecology PMB 44 Winnellie N.T. 0822. Australian individual: $3 Australia. Australian institutions: $4 Other Australasian individuals: $4 Other Australasian institutions: $6 LIBRARY Non-Australasian individuals: $5 The AAS has a large number of reference (Airmail $10) books, scientific journals and scientific Non-Australasian institutions: $8 papers available for loan or as photocopies, for those members who do Cheques payable in Australian dollars to : not have access to a scientific library. "The Australasian Arachnological Society". Professional members are encouraged to More than 4 issues can be paid for in send in their arachnological reprints. advance. Receipts issued only if requested. Contact our librarian :

The Status box on the enveloppe indicates Jean-Claude Herremans the last issue which you have paid for. P.O. Box291 Manly, New South Wales 2095. Australia. Previous issues of the newsletter are or email : [email protected] available at $1 per issue. Australasian Arachnology No. 55 Page 2

EDITORIAL ~ graduate section in the newsletter to With the new millenium approaching we accommodate project outlines and are gearing up up for all sorts of changes. completed abstracts from recent theses ! ! And a change of editor was obviously on With more "hubs of activity" I look forward Mark Harvey's mind at the last to regular contributions from nominated international meeting ! It was in retrospect representatives (offers now open !) to a clever ploy to exploit the dominant aura develop a bigger and better of arachnophilia and to challenge me arachnological web ! ! directly with wistful eyes ! ! Mark has 7~ managed the newsletter since 1990 whilst ...... juggling an ever growing number of work responsibilities and family additions (two wonderful daughters !). On behalf of us all I'd like to thank Mark for his great MEMBERSHIP efforts in producing issues 37-54. Our loss CHANGES will merely be our gain though, as Mark can now re-direct the extra time to producing even more high quality New Members taxonomic revisions ! We welcome two new members : Both Mark Harvey and Robert Raven have been busy increasing our Australasian Kelli-Jo Lamb profile on the international arachnological scene. Mark was significantly involved in WMC Olympic Dam drafting a new constitution tor our PO Box 150 international society whilst Robert was Roxby Downs SA 5725 elected the new president congratulations Rob ! Among Rob's new fax (08) 86710506 responsibilities is the promotion of the email: [email protected] revamped society which is now called the I.A.S. · International Arachnological Helen Smith Society instead of C.I.D.A. : Centre International de Documentation P.O. Box A2114 Arachnologique. Sydney South N.S.W. 1235 Back on the home front, the scene is also changing. We currently have 112 Change of email address members and there is an increasing number of post-graduate students taking David Hirst up exc1tmg opportunities to study South Australian Museum arachnids. I've included a new post- [email protected] Australasian Arachnology No. 55 Page 3

BOOK REVIEW The Australian Water Mites is the fourth in lilJ:\ a series of monographs on invertebrate taxonomy published by the CSIRO. If 'The Australian Water Mites: A Guide to anyone might hold doubts about the Families and Genera.' taxonomic importance of water mites, by Mark S. Harvey. these should be dispelled by this book's CSIRO Publishing, Collingwood, Victoria. introduction. Harvey reveals that with 150 pp. $120.00. their current richness of 413 named species, Australian water mites approach Reviewer: Dr Heather C. Proctor the diversity of this continent's Australian School of Environmental Trichoptera, or caddis-flies (489 species) Studies, Griffith University, and aquatic beetles (approximately 500 Nathan, Qld 4111, Australia spec1es), and easily outnumber the Plecoptera, or stoneflies (179 species) and Ephemeroptera, or mayflies (81 Water mites (Hydracarina) are to the rest species). of the Acari as butterflies are to the rest of the insects; flashy, beautiful, and the Harvey then describes how to collect and object of passion to collectors. Because prepare . water mites for easy of their bright colours and relatively large 1dent1ficat1on. In the subsequent section, s1ze (for mites), hydracarines are among Harvey places the Hydracarina among the best known groups of mites in the terrestnal members of its cohort the world. However, unlike in the United Parasitengona. He disc~sses Kingdom, Sweden, Germany, the U.S. morphological characters that unite the and Canada, there has been no Hydracarina and separate this group from comprehensive guide to the identification the rest of the parasitengones. Each of of genera of water mites in Australia. the nine superfamilies of water mites is David Cook's Water Mites from Australia characterised in a similar manner. Harvey (1986) contains descriptions of an boldly proposes a cladogram of impressive number of species but doesn't relationships among water mite provide a key to families or genera. As superfamilies, providing a phylogenetic well, it is out of date with regard to the hypothesis that other hydrachnologists will current diversity of these mites in be eager to test. Australia. The person who can take most responsibility for increasing the known Harvey then discusses the biogeography number of Australian taxa is Mark Harvey, of the Hydracarina. Water mites clearly who has descnbed more than 40 species had a Pa~gaean or pre-Pangaean origin, and 9 genera over the past decade. In but conllnued to diversify after the this elegant black volume, Harvey separation of the continents. Gondwanan provides illustrated keys to all of associations are particularly striking, with Australia's 22 families and 89 genera of many Australian taxa also occurring in water mites. South America and New Zealand, and Australasian Arachnology No. 55 Page4 others being shared with India and Africa. taxonomic impediment to identification of aquatic mites. The rather hefty price may After a brief discussion of general biology put off some potential purchasers; (with a minor editing error or two : eg. however, I feel it is an investment well p.31) Harvey begins the section on worth the expense, and recommend this identification and taxonomy of Australian well-packaged and informative book to all water mites. An illustrated key to the 22 hydrachnologists and limnologists. families is followed by a generic key for each family. As well as being illustrated in Reference: plentiful line drawings, a wide selection of Cook, D.R. 1986. Water mites from taxa are represented in colour plates. Australia. Mem. Amer. Ent. lnst. 40:1-568. Although many of the pictures are too blurry to be useful for identification, they do give an idea of the diversity of colour CONFERENCE and form displayed by these aquatic u. mites. The keys themselves are simple, ll'lillll REVIEW dichotomous, and well-illustrated. Anyone familiar with keying out should have little trouble using this book. XIVth International Congress of Arachnology The taxonomic placement and synonymy of each of the 89 genera found in Australia are thoroughly discussed. This Chicago U.S.A. : 27 June - 3 July 1998 is admirable scholarship and clearly reveals Mark Harvey as one of the Reviewer: Dr Tracey Churchill world's experts in water mite systematics. CSIRO Wildlife and Ecology, Darwin The book closes with an excellent & Tropical Savannas CRC. feature, a checklist of the Australian species of water mites together with their This was the first time an international distributions by state and in other congress of arachnology had been held in countries. I've already noted a number of the U.S.A. Since its inception as a taxa whose northern limits could be meeting of European arachnologists in extended from New South Wales and Germany in 1960, only two other venues Victoria into Queensland. had been outside Europe : Panama (1983), and Brisbane (1992). Dr Otto Because of the thoroughness of Harvey's Kraus, who had hosted the 2nd meeting in reviews of generic and supragenaric taxa, Germany, in 1961, presented a great any hydrachnologist will find something of summary of the evolution of the value in this book regardless of where international meetings, and of CIDA they are based. All freshwater ecology (Centre International de Documentation laboratories in Australia should have a Arachnologique : see below). As with copy, as its publication removes the other papers from the meeting, it will hopefully be published in the congress Australasian Arachnology No. 55 Page 5 proceedings as a special issue of the papers looked at a range of aspects of Journal of Arachnology. This journal is a biological control using including publication of the American guild structure, ballooning physics, Arachnological Society, which held their predation and prey choice, decomposition 22nd annual meeting in conjunction with food webs, pesticide effects, and this international meeting making it very architectural modifications. It was a well attended with 315 delegates. stimulating session with enough to interest even the non-agricultural workers. A European influence was maintained That evening was then spent by many with the organiser, Dr Petra Swierald, (of enjoying an architecture cruise on the German origin) showing off her excellent Chicago River looking ever upwards at organisational skills and attention to the amazing diversity of building designs detail. The week long program was full of which were built after Chicago burnt down activities and informal social events to in 1871 and now give it a unique keep the delegates completely character. entertained. The venue was great : the Field Museum, in Chicago, Illinois, on the The next morning, in the same freezing shores of the huge Lake Michigan with its lecture theatre, Jon Coddington and Greek style pillars that provided a Gustav Hormiga ran a session on convenient backdrop for the group photo. phylogeny where they, among other well Petra even arranged for tourist shuttle known arachnologists, like Norman buses to transport delegates between the Platnick, Charles Griswold, and Ray Museum and the two accomodation Forster, had work presented on a range of options, the Blackstone Hotel or the groups such as the Lamponidae, Institute of Technology. Those staying at haplogynes, entelegynes, Theraphosinae, the Blackstone also had the option of araneoids, ctenids, thomisids and walking 15 minutes through the park to mygalomorphs. After lunch the challenge the Museum, which was great for for the week really began : which of two countering the sitting blues so typical of and sometimes three concurrent sessions conferences. And if blues was your thing, to go to. It was generally divided between the 15th Chicago Blues Festival was taxonomy, behaviour and ecology so for happening nearby and great for a detour, those of us with overlapping interests an expensive snack or to hear music like there were quite a few doors to not so the ol' Doobie Bros ! The festival provided quietly slip-in an out of. I felt especially lots of people and police on the streets to challenged with the extra honour of help dissipate any mugaphobia. The marking student ecology papers which weather was great- quite warm most days meant I had to be careful not to get and only a little bit of rain. waylaid in conversation after coffee breaks, which was easy to do (I The program started off with an Agro­ emphasise coffee as there was no tea at ecosystem Symposium introduced by Matt all, and lots of sweet soft drink : a bit too Greenstone and Keith Sunderland. The American for many of us). That evening Australasian Arachnology No. 55 Page6 there was the Vince Roth Memorial Valerie Davies : A new from Auction, Fund to honour Vince Roth who North Queensland, Australia (Araneae sadly died last year after making a very Amaurobioidea: Kababininae). significant contribution to American S. Ferrier, Michael Gray & G. Cassis arachnology over many years. His lovely Spatial patterns of species turnover in wife and their very young twin sons were ground dwelling spiders and insects in there to enjoy the fun of auctioning off a eastern Australia implications for great selection of paraphenalia. selection of forest conservation reserves. One was a teapot owned by Bristowe that Grace Hall : Golden orbweb spider in went for around $200. I picked up an old New Zealand. copy of Spider Wonders of Australia by Mark Harvey (Plenary lecture) : The K.C. McKeown for a few dollars. neglected cousins : what do we know about the 'minor' arachnid orders ? Midweek there were three field trip •Duane Harland : Perception of the choices and I ended up going to Swallow orientation of dangerous prey by Portia, Cliff Woods where there were forest walks tropical araneophagic jumping spiders. and restored prairie fields. The weather Barbara York Main : Notes on the was fine and it was just great to be around biogeography and natural history of the so many spider enthusiasts and be given orb-weaving spider Carepalxis (Araneae : insights by those that know the fauna so Araneidae) including a gumnut mimic well. I was particularly honoured to chat from southwestern Australia. with Dr Herb Levi. By the end of the full Robert Raven : Revision of the Australian week we were all somewhat exhausted, genera of the Miturgidae with a preview of especially those of us that took the perfect their relationships. opportunity to see real blues bands in Simon Pollard & Robert Jackson : Palp action in the evening ! Nevertheless, it friction : sexual selection and foraging was definately worthwhile and I look costs. forward to going to the next (XVth) Cor Vink : Past, present future : the international congress in Pretoria, South taxonomy and systematics of the New Africa in 2001. Next issue will hopefully Zealand Lycosidae (wolf spiders). include some happy snaps ! •Eric Volschenk & Mark Harvey Preliminary systematic studies of Lychas­ Papers or •posters presented by like scorpoins (Scorpiones : Buthidae) in Australasian delegates : Australia. • Julianne Waldeck : Lycidas chrysomelas •Mike Bowie & Cor Vink : Comparison of (Simon) (Araneae: Salticidae) is alive and the spider fauna in two field-boundary well and living in the semi-arid regions of types in Canterbury, New Zealand. Australia. Tracey Churchill : Differential selection of Michelle Ward Conserving New habitat patches by an Australian tropical Zealand's endemic spider Latrodectus lycosid. katipo. Australasian Arachnology No. 55 Page7

POSTGRADUATE -11~1 PROJECTS - Studies on the orb-weaver Poltys

Helen Smith recently began a PhD Cattle grazing impacts on mound project on the taxonomy of this group. spring spider communities (Arachnida: Araneae) Institution : The University of Sydney Arachnological Support : Dr Michael Gray Kelli Jo 1.4mb submitted her Honours Australian Museum thesis last year : congratulations Kelli ! Poltys have an unique eye arrangement Institution : School of Biological Sciences amongst araneid spiders. Instead of the Flinders University of South Australia usual two pairs in the centre of the head Supervisor : Duncan Mackay and the laterals close together each side, Arachnological Support : David Hirst, Po/tys have well separated lateral eyes so South Australian Museum) that three pairs of eyes are forward on a prominent tubercle and the others are far Abstract : Cattle utilisation of mound back on the carapace. At rest the spring water causes vegetation and forelegs are drawn around the head substrate destruction through trampling leaving the eye tubercle sticking out th~ and herbivory. Spiders are highly front. Females exhibit an oddly shaped abundant in mound springs and therefore abdomen which camouflages the spider are ideal for assessing grazing impacts. at rest during the day. Males are small Descriptive surveying was conducted with a less extreme abdomen shape. comparing spiders in springs with varying grazing histories. A grazing experiment Female specimens I have examined so was carried out simulating the impact of far fall into three distinct groups. Firstly, grazing using treatments of mowing and lhe classic 'P. illepidus' type as illustrated trampling. Spiders were sampled using by Davies (1988), are relatively large pttfall traps and a vacuum device. spiders with broad often rather irregular Spiders were found to be in highest abdomens. These are found in tropical abundance in lightly grazed springs. regions of Queensland, Northern Territory Spiders were correlated with Cypress and New Guinea and several of the /aevigatus density, which is also impacted described species are in this group. The by grazing. Other factors also appear to only I have seen alive was be impacting spiders. Vegetation dwelling apparently associated with a bush which families such as Araneidae and had buds which the abdomen shape Thomisidae decreased in abundance resembled. All New South Wales as a result of vegetation destruction. specimens have been of a second type. These are usually associated with dead twigs and have rather thinner, often tall Australasian Arachnology No. 55 Page 8 abdomens which presumably look like distinctive, very fine weave so it looks like broken twig stumps when at rest. Some a gramophone record. The spider sits described species apparently fall into this head down in the centre of this, on the group. Finally a third type found in only underside of the slight slope. one Queensland specimen and a handful from the Northern Territory superficially Females show considerable variation in resemble the New South Wales ones. abdomen shape and it is very unclear at However they have some rather present where specific boundaries lie. interesting modifications (presumably Hopefully a combination of examination of against predation) when viewed under the males, which will require scanning microscope. I have many more female electron microscopy to look at palpal specimens to examine so I would expect structures, and DNA or electrophoresis more groups to turn up. work will elucidate the species and open the way for further studies. So far I have One problem I am facing is a lack of male not carried out many observations on the specimens, which are diagnostic for habits of these spiders, as my initial target araneids, and especially males associated is to collect specimens to make sure I with a female, so that the male/female have enough material for the taxonomic pairs can be matched. There are currently part of the project (if not then I will over 40 species of Po/tys described from probably switch to Dolophones, a rather Australia, South East Asia, India and different araneid which also hides on Africa. However, all original descriptions twigs during the day). In subsequent are only of females. Simon (1895) seasons I intend to set up study areas describes a male but his figure leaves where I can mark the locality of individual much to be desired and so only Davies and return to them on a nightly or (1988), has usefully figured a male palp. weekly basis to study aspects of their life history and individual variation. The reason for the lack of males is twofold. Firstly their size makes them If anyone would like more information or difficult to locate and secondly, like other can help with specimens or observations I araneids, adult males do not spin a web, can be contacted on 02 9320 6135 (but so about the only way of finding them is in please do not leave a message), email: the web of an adult female. I have had [email protected] or snail mail: PO Box some success in this. Sub-adult males do A2114, Sydney South NSW 1235. spin webs - a small version of the characteristic female web, so they can References : also be captured at this time and allowed Davies, V.T. 1988. An illustrated guide to to moult to maturity, but then it may not be the genera of orb-weaving spiders in certain which female they would be Australia. Mem. Old Mus. 25 (2): 273-332. associated with. Finding females is easiest at night when they spin a slightly Simon, E. 1895. Histoire Naturelle des angled (from vertical) orb web which has a Araignees. 1(4): 889. Australasian Arachnology No. 55 Page9

ARACHNOLOGICAL May 6-20 to check for potential problems -J identifying I Misgolas I ACTIVITIES ~ in Auckland and also to look for Latrodectus kalipo as part of a focus on the taxonomy of the genus. QUEENSLAND MUSEUM Australian Spider Catalogue. Dr Barbara Baehr, from the Zoologisches Ms Kristy Heath is providing wonderful Staatssumlung in Munich, Germany, volunteer help at the museum. In visited the Qld Museum during March. particular Kristy has helped complete Barbara is a taxonomic expert on the stage I (of Ill) of typesetting the catalogue, Zodariidae, Prodidomidae (Molycria) and which lists all described spider species. Hersiliidae and is working with Marek Substantial corrections have also been Zabka, of Poland, and soon transferring to made by Mark Harvey, Norm Platnick and Robert Jackson's lab in New Zealand for especially David Hirst. It should be printed a couple of years to work on the salticid by mid-May. People wishing to order it genus Holoplatys. With Robert Raven, may send a cheque or postal order for Barbara spent 10 days driving to $10 made out to the Queensland Museum Queensland's western border to look for Board of Trustees, c/- Arachnology, P.O. males of Fissarena (a flattened Box 3300, South Brisbane, Australia, Clubionoidea of unclear family status) and 4101. Overseas orders are very Asteron (Zodariidae). Despite heavy rain, expensive and the only way I can think is and double fiat lyres miles from nowhere, to send $10 US cash but the risk is yours. they made it to the desert to meet up with Dr Chris Dickman's students at Ethabuka. ABRS funded grants No male Fissarena were found but pitfall The first revision in the queue is the traps were very effective catching lots of Corinnidae (formerly included in the miturgids and zorids. Clubionidae; mimics of ants, etc) which once included about 10 species. The Ms Martha Yanez Rivera, from the current species count is 104. Most are University of Mexico (UNAM), is is being new species with lots of patronyms after jointly supervised for her PhD by Robert people who have made big contributions Raven. Martha is visiting the museum to the paper (Maureen Glover, Doug from 12 March - 4 May to produce some Wallace), to science (Dr Jean Just, papers on the morphology of ABRS Director), or society (St John Brachypelma, one of the highly prized Ambulance, The Right Rev. Archbishop and CITES listed pet tarantulas. Mr Hollingworth). After that will come the Graham Wishart, of Gerringong & revisions of the Ctenidae, Zoropsidae Misgolas fame, will return to work with (new family for Australia), Miturgidae, & Robert on the taxonomy on Misgolas, Zoridae. Eventually we'll also revise the Arbanitis and other tangled questions in Clubionidae, Pisauridae, Toxopidae & early June. Robert will be in New Zealand Cycloctenidae :so please be patient!! Australasian Arachnology No. 55 Page 10

WESTERN AUSTRALIA

If there was such a thing as a news flash projected in true American style - full of in the spider world it would have rung out quirky details and lots of action photos. in Western Australia in late October 1998 Not your average spider collecting trip ! Its still lurking on the Net if you can access it : beware the Americans are coming ! Intrepid arachnologists Drs Kefyn Gatley at: http://www.discovery.com/exp/ and Vladimir Ovtsharenko were on a spiders/reports/more.html mission for a month to collect spiders "down under". It was part of a larger project to revise spiders in the super­ family Gnaphosoidea, run by Dr. Norman ARACHNOLOGICAL Platnick of the American Museum of New York. Dr Mark Harvey and Julianne REQUESTS Waldeck, from the Western Australian Museum (as if youdidn't know !), kindly WANTED : Spider eggsacs organised the event and gave their collegues a guided arachnid tour. Kefyn As part of an honours research project and Vlad had been to Australia several under the supervision of Dr Andy Austin, times before so were at least familiar with Nick Stevens would like to receive any the local customs and lingo. live spider eggs so that he can rear out hymenopteran parasitoids. He is The main targets were new species (given conducting a taxonomic I biological study that estimates are that only 20% of Aussie of the wasp group Baeini which are spiders are described) and type localites obligate endoparasitoids of spider eggs. of original collections. One of the type localities of interest was the Montebello Please send any eggsacs to : Islands from which Hogg had described a species earlier this century. However, Mr Nick Stevens, since the British did an above ground Department of Crop Protection, nuclear test there in 1952 its best The University of Adelaide, avoided, and they aimed for nearby P.O. Box Glen Osmond, Barrow islands instead with success. Mark S.A. 5064 was less successful looking for bramstokeri - a new species Phone: (08) 8303-7278; (and genus) of schizomid that he Email: described recently from the caves of [email protected]. Barrow Island. Your help would be greatly appreciated ! The expedition was relayed regularly back to the U.S. where the Discovery Channel offered it "live" on the web. It was Australasian Arachnology No. 55 Page 11 r UPCOMING EVENTS

DAMPIER 300 : Biodiversity in Australia 1 the Shark Bay region, a World 1699-1999 and beyond. Heritage Site with a wealth of arid Organisers : Australian Systematic Botany coastal landforms and diverse j Society & Society of Australian geology, flora and fauna j Systematic Biologists & Invertebrate • analytical advances and interactive Biodiversity and Conservation. keys When: 6- 10 December, 1999. l • plant systematics, especially Where : Alexander Library Theatre, overviews of major groups including Perth Cultural Centre, Francis Street cryptogams Perth, Western Australia. • arid zone biodiversity Why : The final biodiversity conference of • invertebrate diversity: subterranean the 1900s will be held in Perth, Western biota, sampling and monitoring Australia, from 6 to 10 December 1999. It protocols, conservation will commemorate the 30oth anniversary of William Dampier's second visit to 'New • co-evolution Holland', when he made the first authenticated collections of plant • research priorities and funding specimens from the continent. The major There will be two pre-conference theme of the conference will be 300 years excursions, and an afternoon cruise up of Australian biodiversity-what have we the Swan River, including a visit to a learned, and where do we go in the 21st winery in the State's original wine­ Century? producing district, the Swan Valley.

Expressions of interest are called for For further infonnation and for a presenting papers and posters. Abstracts registration brochure, please contact will be required by 30 September 1999. Bearing in mind the major historical and Mark Harvey, Western Australian Museum, ph: (08) 9427 2737 fax: (08) scientific themes as set out above, principal areas of interest will be : 94272882; [email protected]

Or visit our website at: http://www.museum.wa.gov.au/Dampier30 O/Dampier300.htm