Arachnological Society

The Newsletter No. 86 November 1999

ARACHNOLOGICAL HISTORY

European Arachnology

by Otto Kraus

European arachnology (I could also say British arachnology) is at least some 80 years older than Clerck's work on the Aranei Suecici. I refer to Martin Lister and his work Historia Animalium Angliae Tres Tractatus, published in 1678. Lister was quite correctly called the first natu- ralist. He was also the first scientific arachnologist, with a much broader scope than designating and describing the diversity of species. But Clerck (1710-1765), a century later, was the first taxonomist. He accurately figured and described many European spiders. In his work, which was published in 1757 (one year earlier than the 10th Edition of Linne's Systema Naturae), he consistently applied the principles of binominal nomenclature. In 1959 (ICZN Direction 59) his Aranei Suecici was arbitrarily dated as having been published on 1st January 1758: thus priority was given to Clerck's names over simultaneous Linnean names. Clerck's illustrations signify that he was already aware of species-specific differences in the shape of spider genitalia. Figure 1. Carl Friedrich Roewer in 1958. Both index fingers Towards modern arachnology were permanently stiff from typing the almost endless pages of his 'Katalog' (see over) on a simple portable typewriter. In essence, Clerck's style for naming and describing species remained unchanged for decades. But, while the quality of the descriptions was constantly improving, illustrations of genitalic characters remained comparatively until another German arachnologist, Hermann Wiehle simple for the next fifty years. A general evolutionary (1884-1966), again consistently figured epigynes and trend towards modern arachnology during the course of vulval structures, starting in 1931 in his monograph of the last century is closely linked with the names of emi- the Central European Araneidae. From that time onwards, nent European workers in the field. To mention at least a his studies were directed towards an understanding of few of the leading authors of this period, one may refer the functioning of and co-adaptation between male and to Carl Ludwig Koch (1778-1857) in Germany and to female copulatory organs. However, those primarily John Blackwall (1790-1881) in England, also to Leon interested in faunistic work, in species discrimination, and Becker (1826-1909) in Belgium and Eugene Simon in the description of new and the revision of already known (1848-1924) in France. Whereas Simon's illustrations species, etc., do not seem to be very interested in ana- can almost be described as sketches (though remarkably tomical details of this kind—they are not considered to characteristic sketches), other authors published admira- be essential for taxonomic purposes. bly precise drawings of significant features, especially of the male and female genitalia. Examples are the Revd Regionally different approaches? Octavius Pickard-Cambridge (1828-1919) in England, There are, if at all, only slight regional differences in the Graf Eugen von Keyserling (1833-1889) in Germany, development of European arachnology. and Wladislaw Kulczyriski (1854-1919) in Poland. British arachnology was always, and fortunately still is, But there was one man who was far ahead of his time: characterised by a broad base of qualified amateurs. This Anton Menge (1808-1880) who lived in Konigsberg, is apparently linked with the publication of various major Germany. In his work on the Preussische Spinnen, which monographs on the British fauna. The series encompasses was started in 1866 and completed in 1879, he illus- Blackwall's History of the Spiders of Great Britain and trated not only male palps in their regular resting posi- Ireland (1861,1864), the two original volumes published tion but also figured expanded palps and, even more spec- by Locket & Millidge (1951, 1953) and, more recently, tacular, internal female genitalia! For decades, almost no Roberts's three volumes (1985,1987). But there was also other arachnologist followed this almost forgotten author, a tendency towards the production of major monographs Newsl. Br. arachnol. Soc. 86 13

A Scorpion-shaped Spoon a total length of 14 cm, of which 6.4 cm comprises the from Ampurias in Spain bowl. The spoon is made of bronze with a handle sculpted in the shape of a scorpion. Careful examination reveals by Wilson R. Lourenco* and that the scorpion which was used as a model was Buthus John L. Cloudsley-Thompson occitanus (Amoureux), most probably a female, and a typical representative of the local fauna in Spain. According to the ethnologists at the Montjuich Museum, Scorpions have influenced the imagination of human this spoon was almost certainly not used in any activity beings since earliest times. They have usually been regarded related to cooking or eating. It was probably intended for as the epitomy of evil, associated with sin and wicked- use in the preparation of cosmetics or something similar. ness, and as agents of the devil. At the same time, Scorpio Recently, W.R.L. relocated the object in the Museum is the autumnal sign of the Zodiac, the sign of the eighth (inventory number 5043). However, some Museum staff month, whose god among the Babylonians was Marduk. However, even before they were accorded a place in the members think that the spoon did not actually come from Ampurias and believe that nobody can really be sure about Zodiac, scorpions represented a religious symbol and were engraved on boundary stones, magical tablets and seals. either its original provenance or its age. Whatever these The ancient Egyptians believed that, after the murder by are, the object is a remarkable example of the use of a Set of her husband Osiris, Isis took refuge in the papyrus scorpion as a model for artistic expression. Figure 1 shows swamps of the Nile delta to protect her son Horus from the drawing of the spoon made over twenty years ago. his father's killer. In her flight, she was accompanied by Reference seven scorpions, because the crime had been committed Cloudsley-Thompson, J. L. (1990) Scorpions in mythology, folk- in the month of Athyr (Hathor), when the sun is in the lore, and history. 462-485. In Polls, G. (ed.). The Biology of sign of Scorpio (Cloudsley-Thompson, 1990). Scorpions. Stanford University Press, Stanford, California. In countries where scorpions are found, emblems of them were often carried about as protection from their * Laboratoire de Zoologie (Arthropodes), Museum National stings. It is not surprising, therefore, to find scorpions d'Histoire Naturelle, 61 rue de Buffon, 75005 PARIS, France E-mail [email protected] engraved on Hebrew Shiviti amulets. Possibly the scorpion- 0 10, Battishill Street, Islington, LONDON Nl 1TE shaped spoon found at Ampurias in Spain and described below may have had a dual function—both as a domestic utensil, and as a guard against scorpion stings. The site of Ampurias is located on the eastern coast of Spain, south of Barcelona. Its foundation is dated to the 6th century B.C., and the city was built by Greeks who Distribution of the Opilionid had come from Marsilia (today's Marseille). The city of Ampurias established good relations with Rome in about Polycoryphus asper Loman, 1902 220 B.C. and, for this reason, retained its autonomy when in Southern Africa the rest of the Iberian peninsula was occupied by the Romans. About twenty years ago, one of us (W.R.L.) had the by Leon N. Lotz opportunity of seeing, in the Montjuich Archaeological Museum in Barcelona (where most of the original pieces The opilionid Polycoryphus asper was described by found in Ampurias have been deposited), a spoon with Loman (1902) from a single female collected by Dr Brauns at 'Capland, Algoa Bay'. Unfortunately, this specimen seems to have been lost from the Zoologisches Museum, Hamburg, during World War II (Dr H. Dastych, pers. comm.); there has also been some uncertainty about its place of collection. Lawrence (1931) referred to the locality as Port Elizabeth, as Algoa Bay falls within the Port Elizabeth district of the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. On the other hand, Stare.ga (1992) consid- ered this a doubtful locality, referring to the type locality as 'Algoa-Bai', considering it a possible corruption of 'Angola'. Starega's (1992) suggestion was supported by two specimens (NMSA 14545), a male and a female, that had been collected by Dr W. Haacke at Beacon 35 on the border of Namibia and Angola. To complicate the ^ V situation further, Roewer (1923) mentioned one female and one juvenile from Cape Town, but these specimens also seem to have been lost, as Lawrence (1931) could not find these, or any other specimens, of this species from the Cape Peninsula in any collection. No other mention of this species could be found in the literature. During 1997, while collecting at Kogelbeen Cave in the Northern Cape Province, South Africa, a specimen (NMBA 13629) was collected by the author and identi- fied as Polycoryphus asper. To verify this identification the specimens from Namibia were examined and no notable difference could be found. This find seems to verify the type locality as Algoa Bay (Port Elizabeth), as Kogelbeen Cave is much closer to Algoa Bay (c. 600 km) Figure 1. Scorpion spoon. than it is to the Angolan border (c. 1,500 km). Furthermore, 14 Newsl. Br. arachnol. Soc. 86

as mentioned above, Loman (1902) refers to the type were noted, including six collected and identified by locality as Algoa Bay, Cape (not 'Algoa Bai'). This makes Harvey (1990). Thus, within two years of starting survey- Po/ycoryphus asper a widespread, though rare, species. ing spiders, 174 species had been recorded at Minsmere. Habitat data for the type specimen and for those men- The following two years (1996, 1997) added a further tioned by Roewer (1923) are unknown, but according to 67 species to the site list, bringing the total to 241. Dr Haacke (pers. comm.) the habitat where the Namibian This includes one RDB 3, one Na (Hypomma fulvum— specimens were found was open Mopane woodland on frequently collected amongst fen vegetation adjacent to white sand or under dead wood. The Kogelbeen Cave the reed bed and in other similar wet areas) and 15 Nbs specimen was collected on the upper edge of the cave (Micaria silesiaca, Zelotes petrensis, Philodromus entrance sink-hole, among rocks. collinus, P. fallax, Attulus saltator, Pardosa agrestis, Achaearanea simulans, Dipoena prona, Steatoda References albomaculata, Tetragnatha striata, Baryphyma Lawrence, R. F. (1931) The Harvest-spiders (Opiliones) of South maritimum and Lepthyphantes insignis, plus the two Africa. Ann. S. A/r. Mus. 29: 341-508. species already mentioned). In addition to these notable Loman, J. C. C. (1902) Neue aussereuropaische Opilioniden. Zoo/. Jhb. Abt. Syst. 16: 163-216. species, Atypus affinis was recorded on the heathland Roewer, C. F. (1923) Die Weberknechte der Erde. Systematische in May 1997 (Wilson, 1997). Bearbeitungder bisher bekannten Opiliones. G. Fischer, Jena. The extensive species list is partly a result of the two- Starega, W. (1992) An annotated check-list of Afrotropical year period (June 1996-February 1998) during which harvestmen, excluding the Phalangiidae (Opiliones). Ann. I worked for the RSPB at Minsmere. However, I am Natal Mus. 33:271-336. certain that this list is not exhaustive. There are several Entomology, National Museum, Postbox 266, BLOEMFONTEIN species that really ought to occur at Minsmere, including 9300, South Africa Amaurobius fenestralis, Oonops pulcher, Marpissa spp., Tetragnatha nigrita and several linyphiids; some of these have been recorded just outside the Reserve. It is also possible that rarer species such as Haplodrassus minor (RDB 3), Trichoncus affinis (RDB 2) and Sitticus inexpectus (Na) could be recorded from the shingle at Spiders of Minsmere RSPB Reserve, Suffolk Minsmere as they have been taken on Havergate Island RSPB Reserve in 1997 (Shardlow, 1998) which is only a by Richard Wilson few miles south of Minsmere. Interestingly, there is a tan- talising record back in 1993 of a Dolomedes sp., which Between April 1994 and February 1998, a comprehen- was observed but not collected. Despite keeping an eye sive study of the spiders was carried out on the Royal out for this species, it has yet to be recorded. Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) Reserve at Recent communications in the Spider Recording Minsmere on the Suffolk coast. Scheme Newsletter (e.g. Askins, 1997; Harvey, 1997; Minsmere comprises approximately 2,500 acres of Wright, 1997) have commented on the distribution of tremendously varied habitat (just about every type that Pardosa monticola and P. palustris. Both these species can be found in this part of the country is represented) were recorded at Minsmere, though only the latter with between Dunwich in the north and Sizewell Nuclear Power any frequency. During the summers of 1996 and 1997, Station to the south. The major habitat features are the pitfall traps were set in four arable fields on the Reserve extensive reed bed (the second largest in England), coastal which were bordered by heathland. P. palustris was fre- lagoons and sand dunes, semi-natural woodland and quently taken (often in numbers exceeding 25 individuals coniferous plantation, and the Sandlings (heathland typi- in one pitfall trap covering a week) in this habitat, whereas cal of the Suffolk coast). P. monticola was taken on only one occasion. However, Very little invertebrate recording had previously been P. monticola was also taken in a pitfall trap which was carried out on the Reserve, with the exception of located in very short acid grassland and two females were lepidopterans and dragonflies. The spiders had been com- captured in a pitfall trap located in the sand dunes. In- pletely neglected—so much so that any record would be terestingly, P. palustris was never taken in pitfall traps an addition to the Reserve's species lists. located on the heathland, acid grassland or in the marshy Some indication of the potential species richness of areas, which, as its specific name suggests, is another this Reserve was gained on my first visit, in mid-April 1994. place to look. At Minsmere, it is a spider very much asso- The aim of this initial visit was to explore the Reserve to ciated with arable fields. try to get an overall impression of the site: therefore no A final note: I would be interested to know if any other extensive collecting was undertaken. Nevertheless, over single site in the UK has a spider list in excess of 241 30 species were recorded, by beating bushes and trees, species. Maybe a 'league table' could be developed in a sweeping ground vegetation and general searching. Sub- future issue of the Newsletter? sequent visits in 1994, including a six-week stay during the summer (late July-early September), added a further References sixty species to the list, with more exhaustive techniques, Askins, M. (1997) Pardosa monticola and Pardosa palustris in such as pitfall trapping, being used. Two notable species Wiltshire. Spider Recording Scheme Newsl. 29: 2-3. were recorded during this first year: Haplodrassus Harvey, P. R. (1990) A survey at Sizewell, Suffolk. Newsl. Br. dalmatensis (Nationally Notable b), which was collected arachnol. Soc. 57: 6. on an area of acidic grassland behind what is now the Harvey P. R. (1997) Pardosa palustris and Pardosa monticola in Essex. Spider Recording Scheme Newsl. 28: 3-4. Visitor Centre, and the crab spider Philodromus praedatus Shardlow, M. (1998) Shingle and Grassland Spiders on Havergate (Nb), typically collected on oak. In addition to these nota- Island. Spider Recording Scheme Newsl. 32: 3-4. ble species, a red data book species (RDB 3) was recorded Wilson, R. I. (1997) Afypus affinis Recorded at Minsmere RSPB on the sand dunes, namely Clubiona frisia (= C. simi/is). Reserve, Suffolk. Spider Recording Scheme Newsl. 29: 3-4. Wright, R. (1997) Pardosa palustris and Pardosa monticola in Several visits were made during 1995, including a Warwickshire. Spider Recording Scheme Newsl. 27: 4. further six-week stay during the summer. As a result of this continued recording, an additional 81 spider species 82, Harold Terrace, LEEDS, West Yorkshire, LS6 1LD