AUSTRALASIAN

ARACHNOLOGY

Number 61: January 2001

Price $2 ISSN 0811-3696 Australasian Arachnology No. 61 Page 1

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EDITORIAL ~

Another year has passed already! The celebrations seemed more subdued than 15th INTERNATIONAL last New Year's Eve but we are now CONGRESS OF definately part of the new millenium! ARACHNOLOGY

Our triennial international meeting will be A._VA_V~A_VAft> held soon for those lucky enough to be able to go. Our hosts in offer 26-30 March 2001 an excellent location so be quick to book Badplaas Aventura Conference Centre your tickest if you haven't already! South Africa

The next four issues require a new cover 11 11 Arachnology in the new millenium illustration and a harvestman is the preferred . So if any budding or established artists would like to contribute Get ready for the next arachnological a drawing, or if someone has one that congress about to be held at the luxurious can be used - it would be most Badplaas Aventura Holiday Resort. appreciated. Badplaas is a well-known resort in South I look forward to receiving more of your Africa, and offers a peaceful and relaxed interesting research updates and environment. It is situated in the 1500 ha arachnological news in 2001! Embuleni Private Nature Reserve, at the foot of the Hlumuhlumu Mountains ...... Tracey Package accomodation deals are available to delegates, including cheaper options for students. MEMBERSHIP Topics for oral presentations will include CHANGES systematics, medically important arachnids, ecology, biodiversity, Change of Address behaviour, morphology and physiology.

Dr. Daiqin Li Registration fees are R300 for ISA Department of Biolological Sciences members (approx. A$64) and R330 for The National University of Singapore non-members (approx. A$70). 10 Kent Ridge Crescent Registration deadline is 15 January 2001. Singapore 119260 Check out the website : http://www.arc.agric.za/lnr/institutes/ppri/ arachnology/conweb.htm Australasian Arachnology No. 61 Page 3

Sparassidae for Heteropodidae considered, as they were all available following the rules of ICZN (1999). - a family name change. In a superficial way, it seemed to be an Dr Peter Jager easy case: Sparassidae Bertkau 1872 was the earliest available name and Institute for Zoology, Johannes should therefore be the one to be used. Gutenberg-University, 55099 However, Platnick & Levi (1973) pointed Mainz, Germany out that the type Sparassus Walckenaer 1805 was Nomenclatural changes of the names of 'unrecognizable'and therefore higher taxa are rarely made due to the Heteropodidae should be used, until a principle of stability for frequently used revision of the family was completed. So I names (ICZN 1999). Indeed, since focussed my work on this genus, its type Roewer's catalogue was published in species and its taxonomical identity. 1954, the only change to the scientific name of a family has been to It became clear, that Sparassus is a Heteropodidae from Sparassidae synonym of Micrommata Latreille 1804. (Piatnick & Levi, 1973) for the Huntsman This genus includes three species, of or Giant Crab . During recent which the type species, Micrommata times, the huntsman fauna has been well virescens, is distributed in the Palearctic studied in Australia (thanks to the work of region. From this and other facts Valerie Davies and David Hirst), and so discussed by Jager (1999), Sparassidae the name Heteropodidae has become Bertkau 1872 was recognized as the valid familiar to many. I expect it will be difficult, name. It is hoped that stability for the therefore, for those interested in spiders family name of the Huntsman spiders is to become familiar again with now facilitated. "Sparassidae" following a return to the original name (Jager 1999). Here I wish to References elucidate why this change has been made. ICZN, 1999. International Code of Zoological Nomenclature. Fourth Edition. When I began to study spiders of the Internal. Trust Zool. Nomencl., La family Sparassidae in 1995, three Gradangola, Padova (), 306 pp. scientific names was still in use: Sparassidae Bertkau 1872, Jager, P ., 1999. Sparassidae - the valid Heteropodidae Thorell 1873 and scientific name for the huntsman spider Eusparassidae Jaervi 1912. Some (Arachnida: Araneae). Arachnologische additional combinations were also used Mitteilungen 17: 1-10. as 'Sparassidae Simon 187 4' or 'Heteropodidae Bertkau 1872'. Despite Platnick, N. I. & H. W. Levi, 1973. On the stabilizing effect of Platnick's family name of spiders. Bulletin of the catalogues in favor of Heteropodidae, British Arachnologica/ Society 2 (8): 166- generally all three names must be 167. Australasian Arachnology No. 61 Poge4

BOOK REVIEWS &;::[:\ for each spider species recorded from .

by Dr Mark S. Harvey The book begins with a general account of spider morphology, internal structure, Department of Terrestrial Invertebrates biology, ecology, and systematics. Each Western Australian Museum family is diagnosed, and a short section Francis St, Perth, W.A. 6000 on the known diversity of the family, along with some biological notes, is provided. These diagnoses and notes are The spiders of China paraphrased from Dippenaar-Schoeman and Jacque (1997).

by Song Daxiang, Zhu Mingsheng & Keys to suborders, infraorders, and Chen Jun families are provided, and colour photographs of several species are Hebei Science and Technology Publishing provided at the end of the volume. Data House, Shijiazhung, 1999, 640 pp. provided for each species includes the ISBN 7-5375-1892-0 original reference, any subsequent citations relevant to the Chinese fauna the known distribution, and illustrations of Our understanding of the spider fauna of the epigyne and male palp. China has undergone an enormous transformation during the past decade The volume treats all known 2361 with the publication of numerous papers species, 450 genera and 56 families, and and books devoted to the topic. Sadly, describes several new species, although these papers are often difficult to obtain there is no synopsis of these taxonomic as many are published in little-known acts. Chinese journals that are hard to access outside of China. However, help is at Somewhat controversially, the authors hand, with the publication of this book. have chosen to use numerous illustrations from the scientific literature which have The spider fauna of the region is of not been credited to the original source. fascination to all araneologists, as China Whilst this may be the norm in China spans an enormous area over many (where copyright regulations do not mirror different climatic zones - the deserts and those in most other parts of the world), it steppes of the east and north, the tropical is a lazy and discourteous use of other forests of the south, and the temperate people's work which any publisher in the regions of the north-east. This climatic 'West' would forbid. Jerzy Proszynski's diversity, along with great topographic impassioned cry (see American diversity, has produced an extremely rich Arachnology 61, p. 11) summarises the spider fauna. With this in mind 'The frustration felt by scientists whose work spiders of China' has been produced as a has been 'borrowed' for this volume in primary tool for specialists by the authors such a fashion. Incidentally, and who collated the relevant taxonomic data somewhat frustratingly, many of the plates Australasian Arachnology No. 61 Page5

lack captions and one must search The majority of the book comprises through the text to identify the species taxonomic descriptions of the fossils illustrated. recovered from the site, with photographs and black and white interpretive The volume is a very useful synopsis of illustrations of each species. The the Chinese fauna, and documents a rich descriptions are given in Cantonese, and and fascinating fauna from a remarkable unfortunately only the descriptions of the part of the world. new genera are translated into English. Introductory chapters on the composition Reference and characteristics of the fauna are also translated into English. Dippenaar-Schoeman, A.S. and Jacque, R. (1997). African spiders an The spider section deals with several new identification manual. Plant Protection species, some of which are named in Research Institute: Pretoria. recent genera, such as Dysdera, Araneus, Lycosa. Five new genera are described: Testudinaria (Araneidae), Dryadia (Lycosidae), Miothomisus (Thomisidae), Parvulus (Thomisidae) and Miocene insects and spiders from Evagoratus (Salticidae). The generic Shanwang, Shandong descriptions are not elaborate, and the taxa are distinguished on some very by Imprecise criteria such as the relative length of the legs and the ratio of the Zhang Junfeng, Sun Bo & Zhang Xiyu carapace. No attempt has been made to characterise or examine fine structures, Science Press, Beijing, 1994 which have been featured in some recent ISBN 7·03·003785·5 fossil spider discoveries.

The family-level classification used for the China has become a major centre for the spiders is somewhat outdated, and study of fossil faunae, with perhaps the appears to have been based upon most outstanding the spectacularly Petrunkevitch (1955), as evidenced by the preserved vertebrates highlighted in the use of Drassodidae and Eusparassidae, pages of Nature and Science. Less well names that are no longer in use at that known, however, are the plant and level. Also, Tetragnatha is placed in the invertebrate fossils which have been Araneidae, when most treatments for the described from the region. The present past 20 years refer it to the book is a further contribution to this T etragnathidae. discipline, with descriptions of numerous insects and spiders from the Miocene of A matter for some concern is the erection Shandong Province. The fossils appear to of generic names which are junior be excellently preserved, and most are homonyms. For example, amongst the instantly recognisable as representing insects, Oolichopoda (Scarabaeidae) is modern families. preoccupied by the king cricket genus Australasian Arachnology No. 61 Page 6

Dolichopoda Bolivar, 1880, the pers comm. 1995). Many of the spider cerambycids Paraphi/us and Hornia are species recorded in these later surveys preoccupied by other beetles Paraphilus are thought to be confined to the habitat Gahan, 1893, Hornia Riley, 1878 and provided by the springs where they rely Hornia Rattray, 1901. Two of the spider on the permanent wetland habitats. genera are also preoccupied: Parvulus by These include species of Tetragnathidae, Parvulus Lutz, 1930 (Amphibia) and Lycosidae and Pisauridae. Testudinaria by Testudinaria T aczanowski, 1880, a South American The mound springs provide permanent araneid. wetland habitats more typical of high rainfall areas, rather than the arid centre. Reference In the region of the Lake Eyre South mound springs there are no other Petrunkevitch, A. (1955). Arachnida. In permanent natural wetlands that are R.C. Moore (ed.), Treatise on Invertebrate comparable. Many of the spider groups Paleontology. P, Arthropoda, Vol. 2: 42- recorded do not occur or are rarely 162. University of Kansas Press: encountered at other wetlands in the arid Lawrence. zone although some species appear to have colonised the artificial wetlands associated with boredrains in the area. Mound Spring Spiders of Species that appear to have evolved arid South Australia within these environments are considered to be of special significance as most have relatives that are largely or only found in Kelli-Jo Lamb high rainfall areas. These species include (David Hirst pers. comm. to Sally Environment Section Abernathy 1996): WMC (Olympic Dam Corporation) POBox150 • Oolornedes facetus which has not Roxby Downs SA 5725 been recorded in SA previously but is common in aquatic habitats in email: [email protected] and New South Wales. • Clubiona sp. which has not been Spiders in artesian mound springs of the collected previously in this region but Great Artesian Basin have remained whose relatives are common under the relatively unstudied until recent years with bark of mallee trees. previous research at the springs • Bianor sp. not normally in arid areas concentrating on other endemic although more collections are needed to invertebrates, such as the hydrobiid snails verify this. (Fonscochlea and Trochidrobia). Early surveys recorded 15 species of spider • Lycosa and Trochosa spp, some of (Greenslade 1985), with more recent which appear confined to the springs and surveys recording 38 species (David Hirst possibly even a group of springs. More SA Museum and Darren Niejalke WMC, collections are needed to confirm this. Australasian Arachnology No. 61 Page 7

• Dunedinia sp. may be a relictual impacts, and will continue at regular species restricted to the springs. intervals until total regeneration of spring vegetation to determine full impacts. • A Hahniid (A/istra sp.) which is thought to be relictual, is common in many Most of the spiders so far recorded springs along the Oodnadatta track. appear to be undescribed. Priority for Surveys undertaken in September 1999 research in the near future needs to show this family is also present in springs concentrate on the species systematics. in the Northern Flinders Ranges (Lamb Establishing a conservation priority for the and Niejalke, unpublished data). mound springs is heavily reliant on an understanding of their biodiversity values. Following the 1995 spider surveys, mound Understanding taxonomic relationships spring spiders were the main focus of an will also aid interpretation of ecological honours project aimed at determining data. Partnerships for this work are grazing impacts on mound spring spiders sought and hopefully funding can be (Lamb 1998, 1999). Differences in secured to enable this to begin. Lycosid assemblages between mound springs and bore drains have recently been the focus of an honours project References (Gotch 2000). Currently, a new study investigating the impacts of fire on species of mound spring Lamb K (1998). Cattle grazing impact on invertebrates including spiders has been mound spring spider communities initiated. It is believed that fire was used (Arachnida: Araneae). Unpublished in the past as a management tool by local honours thesis, Flinders University, SA. aboriginals to gain better access to water in the springs. With permission and Lamb K. (1999). Cattle grazing impacts on assistance from local aboriginal mound spring spider communities communities, fire will be applied to a small (Arachnida: Araneae). Abstract. number of selected springs to determine Australasian Arachnology No. 55. impacts on endemic species of aquatic invertebrates and spiders. Gotch TB (2000). Wolf spider assemblages in the mound springs and Initial sampling for this project was bore drains of South Australia. conducted in July 2000 with burning to Unpublished honours thesis, Adelaide take place in late August 2000. Three University, SA. springs in total will be burnt with a further 3 springs to be sampled as controls. Greenslade (1985). Terrestrial Ground dwelling species of spiders are Invertebrates of the Mound Springs, being sampled using pitfall traps, whilst Bores, Creek Beds and Other Habitats. vegetation dwelling species are being In: South Australia's Mound Springs (Eds: sampled using an adapted leaf vacuum. J Greenslade, L Joseph and A Reeves). Further sampling will be conducted in Pp. 64-77. early September, approximately two weeks after the fire, to determine initial Australasian Arachnology No. 61 Page 8

The Australian (1985), and contains no new entries since Biological Information Facility - that time. Nevertheless, it is a welcome a useful resource for arachnologists addition to the electronic world - keep your web-browser pointed in that direction to see the latest developments. Mark S. Harvey Department ofTerrestriallnvertebrates, The arachnid groups treated so far are: Western Australian Museum Francis St, Perth, W.A. 6000 Australia • the scorpions (Scorpiones) by Mark Harvey and Erich Volschenk • the spiders (Araneae) by Barbara Have you ever needed to determine the Main, Valerie Davies & Roily McKay correct spelling of a particular species? Well, help is now at hand, with the • the whip spiders (Amblypygi) development of a new web-site by the by Mark Harvey Australian Biological Resources Study at http://www.environment.gov.au/abrs. • the schizomids (Schizomida) by Mark Harvey The site contains a series of databases • the pseudoscorpions compiled on behalf of the Australian (Pseudoscorpiones) by Mark Harvey Biological Resources Study in a taxonomic databasing tool, Platypus. • the daddy-long-legs (Opiliones) ABRS intend to eventually cover all by Mark Harvey and Glenn Hunt biological groups in Australia. The web­ site replaces the Zoological Catalogue of • the palpigrades (Palpigradi) Australia which have been published in by Mark Harvey. book form since 1983. Volume 3 of that series covered some of the arachnids, For many groups, it is possible to obtain including the mygalomorph spiders (Main, basic distributions, lists of type material, synonymies and more. Have fun! 1985), some of the araneomorph spiders (Davies, 1985; McKay, 1985), the pseudoscorpions (Harvey, 1985a), the References amblypygids (Harvey, 1985b) and the palpigrades (Harvey, 1985c). Davies, V.T. (1985). Arachnida: (in part). In D.W. Walton The arachnids are well represented on the (ed.), Zoological Catalogue of Australia, web-site, with all of the smaller orders, Vol. 3: 49-125. Australian Government plus some of the spiders, now included. Publishing Service: Canberra. There are plans to include the mites (Acari) and the remainder of the spiders at Harvey, M.S. (1985a). seudoscorpionida. a later date. The spider section is In D.W. Walton (ed.), Zoological particularly out-dated, as it represents the Catalogue of Australia, Vol. 3: 126-155. data included in the published catalogues Australian Government Publishing of Davies (1985), McKay (1985) and Main Service: Canberra. Australasian Arachnology No. 61 Page9

Harvey, M.S. (1985b). Amblypygi. In D.W. Scorpions of the genus Urodacus have Walton (ed.), Zoological Catalogue of usually been placed within the Australia, Vol. 3: 156-157. Australian Scorpionidae. Members of this genus are Government Publishing Service: common throughout much of mainland Canberra. Australia, and some 20 species are currently recognised (Koch, 1977; Harvey, M.S. (1985c). Palpigradi. In D.W. Volschenk et al., 2000). As part of a world Walton (ed.), Zoological Catalogue of revision of the superfamily Scorpionoidea, Australia, Vol. 3: 158-159. Australian Prendini (2000) found that Urodacus was Government Publishing Service: so distinct that it could no longer be Canberra. accommodated in the Scorpionidae, and placed it in its own family, Urodacidae. Main, B.Y. (1985). Mygalomorphae. In D.W. Walton (ed.), Zoological Catalogue Indeed, the results of the study showed of Australia, Vol. 3: 1-48. Australian that this family represented the sister­ Government Publishing Service: group to the peculiar family Canberra. Heteroscorpionidae which is known only from . This may point to an McKay, R.J. (1985). Arachnida: ancient relationship between the two Araneomorphae: Lycosidae. In D.W. families, dating back to when Africa, Walton (ed.), Zoological Catalogue of Madagascar and Australia were Australia, Vol. 3: 73-88. Australian connected during the . Government Publishing Service: Canberra. References

Koch, L.E. (1977). The taxonomy, A change of scorpion families geographic distribution and evolutionary radiation of Australo-Papuan scorpions. Records of the Western Australian Mark S. Harvey Museum 5: 83-367. Department ofT errestriallnvertebrates, Western Australian Museum, Prendini, L. (2000). Phylogeny and Francis St, Perth, W .A. 6000, Australia classification of the superfamily Scorpionoidea Latreille 1802 (, The names of families of are Scorpiones): an exemplar approach. often considered sacrosanct and should Cladistics 16: 1-78. only be changed under extreme circumstances. However, changes do Volschenk, E.S., Smith, G.T. and Harvey, occur, either due to a modification in the M.S. (2000). A new species of Urodacus perceived relationships of the organisms from , with descriptive involved, or due to a nomenclatural notes on Urodacus megamastigus amendment. Such a change has recently (Scorpiones: Urodacidae). Records of the occurred which affects arachnologists in Western Australian Museum 20: 57-68. Australia. Australasian Arachnology No. 61 Page 10

POSTGRADUATE One hundred and forty species PROJECTS comprising of thirty four families were recorded from the pitfall traps. Thirty seven species, constituting twenty seven The successional response of spider families were collected by means of (Araneae) communities to fire suction sampling. in a Western Australian Several of the more common species and J arrah forest families displayed distinct successional responses to fire, with numbers of Lachlan Ashby individuals varying according to post-fire­ period. At the community level, species Dearee : Honours diversity of ground and vegetation dwelling species and family abundance Institutions : • School of Environmental for the vegetation inhabiting species Biology, Curtin University of Technology, underwent a significant increase between Perth • Environmental Department, zero and three years after a fire. Beyond Alcoa World Alumina, Applecross, W.A. three years, fire had little effect. There was a gradual increase in family diversity Supervisors : Prof. Jonathan Majer, John for the ground dwelling families, with Koch, Karl Brennan and Owen Nichols family abundance not changing significantly from the initial burn until nine Arachnoloqical Support : Dr Mark Harvey years after. and Julianne Waldeck, Western Australian Museum Regression analyses revealed a significant correlation between the post­ Submission Date : November 1998. fire-period and family diversity for up to nine years after a fire. However, species abundance was only significantly Abstract : The impact of prescribed correlated with time up until three years autumn burning on spider communities after a fire. Vegetation cover density for was examined in remnant Jarrah forest at lowest metre of the understorey and litter Jarrahdale, Western Australia. Spiders structure were both significantly correlated were sampled at sites representing a with the post-fire-period, with the more chronological sequence which follows recent fires having a greater effect on prescription burning. Ages following these two habitat variables. The burning were zero, three, six or nine regression analyses indicated that the years. The spiders which are ground spider community was closely linked to dwelling species were sampled with pitfall habitat structure, and a disturbance such traps and those species which inhabit the as fire, which can alter the condition of the vegetation were sampled by means of habitat, may have an influence on the suction sampling. The survey took place outcome of the post-fire succession. during April 1998. Australasian Arachnology No. 61 Page 11

Spider communities as bioindicators was dominated by non-native Eucalyptus of rehabilitated mined sites species. subjected to fire Distinct habitat differences were found between treatments; litter weight, litter Melinda Moir depth, vegetation structure, percentage canopy cover and percentage ground Dearee : Honours cover (rocks, green vegetation, soil and leaf litter). Habitat variables were used to Institutions : • School of Environmental explain differences in spider communities Biology, Curtin University of Technology, between treatments. The most important Perth • Environmental Department, characteristics appeared to be: Alcoa World Alumina, Applecross, W .A. + Jarrah forest - low growing shrubs Supervisors : Prof. Jonathan Majer, John and herbs, lack of mid-storey and low Koch, Karl Brennan and Owen Nichols levels of litter accumulation; + unburnt mined sites dense Arachnological Support : Dr Mark Harvey senescing Acacia mid~storey, low and Julianne Waldeck, Western densities of live vegetation and high Australian Museum levels of litter accumulation; and Submission Date: November 1999. + burnt mined sites - high percentage rock cover on the ground, low levels of litter accumulation and Abstract Recently, fire has been regeneration of plant species in the incorporated as a management practice mid-storey between 100-200 em high. into the rehabilitation of bauxite mined sites. This has been undertaken to facilitate the return of flora to a state more Spiders were surveyed by pitfall trapping, similar to surrounding Jarrah forest. suction sampling and litter sampling in Currently, the effect on fauna of burning April 1999. In total 3692 spiders were mined sites is being investigated. This captured, representing 39 families and study utilised spiders as bioindicators to 182 species. Spider communities at each determine the likely effect of burning at site consisted of two distinct faunas; Alcoa of Australia's Jarrahdale Mine, ground dwelling or foliage dwelling. The Western Australia. most abundant ground dwelling families (in decreasing order) were Zoridae, Three treatments were studied; Jarrah Zodariidae, Corinnidae, Gnaphosidae and forest (Eucalyptus marginata) burnt in Salticidae. The most abundant foliage either 1988 or 1994 (4 sites), 16 to 18 dwelling spiders (in decreasing order) year old rehabilitated mined sites (6 sites) were Theridiidae and Araneidae. and 16 to 18 year old rehabilitated mined Burnt mined sites displayed the highest sites burnt in 1994 (6 sites). The over­ species richness and the highest storey of burnt and unburnt mined sites proportion of 'rare' species in the pitfall traps. Both the burnt mined sites and Australasian Arachnology No. 61 Page 12

Jarrah sites had higher proportions of Do Spiders spiders requiring specific habitat Make variables. This was attributed to greater habitat heterogeneity in the burnt mined You Laugh? sites and forest. Unburnt mined sites displayed more habitat homogeneity resulting from the lack of live vegetation and high proportion of dead vegetation. According to an American survey, nearly For example, Thomisidae (flower spiders), 70% of all respondents feared public Oxyopidae (lynx spiders) and Linyphiidae speaking more than they feared spiders. (sheet web spiders) were in highest Now it's hard to believe that Americans abundances at Jarrah forest (1994 burnt are ever stuck for words, but maybe they sites) and burnt mined sites. The have no idea of the vast range of spiders presence of these families may be living on the Australian continent. There associated with flowering plants, are few people who really like spiders. regenerating live vegetation and low When confronted by a spider, the growing shrubs respectively. majority of people experience anxiety, panic attacks and fear. Detrended Correspondence Analysis (DCA) revealed Jarrah forest sites Fortunately, these perilous events do not clustered separately from mined sites in happen everyday. There are, however, terms of spider composition. All mined countless spider stories which make other sites (burnt and unburnt) were grouped people laugh, usually at the expense of together, however, 1983 mined sites the storyteller. I am currently writing a clustered separately to sites mined in book about Australian spiders. One 1981 and 1982. This separation may section of the book has been devoted to represent the difference in seed mix used humourous experiences that people have in rehabilitation. After removal of 1983 had with spiders. Have you an amusing mined sites from the data set, unburnt and lively story to tell? Each contribution mined sites formed a 'wedge' between will be acknowledged in the book. Jarrah forest sites and burnt mined sites. This result was repeated in all data set combinations; families or species, pitfall Please forward your story (approximately trapped or suction sampled, and 250 words) to: presence/absence or abundance. Graham Wilce It was concluded that burnt mined sites P.O. Box 175 were moving towards a spider community Glen huntly with a new composition, compared to Victoria 3163. Jarrah forest or unburnt mined sites, most likely as a result of habitat changes brought about by burning.