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Newsletter of

Newsletter of the AustralasianArachnologicalSociety Australasian No. 73 – January 2006 Page 2

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

MEMBERSHIP Please send articles to the editor:

Membership is open to amateurs, Volker Framenau students and professionals, and is Department of Terrestrial Invertebrates managed by our Administrator: Western Australian Museum Locked Bag 49 Richard J. Faulder Welshpool, W.A. 6986, . Agricultural Institute [email protected] Yanco, New South Wales 2703.

Australia Format: i) typed or legibly printed on A4 email : [email protected] paper or ii) as text or MS Word file on CD, 3½ floppy disk, or via email. Membership fees in Australian dollars (per 4 issues): LIBRARY The AAS has a large number of *discount personal institutional reference books, scientific journals and Australia $8 $10 $12 papers available for loan or as n photocopies, for those members who do NZ / Asia $10 $12 $14 not have access to a scientific library. elsewher $12 $14 $16 Professional members are encouraged to e send in their arachnological reprints. There is no agency discount. Contact our librarian: All postage is by airmail. *Discount rates apply to unemployed, pensioners Jean-Claude Herremans and students (please provide proof of status). PO Box 291 Cheques are payable in Australian Manly, New South Wales 1655. Australia dollars to “Australasian Arachnological Society”. Any number of issues can be email: [email protected] paid for in advance. Receipts issued on request. COVER PHOTOGRAPH: Status box on the envelope indicates Eriophora pustulosa ♀ (Victoria) the last issue paid for. Volker Framenau Previous issues of the newsletter are available at $2 per issue plus postage. Australasian Arachnology No. 73 – January 2006 Page 3

EDITORIAL MEMBERSHIP UPDATES This issue is a bit late (January instead of December), since the “Invertebrates 2005” meeting in Canberra New Members in December with the Symposium on Australasian Arachnology took up all my attention. It was indeed an exciting Claudia Ludy meeting, with one of the highlights being Obere Hauptstr. 16 D-85354 Freising the informal dinner for everybody not Germany working on with 6 legs! Thanks to [email protected] Barry Richardson for organizing this dinner at his local soccer club! You can find all abstracts of the oral and poster Sydney L. Jordan presentations on arachnology from the PhD Student - Zoology meeting in this issue. Stay also tuned for University of New England a conference report in the next issue of Armidale 2351, NSW Australasian Arachnology. Tracey [email protected] Churchill took the opportunity of the meeting to reflect on our society’s history

(pages 13). Naturally, thanks to all others ------who contributed articles to this issue.

Great to see, that there is student activity in arachnology, with two abstracts of theses dealing with (Gaynor THESIS Owens and Matt Bruce). Steve Nunn ABSTRACTS delivers a great natural history account on an Australian theraphosid, however, I couldn’t fit his whole article into this issue Conserving in the and a second part of his contribution will Rangelands: Are Land Systems appear in the next Australasian Effective Surrogates for Arachnology. Assemblages? With the New Year, my research Gaynor Owen focus changes from my beloved wolf spiders to an equally fascinating group, Honours Thesis, Curtin University of orb-weaving spiders of the subfamily Technology, January 2005 Araneinae. You can find some Supervisors: Dr. Karl Brennan, Bruce background information on the Australian Ward Araneinae in this issue. Effective conservation planning requires All the best for 2006, and keep understanding ecological processes as the contributions rolling in! well as the spatial and temporal patterning of biota. Here, environmental Volker surrogates, such as land systems derived Australasian Arachnology No. 73 – January 2006 Page 4 for the pastoral industry, may assist in the divided into areas higher and lower in the design of nature reserves. Previous landscape: Bullimore Dune and Bullimore investigations show support for land Flat. To understand the influence of systems as surrogates for biodiversity in environmental/biotic factors on spider the rangelands. However, few studies assemblages, vegetation species, examining the effectiveness of land vegetation structure and soil properties systems as surrogates consider spiders. were measured. Here I determine if land systems might act as surrogates for spiders and then examine how plant species, vegetation structure and soil might influence spider assemblages. I determine if plants and spiders are patterned more finely than land systems by testing for differences between landforms higher and lower within one land system. Finally, I determine if higher taxonomic levels (families) are effective surrogates for spider species. Fig. 2: Bullimore dune habitat. Significant differences in spider species and family compositions occurred between the Bullimore and Sherwood land systems. Spider assemblages are potentially responding to clear differences in vegetation species, vegetation structure and soil properties. The most important soil property that correlates with spider assemblages was ‘texture size’. Plant species Solanum lasiophyllum (Solanaceae) and Dicrastylis brunnea Fig. 1: Gaynor Owen vacuuming spiders (Lamiaceae) showed a weaker from spinifex (Triodia) in the Sherwood relationship with spider assemblages, land system. while the vegetation structural category ‘bare ground’ showed a stronger Data were collected from Lorna correlation. Spider species composition Glen Station in the rangelands of Western differed significantly between the Australia. To test if there was an overall Bullimore Flat and Bullimore Dune difference in spider assemblages between landforms, however spider family land systems, two different land systems composition did not. This suggests were examined, Sherwood (Fig. 1) and spiders are less sensitive at the family Bullimore (Fig. 2). To assess if spider level than the species level between assemblages differed between landforms, landforms. Differences in spider species the Bullimore land system was further composition between the Bullimore Dune Australasian Arachnology No. 73 – January 2006 Page 5 and Bullimore Flat landforms are The Function and Phylogeny of potentially attributed to the heterogeneity Web Decorations in Orb-web of soil properties, vegetation structure and Spiders vegetation species within the Bullimore land system. Matt Bruce Submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, Macquarie University, May 2005. Supervisor: Mariella Herberstein The aim of my study was to illuminate the function, variability (ontogenetic and phylogenetic), spectral reflectance and phylogeny of the curious silk structures termed web decorations or stabilimenta.

Fig. 3: The shuttlecock , These structures have attracted the attention of scientists for more than 100 Mainosa longipes (L. Koch), in its burrow. years. Yet, it has been only in the past 15 These results show that years that the various functions proposed environmental surrogates, such as land for web decorations have been systems, are not able to accurately experimentally tested. Furthermore, represent entire spider species richness during this period the variation in these and diversity in the rangelands of structures, both phylogenetic and Western Australia. Moreover, the higher ontogenetic has become apparent. taxonomic approach is not appropriate in First, I tested the hypothesis that achieving a full understanding of the web decorations increase the foraging heterogeneity and patchiness of the biota within the landscape. The importance of success of ‘’ eburnus by choosing the appropriate resolution/grain attracting prey to the web. Using field size is discussed. Recommendations for correlations and field manipulations I effective biodiversity monitoring within the showed that decorated webs capture rangelands of Western Australia are more prey per web area than undecorated made. webs. However, this is only the case in undisturbed habitats, perhaps due to ------differences in prey assemblages between undisturbed and disturbed habitats. Whist the UV-reflective nature of web decorations has long been established, their visibility to prey and predators has never been objectively assessed. I used spectrophotometric analyses to show that the decorations of five tested spider species are visible to Australasian Arachnology No. 73 – January 2006 Page 6 honey bees and birds over short and long decorations. My work highlights the distances. Furthermore, the discoid significant ontogenetic variation in decorations of mascordi may decorating behaviour across three provide some protection against species. Consistent differences in linear predators as the spiders’ versus cruciate decorating behaviour in abdomen and the decoration silk may be the sympatric Argiope aetherea and A. of a similar colour. However, the picta from convergent lines of evidence decorations of A. mascordi are inefficient suggest that these patterns perform at camouflaging the spider against birds, different functions and have different despite the overlap between the spider’s costs and benefits associated with them. body and decoration. These costs and benefits are likely to be habitat specific and will influence both the Spiders in the Argiope are frequency at which spiders include the most studied in terms of their decorations and which decoration form decorating behaviour. Furthermore, they (eg. linear or cruciate) is the most show the highest known degree of beneficial. ontogenetic and phylogenetic variation in decoration forms. To date there has been Overall, my results suggest that no attempt to reconstruct the phylogenetic future studies should pay more attention relationships within this genus. By tracing to the potential costs and benefits of web decoration polymorphism onto the including web decorations as this first molecular phylogeny of this genus, I approach will illuminate the reasons revealed that the linear form is likely to be behind both phylogenetic and ontogenetic ancestral and that the cruciate form has web decoration polymorphism and the evolved several times. Moreover, at least considerable phylogenetic and one reversion to linear decorating has ontogenetic variation in web decoration occurred. frequency.

I also investigated ecological ------factors that may contribute to the variation in web decorating behaviour in . These spiders should Travel into the unknown: the reduce their foraging investment Australian orb-weaving spiders of (including investment in web decorations) the subfamily Araneinae in the presence of predators. However, I found no evidence that these spiders were by Volker W. Framenau able to detect the presence of mantid Department of Terrestrial Invertebrates predators. Perhaps spiders require more Western Australian Museum than one cue to assess the danger from Locked Bag 49, Welshpool D.C. predators. W.A. 6986

Furthermore, I examined the relationship between ontogenetic and The Australian Biological phylogenetic differences in decoration Resources Studies (ABRS) has granted forms and the frequency of including web me financial support from 2005 – 2008 to Australasian Arachnology No. 73 – January 2006 Page 7 revise the orb-weaving spiders of the also address spider mating behaviour subfamily Araneinae, in collaboration with (e.g. sperm competition and sexual size Nicolaj Scharff from the University of dimorphism) and foraging tactics. Copenhagen. This study will mainly be The majority of research on orb- conducted at the Western Australian weaving spiders has focussed on the Museum and I encourage all professional subfamily Araneinae, which forms one of and amateur arachnologists to send me two major clades and is the most araneid spiders to be included in this speciose subfamily within the Araneidae project! We are in particular interested in (Scharff and Coddington 1997). the generally less conspicuous, but Araneinae contain the ‘typical’ areneids: taxonomically important males!!! largely nocturnal, active and fast predators and spinners of conventional orb-webs. During the day, they usually rest in a camouflaged retreat away from the hub. Their morphology is fairly uniform, the clypeus usually low and the legs are spiny. Male and female genitalia are the most complex within the family (Scharff and Coddington 1997, Griswold et al. 1998). The subfamily Araneinae is not very well defined, but two characters support their monophyly: the presence of tubercles on the male pedipalpal femora and the presence of a scape on the Fig. 1: Cyclosa sp. from Christmas female (Scharff and Coddington Island. 1997). Additional synapomorphies of Due to their conspicuous webs, the large clades within the Araneinae include common orb-weavers of the spider family the presence of a terminal apophysis in Araneidae are among the best-known the male (‘terminal apophysis group of spiders, and with some 2,800 clade’) and a hook on the coxae of the species in 163 genera it is one of the first leg in males (‘coxal hook clade’) largest spider families world-wide (Scharff and Coddington 1997, see also (Platnick 2005). More than 900 scientific Grasshoff 1968, Levi 1983, Davies 1988). papers have been published on araneids In Australia, recent studies were since the turn of the century and published on the cryptic ecology of members of this family have been the Western Australian Carepalxis (Main subject of considerable phylogenetic and 1999) and the foraging behaviour of evolutionary research (see Scharff and ‘Araneus’ eburnus (Bruce et al. 2004). In Coddington 1997, and references a study on the effects of spider bites, therein). These studies investigated some 21.4% of 750 bites were caused by classical evolutionary problems, e.g. the araneids, including the Araneinae (second evolution of web forms (including the form only to the Sparassidae) (Isbister and and function of web stabilimenta), but Gray 2002). Australasian Arachnology No. 73 – January 2006 Page 8

Taxonomic History of Araneinae in The majority of these species Australia were named by authors working in the late 19th or early 20th century. The Despite their omnipresence, descriptions are generally poor and diversity and well-studied behaviour, inadequately illustrated, and since only a Araneidae belong to one of the minority of species has been taxonomically least-studied spider groups taxonomically treated since their original in Australia. The subfamily Araneinae is description, few can be recognised particularly poorly known, as the single without recourse to the type specimens. comprehensive revisionary work on Some faunistic links of the tropical Australasian araneids (Levi 1983) deals Australian fauna certainly exist to south- with three non-araneine genera. Only one east Asia. A considerable number of fairly recent study deals with Australian araneine spiders from Araneine at the species level (Davies, have been treated in a series of studies 1980). by F. Chrysanthus, that may also help to In Australia, the subfamily identify Australian species (e.g. Araneinae is currently represented by 142 Chrysanthus 1960, 1961, 1969, 1971). species in 13 genera (Poltys is currently The majority of Australian Araneinae (97 being revised by Helen Smith, Australian species; ≈ 67%) is placed in the genus Museum) (species worldwide/in Australia Araneus, which is believed not to occur in in parentheses; from Platnick 2005): Australia (Levi 1991). It has long been recognized that the loose generic usage Anepsion Strand, 1929 (17/2) of Araneus persisted more on grounds of Araneus Clerck, 1757 (686/97) convenience than a proper evaluation of Cyclosa Menge, 1866 (171/6) monophyly and needs radical revision. Dolophones Walckenaer, 1837 (16/16) Numerous species from all over the world Eriophora Simon, 1864 (20/5) listed in Araneus bear only distant Heurodes Keyserling, 1886 (3/1) relationship with the type species Larinia Simon, 1874 (46/1) Araneus diadematus Clerck, 1757 (Court Lipocrea Thorell, 1878 (5/2) and Forster 1988, Levi 1991). Neoscona Simon, 1864 (94/1) Poltys C.L. Koch, 1843 (11/11) The most recent key to eight Paraplectanoides Keyserling, 1886 (3/3) families of Australian orb-weaving spiders Verrucosa McCook, 1888 (7/1) (Davies 1988) is more than 15 years old Wixia O. P.-Cambridge, 1882 (2/1) and only allows a generic level identification of some Araneidae, In addition, the following two including 11 genera of Araneinae. Most genera are unplaced as their morphology importantly, the key does not provide any has not been critically studied since their further aid in the identification of the 97 original description: Australian species of ‘Araneus’, which were represented by only a single Acroaspis Karsch, 1878 (2/2) species, ‘Araneus’ eburnus. Davies Collina Urquhart, 1891 (1/1) (1988) also recognised the misplacement

of the Australian ‘Araneus’ as the species Australasian Arachnology No. 73 – January 2006 Page 9 within this genus have a paramedian Chrysanthus, F. 1969. Additional remarks apophysis on the male pedipalp (absent on the genus Anepsion Strand, 1929 in true Araneus; Levi 1991) and a single (Araneae, Argyopidae). Zool. Med. 44: tibial spine on the pedipalp (two spines in 33-39. Araneus). Chrysanthus, F. 1971. Further notes on Systematics/higher level classification the spiders from New Guinea I (Argyopidae). Zool. Verh. 113: 1-52 The phylogenetic analysis of world-wide araneid genera by Scharff and Court, D.J. and Forster, R.R. 1988. Coddington (1997) provides an up-to-date Araneidae-Araneinae. In: The Spiders systematic framework for our study. of New Zealand. Part VI (Forster, However, Araneinae itself and clades R.R., Milledge, A.F. and Court, D.J., within araneines lack convincing support. eds). Otago Mus. Bull. 6: pp. 68-124. To improve the resolution of the araneine part of the tree, Scharff and Coddington Davies, V.T. 1980. Two large Australian (1997) suggested coding various genital orb-weaving spiders, Eriophora characters in more detail and the addition transmarina (Keyserling 1865) and of further taxa. Due to an expected high Eriophora biapicata (L. Koch 1871). level of endemism of Australian Mem. Qd Mus. 20: 125-133. Araneinae with many new taxa and Davies, V.T. 1988. An illustrated guide to potentially new characters, our project will the genera of orb-weaving spiders in provide an extremely promising extension Australia. Mem. Qd Mus. 25: 273-332. to Scharff and Coddington’s (1997) study in resolving higher-level phylogenetic Grasshoff, M. 1968. Morphologische questions in the Araneidae even on a Kriterien als Ausdruck von Artgrenzen worldwide scale. bei Radnetzspinnen der Subfamilie Araneinae (Arachnida: Araneae: References Araneidae). Abh. Senck. Naturforsch. Bruce M.J., Heiling A.M. and Herberstein Ges. 516: 1-100. M.E. 2004. Alternative foraging Griswold, C.E., Coddingtion, J.A., strategies in the orb-web spider Hormiga, G. and Scharff, N. 1998. 'Araneus' eburnus (Araneidae, Phylogeny of the orb-web building Araneae). Ann. Zool. Fenn. 41: 563- spiders (Araneae, Orbiculariae: 575. Deinopoidea, Araneoidea). Zool. J. Chrysanthus, F. 1960. Spiders from south Linn. Soc. 123: 1-99. New Guinea III. Nova Guinea Zool. 3: Isbister, G.K. and Gray, M. R. 2002. A 23-42. prospective study of 750 definite Chrysanthus, F. 1961. Die Gattung spider bites, with expert spider Anepsion Strand 1929 (Arach., identification. Q. J. Medicine 95: 723- Araneae: Araneidae-Araneinae). 731. Senck. biol. 42: 463-477. Levi, H.W. 1983. The orb-weaver genera Argiope, Gea, and Neogea from the Australasian Arachnology No. 73 – January 2006 Page 10

Western Pacific region (Araneae: second part dealing with the life cycle of Araneide, Argiopinae). Bull. Mus. this species) Comp. Zool. 150: 247-338. Very little research has been conducted Levi, H.W. 1991. The Neotropical and on Australia’s Theraphosidae, both from a Mexican species of the orb-weaver taxonomic and ecological aspect. With genera Araneus, Dubiepeira, and the exception of several reviews (Main Aculepeira (Araneae: Araneidae). Bull. 1985, Raven 1985, Smith 1987) and two Mus. Comp. Zool. 152: 167-315. transfers (Schmidt 1995, 2002), the Main, B.Y. 1999. Note on the taxonomic state of Australian biogeography and natural history of theraphosids had not been investigated in the orbweaving spider Carepalxis detail, until Raven (2005) published the (Araneae, Araneidae), including an first new description of a theraphosid on gumnut mimic from southwestern Australian soil, Coremiocnemis tropix Australia. J. Arachnol. 27: 183-188. Raven, 2005. This work is indeed significant in that there is a new genus Platnick, N.I. 2005. The World Spider desribed here. In addition, Robert Raven Catalogue, Version 5.5. American announced an upcoming revision of the Museum of Natural History. Australian Theraphosidae. http://research.amnh.org/entomology/ spiders/catalog/INTRO1.html. Little to nothing is known of the behaviour of Australian theraphosids. Scharff, N. and Coddingtion, J.A. 1997. A Kotzman (1986, 1990) contributed some phylogenetic analysis of the orb- notable work that covered aspects of the weaving spider family Araneidae biology of Selenocosmia stirlingi (Hogg, (Arachnida, Araneae). Zool. J. Linn. 1901) and looked at annual activity Soc. 120: 355-434. patterns. Main (1982) studied arid adaptions of Selenocosmia stirlingi, in ------particular burrow construction and foraging strategies. I have reported on the A continuing 6-year-study of a long predation upon Selenocosmia crassipes lived semi-arid zone Australian (Koch, 1874) by a Hemipepsis sp. wasp : (Nunn, 2002). 1. Natural history of Selenotypus Very little research has been sp. “glenelva”(Araneae, conducted on life cycles of any of the Theraphosidae) Theraphosidae. Males of certain New World species mature in 10-11 years and Steven C. Nunn conspecific females in 10-13 years (Baerg, 1963). Baerg & Peck (1970) (For editorial reasons, this article on noted a specimen which probably Selenotypus sp. “glenelva” has been split reached 24 years of age in captivity. into two. The upcoming issue of While there have been several other Australasian Arachnology will feature the works published on life cycles in theraphosids (Célérier, 1992; among the Australasian Arachnology No. 73 – January 2006 Page 11 more noteworthy), knowledge in this area constructed by Australian , is sparse. In this research note the seemingly depending on geographic complete life cycle of Selenotypus sp. conditions. Along the coastal regions in “glenelva” is illustrated, with additional the tropics, wet sclerophyl conditions are notes on prospective captive breeding to typical and in this habitat opportunistic 2nd generation of this species (Editorial burrows are the retreat of choice. comment: Part 2 on the life cycle of S. sp. Entrances are usually found under rocks “glenelva” will appear in the next issue of or logs along steep inclines. However, in Australasian Arachnology). the semi-arid and arid regions, obligate burrows are constructed, and whilst often found on slopes of hills, they are also common on flat, plain surfaces.

Fig. 1: Female of Selenotypus sp. “glenelva”. Fig. 2: Typical habitat for Selenotypus sp. “glenelva” Life Cycle and natural history of Australian tarantulas Ecological and behavioural observations on Selenotypus sp. “glenelva” In Australia, male tarantulas usually mature between May-July each year and The theraphosid Selenotypus sp. can be seen wandering looking for “glenelva” is an inland, semi-arid zone conspecific females from this time on spider, living in obligate burrows for most through most of winter, representing the of its life. These burrows can be found on breeding season for our theraphosids plain flat terrain. They are between 25- (pers. obs.). Females will create an egg 40cm deep and are a typical obligate sac around September-November and, if burrow “J” shape. They have an successful, 2nd instar spiderlings will expanded area at the end that the spider emerge around 5-7 weeks later. usually resides in during the daytime. Depending on the species, between 100- This chamber also serves as the moulting 250 eggs per sac are typical. Australian chamber. At night, the spider will move to tarantulas inhabit a diversity of habitats. the mouth of the burrow with the first two There are several Australian genera and pair of legs stretched out, waiting to their life cycles vary greatly, with some sense prey in the immediate vicinity. species maturing in under 1½ years, Sometimes the spider will leave the others in 6 years and over. Both obligate burrow entirely to find food, although and opportunistic retreat structures are rarely, if ever, straying more then 30cm Australasian Arachnology No. 73 – January 2006 Page 12 from the entrance. Food remains have Baerg, W.J., Peck, W.B. 1970. A note on been found often when digging out the longevity and moult cycle of two burrows and are composed of snail tropical theraphosids. Bull. Brit. shells, beetle and millpede exoskeletons. Arachnol. Soc. 1: 107-108. Less often, small vetebrate remains, such as frog, skink and mouse bones and Célérier, M.L. 1992: Fifteen years some hair and skin are found experience of breeding a theraphosid (generic/specific identification of prey spider from Ivory Coast. Scodra items unkown). Burrow plugging griseipes Pocock, 1897, in captivity. In behaviour (Minch, 1979) has been Arachnida: Proceedings of a observed in both winter and summer, with Symposium on Spiders and their Allies old exuvia and food remains mixed with (Cooper, J.E., Pearce-Kelly, P. & dirt and silk utilised in the plug Williams, D.L., eds), London, pp. 99- construction. 110. Kotzman M. 1986. Aspects of the Biology of Selenocosmia stirlingi Hogg (Araneae: Theraphosidae). Ph.D. Thesis, Monash University, Australia. Kotzman, M. 1988. Sexual differentiation in juveniles of Selenocosmia stirlingi Hogg (Araneae: Theraphosidae) based on cuticular structures. Aust. Entomol. Soc. Misc. Publ. 5, 49-54. Main, B.Y. 1982. Adaptations to arid habitats by mygalomorph spiders. In: Evolution of the Flora and Fauna of

Fig. 3: Burrow entrance of Selenotypus Arid Australia. (W.R. Barker & P.J.M. sp. “glenelva” Greenslade, eds). Frewville, South Australia, Peacock Publications in Only 10% of burrows have association with Australian Systematic contained juveniles and these juveniles Botany Society and ANZAAS South were generally 1-2 instars from sexual Australian Division pp 273-283. maturity. However, I found the occasional early instar specimen under rocks Main B.Y. 1985: . In: (although these were very difficult to Walton, D. W. (ed.), Zoological locate). Catalogue of Australia, 3. Arachnida: Mygalomorphae, in (To be continued in the next issue.) part, Pseudoscorpionida, Amblypygi, and Palpigradi. Australian References Government Publishing Service, Baerg, W.J. 1963. Tarantula life history Canberra, pp. 1–48. records. J. New York Ent. Soc. 71: 233-238. Australasian Arachnology No. 73 – January 2006 Page 13

Minch, E.W. 1979. Burrow entrance A short history of the Australasian plugging behaviour in the tarantula Arachnological Society Aphonopelma chalcodes Chamberlin (Araneae: Theraphophosidae). Bull. by Tracey Churchill Br. Arachnol. Soc. 4, 414-420. The society was formed in Nunn S.C. 2002. Observations on the November 1979 by Robert Raven, when behaviour of a predatory wasp, he was an enthusiastic technical officer Hemipepsis sp. (Hymenoptera, for Dr Valerie Todd-Davies, the then Pompilidae), and its prey, curator of Arachnology at the Selenocosmia crassipes (Araneae, Museum, Brisbane. Robert created the Theraphosidae). Aust. Arachnol. 64: society's newsletter "Australasian 5-7. Arachnology" to foster communication amidst colleagues and interested Raven, R.J. 1985. The spider infraorder amateurs that were spread across a large Mygalomorphae (Araneae): cladistics geographical area. Dr Raven managed and systematics. Bull. Amer. Mus. the membership for a number of years Nat. Hist. 182: 1-180. and produced 24 issues of Australasian Arachnology overall, with various taxa Raven R.J. 2005. A new tarantula depicting the covers. He is now curator of species from northern Australia Arachnology at the Queensland Museum, (Araneae, Theraphosidae) Zootaxa in Brisbane, and continues to be an avid 1004: 15–28. supporter of the society. Smith, A.M. 1987. The Tarantula: Vlassification and Identification Guide (2nd edition) Fitzgerald Publishing, London, 178 pp. Schmidt, G.E.W. 1995. Gehören "Selenocosmia" crassipes (L. Koch, 1873) und "Selenocosmia" stirlingi Hogg, 1901 (Araneida: Theraphosidae: ) wirklich zu Selenocosmia Ausserer, 1871? Arachnologisches Magazin, 3: Robert Raven, the founder of the 1–12. Australasian Arachnological Society th Schmidt, G.E.W. 2002. Neues Phlogius– photographed at the 16 International Material (Araneae: Theraphosidae: Congress of Arachnology in Gent Selenocosmiinae) aus Papua- In 1983, Richard Faulder, of Neuguinea und Beschreibung des Yanco Agricultural Institute, became Männchens von Phlogius papuanus administrator to manage the growing (Kulczynski, 1908). Tarantulas of the membership. Richard also assumed World 70: 3–9 editorial responsibilities producing issues 10-20 of the newsletter whilst Robert Australasian Arachnology No. 73 – January 2006 Page 14

Raven was overseas doing his post- At the international doctoral research. Having returned from arachnological meeting in South Africa in overseas in 1985, Robert Raven took up 2001, former editors gathered to discuss the editorial reigns again with issue 21, the options for the next Australian although Richard continued to print the meeting. newsletter. In June 2004, Volker Framenau, In May 1986, the first meeting of in a post-doctoral position at the Western Australasian arachnologists was held as Australian Museum, took over the a special symposium of the 17th Annual editorial reigns from issue 70. Since General Meeting of the Australian Volker's research also covered taxonomy Entomological Society in Tunanda/South and ecology, he could continue Australia. It was a great success. Twelve broadening the newsletter content. In line papers were presented, and eleven were with the growing use of online facilities, published in a special proceedings Volker offered the newsletter as a pdf- volume in 1988: "Australian Arachnology" version, naturally adopting a lycosid as its edited by Andy Austin and N. Heather. first cover page. He was instrumental in (The Australian Entomological Society getting the society website up and Miscellaneous Publication No. 5) running in August 2005. Through this medium the society hopes to deliver In January 1989, Robert Raven arachnological information to a wider produced his last issue, no. 35, before audience and increase the participation in handing over to Mark Harvey, today the society. This will also serve to justify Senior Curator of Arachnology at the more frequent meetings that can bring Western Australian Museum, Perth. Mark together the geographically dispersed soon adopted his trademark cover picture membership. of Nicodamus peregrinus, drawn by Graham Milledge. Newsletters continued Volker was also keen to facilitate to be produced by Mark with help from a national meeting and teamed up with Julianne Waldock, until issue 54. Mariella Herberstein, Barry Richardson and Mark Harvey to introduce a special At the international symposium, "Australasian Arachnology - arachnological meeting in Chicago in Evolution, Ecology and Conservation", at 1998, Mark offered Tracey Churchill, then the Combined Australian Entomological with CSIRO in Darwin, the editorial Society, Society of Australian Systematic position. From April 1999 to May 2004, Biologists and Invertebrate Biodiversity Tracey produced issues 55-69 with cover and Conservation Conference in pictures of a variety of taxa. She also December 2005, in Canberra. introduced sections to cover student projects to encourage the growing interest in ecology at university level. Tracey was keen to see a website developed and an informal committee evolved with Volker Framenau and former editors of the society newsletter. Australasian Arachnology No. 73 – January 2006 Page 15

Environmental Sciences, The University “Invertebrates 2005” of Adelaide, Adelaide Symposium: Australasian 3Evolutionary Biology Unit, South Australian Arachnology – Evolution, Museum, Adelaide. Ecology and Conservation Members of the genus are ubiquitous in Australasia and well known Abstracts because of the large females that are found in extensive orb webs constructed partly of This section contains the bright yellow silk. Here we present the abstracts of the presentations (oral and results of a detailed taxonomic and poster) of the Symposium on phylogenetic study that demonstrates five “Australasian Arachnology – Evolution, species are present in the region, three of Ecology and Conservation” as part of which occur on continental Australia. More the “Combined Australian Entomological than 50 junior synonyms exist for these five Society, Society of Australian Systematic species, and largely result from the isolated Biologists and Invertebrate Biodiversity work of European spider taxonomists in the and Conservation Conference” from the 19th and early 20th centuries. Nephila pilipes 4th – 9th December in Canberra, Australia. (F.), the largest species, occurs in the closed I have also listed all abstracts on forests of eastern and northern Australia, arachnology, which were not part of the New Guinea and south-east Asia; N. two official sessions of our symposium on plumipes (L.) is found in eastern Australia Tuesday and Wednesday. and islands of the near south-west Pacific; Abstracts are listed in N. tetragnathoides (Walckenaer) inhabits alphabetical order of the presenting Fiji, Tonga and Niue; N. antipodiana author (bold and underlined). (Walckenaer) occurs to the north of mainland Australia and into south-east Asia; We will also aim to list these while N. edulis (Labillardière) is found across abstracts on the webpage of the Australia as well as in New Guinea, New Australasian Arachnological Society in Zealand and New Caledonia. Analysis of 37 early 2006 (check frequently at allozyme loci shows that N. pilipes is very www.australasian-arachnology.org). distinct from the other species, displaying

“fixed differences” at 80% of loci examined, Systematics and Biology of the while N. plumipes and N. tetragnathoides Australasian Golden Orb-Weaving are the most closely related, being Spiders diagnosable at just 15% of these loci. No significant genetic differentiation was found 1 2 Mark S. Harvey , Andy D. Austin , & between 10 populations of N. edulis 3 Mark Adams sampled across the continent. A number of 1Department of Terrestrial Invertebrates, biological attributes including diurnal Western Australian Museum, Perth activity, extreme sexual dimorphism, wide prey range and large population size, render 2Centre for Evolutionary Biology & the members of this genus as favoured Biodiversity, School of Earth & Australasian Arachnology No. 73 – January 2006 Page 16 models for ecological and behaviour cambridgei Simon and M. bicincta Simon research on spiders. are described for the first time, as are two new species of Myandra. The possible The Long- Ground Spiders, relationships of the Prodidomidae are Prodidomidae Simon, 1884, of analysed with NONA. Australia – and example Revision of the species of Barbara C. Baehr Queensland (Araneae: Zodariidae). An Queensland Museum, PO Box 3300, example for species richness and South Brisbane, Q. 4101 variation In 1990 Norman Platnick redefined the Barbara C. Baehr family Prodidomidae including now only Queensland Museum, PO Box 3300, those gnaphosoid spiders with greatly South Brisbane, Q. 4101 elongated piriform gland spigot bases accompanied by highly plumose or scaled The yellow spotted Ground Spiders, setae. The Prodidomidae are an excellent Habronestes, belong to one of the most example of the extraordinarily diverse diverse Spider genera in Australia. fauna of Australia. Although only ten Twenty-eight species are already species were previously known from the described but about 80 species are still region, now the Australian Prodidomidae without names. They are small to consist of seven genera and 137 species. medium sized spiders (2–12mm) and The genus Prodidomus contains 8 most species can be easily recognized by species. Seven species are newly their colour pattern and their special kind described from Western Australia, the of male . Most yellow spotted Northern Territory, and Queensland. Ground Spiders are diurnal and feed From the genus Molycria, only the predominantly on , mimicking their widespread species M. mammosa (O. P.- behaviour and sometimes even their Cambridge) and M. quadricauda (Simon) chemical traits. were already described, 34 species were In Australia, the ant fauna is one of the newly described. The new genus most important components in all Wydundra is described from 40 new ecosystems. This could be the reason for Australian species. Molycria splendida the unique high diversity and the extreme Simon is transferred to the new genus evolutionary success of the yellow Wesmaldra, and 13 new species of spotted Ground Spiders, Habronestes in Wesmaldra are described from Western Australia. Australia and the Northern Territory. Queensland inhabits three quite Molycria flavipes Simon is transferred to distinctive Habronestes species–groups: the new genus Nomindra and 15 new the H. macedonensis–group with big species of Nomindra are described. The anterior median eyes, the H. australiensis- male of Cryptoerithus occultus Rainbow is group with extremely large posterior described for the first time, and 18 new median eyes, and the H. pictus-group species are assigned to Cryptoerithus. with quite small eyes. To date, 9 Adult males and females of Myandra Australasian Arachnology No. 73 – January 2006 Page 17 described and 17 new species are well as farmers require information on the recognized. This revision of the impacts of both managed burns carried Habronestes species of Queensland will out in spring, and accidental fires, which reveal the exciting world of ant spiders, usually occur in drier conditions in describing the species and make them summer. This study investigated the useful: impact of spring and summer fires on the predominant soil microarthropods, - for any survey undertaken to understand Collembola and Acari at two sites in the Biological Diversity of the Australian Otago, in the South Island of New terrestrial invertebrate fauna, because Zealand. These sites represented higher most of the species have a and lower altitude native grassland sites. distinct distribution or occur only in Quantitative sampling was carried out distinct habitats; before and for up to 26 months after - as “Indicator Species” in environmental burning on replicated 1ha plots. conservation, because they are restricted Collembola and mite abundance in to certain habitats as well as to certain unburned plots covered a similar range at ant species. both sites with an average over three years of about 18,000-20,000m-2 at each The Australian Zodariids will be therefore site. At both sites, Mesostigmata and an important spider family to support the Oribatida (Acari), and Isotomidae functioning of the Enviroment Protection (Collembola) were the dominant groups and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. represented. Burning in spring reduced densities of Oribatida after treatment at Effect of burning on densities of Acari both sites for the duration of the study. (Arachnida) and Collembola (Insecta) However, after initial post-burn reductions in New Zealand indigenous grassland in density, populations of Isotomidae and Poduridea (Collembola) recovered in the Barbara I.P. Barratt, P. Tozer, R. second year after burning. Prostigmata Wiedemer, C.M. Ferguson, & P.D. (Acari) appeared to be unaffected by fire. Johnstone Further sampling will be required in order AgResearch Invermay, Private Bag to determine the time required for these 50034, Mosgiel, New Zealand microarthopod communities to recover from the effects of disturbance to the Indigenous tussock grasslands in New environment caused by fire, and to Zealand have a history of extensive ascertain the extent to which community pastoralism, and burning has been used structure will change in response to as a management tool to remove litter to changes in vegetation composition that improve establishment of oversown have occurred, and the meso- and pasture species, and to promote palatable macroarthropod communities with which tussock growth for livestock. In recent they interact. years, however, considerable areas of tussock grassland have been formally protected for conservation values. As a result, conservation land managers, as Australasian Arachnology No. 73 – January 2006 Page 18

while Hadronyche sp. 1 showed evidence A comparative phylogeographic study of a recent colonisation event and a of two niche differentiated funnel web subsequent explosive radiation (average spider species sequence diversity 0.011). These findings Amber S. Beavis1, David M. Rowell1, suggest differential responses to Paul Sunnucks2 historical climate change. 1Division of Botany & Zoology, Australian Closed habitat occupation National University, ACT 0200 compromises foraging profitability in the orb web spider Argiope keyserlingi 2School of Biological Sciences and Australian Centre for Biodiversity Blamires, Sean J., Michael B. Thompson Analysis, Policy and Management, & Dieter F. Hochuli Monash University, , Victoria Heydon Laurence Building A08, School of 3800 Biological Sciences, University of Sydney, The forest floor provides multiple habitat Sydney, New South Wales 2006 niches for a diverse range of invertebrate Open habitats may be more taxa. As part of a broad-scale profitable for foraging, but they are comparative phylogeography project associated with considerable costs, such examining population structure amongst as increased predation and exposure to saproxylic (dependent upon decomposing climatic extremes. These costs are most wood) invertebrates, this study compares intense for stationary, trap-building the phylogeography of funnel web spider foragers who need to weigh up the costs species from disparate habitats. The two and benefits of using open habitats. We species of interest share similar measured orb web architecture and prey ecological characteristics, geographic availability, size and diversity for the range and are closely related, however spider Argiope keyserlingi in closed and each occupies a distinct habitat niche: open habitats in the field and laboratory Hadronyche sp. 1 burrows within to determine if occupancy of closed decomposing logs, while Atrax sp. 1 habitats influences foraging profitability. burrows in soil on the forest floor. The We used generalized linear modeling to niche partitioning of these species allows determine the factors acting on web this study to separate species and habitat architecture in closed habitats. Argiope as contributing factors to the survival of keyserlingi built webs with smaller capture resident populations through the glacial- areas, lower to the ground, and with interglacial cycles that characterised the smaller spiral distances in closed Quaternary (1.8Mybp). Phylogeography compared to open habitats. The types of was investigated using the mitochondrial decorations added to webs do not differ in gene COI and analysed using distance open and closed habitats in the field but methods, maximum likelihood and are more fully cruciform in enclosed statistical parsimony. Atrax sp. 1 areas in the laboratory. Prey abundance displayed high levels of sequence is similar in the two habitats, but the prey divergence (average = 0.075), and deep items in the closed habitat are smaller phylogeographic structuring of haplotypes and dominated by Diptera and Australasian Arachnology No. 73 – January 2006 Page 19

Hymenoptera. Space availability is Sherwood. Furthermore, we examined responsible for the smaller areas and whether spider assemblages were spiral distances of webs in closed patterned more finely than land systems habitats. It is less profitable for A. by testing for differences between keyserlingi to forage in closed habitats landforms that were topographically and it is likely that they trade off foraging higher or lower within the Bullimore land profitability against costs associated with system. To understand the influence of occupying open habitats. environmental/biotic factors on spider assemblages, vegetation species, Conserving invertebrate biodiversity in vegetation structure and soil properties the rangelands: are land systems were measured. Significant differences in effective surrogates for spider spider species composition occurred assemblages? between the Bullimore and Sherwood land systems. Spider species composition Gaynor Owen1,2, Karl E. C. Brennan1,3 & also differed significantly between the B. Ward2 land forms within the Bullimore. The most important correlates of the spider 1Environmental Biology, Curtin University assemblages were soil texture size and of Technology, Perth 6845 the proportion of bare ground. We 2Western Australian Department of conclude that environmental surrogates Conservation & Land Management, Perth based on land systems, are not able to 3 accurately represent entire spider Forest & Ecosystem Science, University assemblages and that a more fine of Melbourne, Creswick 3363 grained approach such as landforms Effective conservation planning might be needed. requires understanding ecological processes as well as the spatial and Crab spiders (Araneae: Thomisidae): temporal patterning of biota. Here, up close and personal environmental surrogates, such as land systems derived for the pastoral industry, Cathy Car can identify and fill gaps in the reserve School of Science and Technology, system. Previous investigations show Charles Sturt University, Locked Bag 588, strong support for land systems as Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, 2650. surrogates for biodiversity in the rangelands. However, few studies have Despite their ecological considered spiders in testing land significance and potential as an indicator systems as surrogates. This research group, little is known about the patterns of project was specifically aimed at distribution and abundance of Australian determining if land systems might act as crab spiders (Araneae: Thomisidae). In a surrogate for spiders at Lorna Glen order to address this lack of knowledge, Station in the rangelands of Western Thomisidae were chosen as a focal group Australia. We tested the overall difference within several areas of remnant in spider assemblages between two woodlands in the South Western Slopes different land systems; Bullimore and region of NSW. This study documented Australasian Arachnology No. 73 – January 2006 Page 20 the species diversity of thomisids in most parts of the world, however they associated with the understorey are especially widespread in the tropics. vegetation of four study sites. In addition, In Australia there are relatively few the relationships between thomisid named and described species of species richness and abundance and the . During their development, following were investigated: attributes of Myrmarachne mimic different ant species the vegetation, seasonal influences and from those mimicked by the adult. Most abiotic factors. When looked at on a fine adult Myrmarachne species are taxonomic scale, thomisids showed polymorphic in colour and pattern, as well considerable variation, both temporally as being sexually dimorphic. This means and spatially, in their responses to that classifying Myrmarachne species environmental factors. Responses of based on the individuals' appearances genera and age groups within genera did can be misleading. This project involves not mirror those of the family as a whole. developing appropriate means for There appeared to be two main groups of differentiating Myrmarachne species, and thomisid genera: those that matured in in the process describing and naming the spring and were influenced by the most commonly occurring Myrmarachne flowering of shrubs and those, that species from the Townsville area, North matured in summer and were influenced Queensland. Information on the ecology by other factors. Age groups within and biology, as well as morphological genera also did not respond in the same features that can be used to distinguish way to environmental factors. While between species will be presented. This thomisids were easily sampled and project can be expanded to other areas of contained an appropriate diversity of Australia once efficient means of species, they were not readily identifiable distinguishing Myrmarachne species have to species level. Their responses to been found. environmental variables were complex and unpredictable. One is forced to Legions with eight legs: taxonomy and conclude therefore, that thomisids as a systematics of the Australian wolf whole are not particularly suitable as spiders (Araneae, Lycosidae) indicator taxa. Volker W. Framenau New species of ant-mimicking spiders Department of Terrestrial Invertebrates, (Salticidae: Myrmarachne) from North Western Australian Museum, Locked Bag Queensland 49, Welshpool DC, Western Australia F.Sara Ceccarelli 6986, Australia School of Tropical Biology, James Cook Wolf spiders represent one of the University, Townsville, QLD 4811 dominant spider families world-wide, both in diversity and local abundance. They Myrmarachne (Araneae: can be found from the seashore to the Salticidae) is a large genus of ant- alpine zone on Mt Kosciuszko. In mimicking jumping spiders, with over 200 particular habitats, such as the banks of recognised species. Myrmarachne occur gravely rivers and streams in the Australasian Arachnology No. 73 – January 2006 Page 21

Australian Alps, they represent 70% of Arachnids in the conservation arena – the macro-invertebrate fauna. two case studies using comparative Consequently, wolf spiders are frequently phylogeographic methods encountered in pitfall trap based Mark S. Harvey1, Oliver Berry2, Steven ecological and conservation studies and 3 1 are used as model organisms in Cooper , Karen Edward , Garth Humphreys4, Barbara York Main2 & Kathy evolutionary research. 3 I have examined more than 15,000 Saint records (> 40,000 specimens) of wolf 1Department of Terrestrial Invertebrates, spiders from Australian museums over Western Australian Museum, Locked Bag the last three years during a revision of 49, Welshpool DC, Western Australia the Lycosidae funded by the Australian 6986 Biological Resources Studies (ABRS). 2 Following revision, the Australian fauna is School of Biology, University of estimated to include 500 species in ca. 25 Western Australia, Crawley, Western genera and three subfamilies. Lycosinae Australia 6009 (11,989 records) dominate the Australian 3 South Australian Museum, North fauna, followed by a currently unnamed Terrace, Adelaide, South Australia 5000 Australasian subfamily (3,482 records) and the Venoniinae (384 records). The 4Biota Environmental Sciences Pty Ltd, lycosine genus Tasmanicosa with one PO Box 176, North Perth, Western fifth of all records, is the most common Australia 6006 genus and includes the omnipresent Despite the preponderance of Garden Wolf Spider, T. godeffroyi (1,048 invertebrates in all ecosystems, they are records), and Leuckart’s Wolf Spider, T. only rarely used in detailed leuckartii (818 records). This presentation phylogeographic studies. To assist efforts provides an overview of the Australian to understand the conservation wolf spider fauna and introduces significance of two different regions of important diagnostic features at Western Australia, we undertook detailed subfamily, generic and species level. A molecular and morphological studies on number of genera are specialised, either two separate arachnid clades within in habitat (Tetralycosa, on or near salt Western Australia, spiders of the genus lakes and seashores), distribution Moggridgea (Araneae, Migidae) in the (Tuberculosa, tropical), or burrow southwest, and schizomids of the genus morphology (Hoggicosa, trapdoor lid; Draculoides (, ) Mainosa, shuttlecock palisade). Whilst a in the Pilbara. generic framework has been developed for most Australian species, not all A mtDNA phylogeography of questions could be resolved. Future Moggridgea showed deep genetic studies on Australian lycosids should structuring between populations that was focus on the genera Venator, with a large partly concordant with lineages defined number of arid zone species, and Artoria, using morphological characters, and a common along the southeast coast and nuclear gene (rRNA ITS). Moggridgea the southwest. tingle was found to occur from Walpole to Australasian Arachnology No. 73 – January 2006 Page 22

Margaret River. Other populations from isolated montane refuges (Stirling Evolution of flower signal exploitation Ranges, Porongurup Ranges and Mt by crab spiders Manypeaks) were represented by distinct Astrid M. Heiling1, Anne E. Wignall, Ken and concordant lineages of mtDNA and Cheng, Lars Chittka & Marie E. nuclear genes, consistent with the Herberstein1 presence of more than one species 1 amongst these elevated regions. Species Department of Biological Sciences, of Draculoides occur in karst systems on Macquarie University New South Wales North-West Cape and Barrow Island and 2109 are newly recorded from within pisolite- In plant evolution, flower signals dominated mesas in the Pilbara. A are key innovation that initiated a combined morphological and molecular communication system to the benefit of study on all Pilbara populations and a both signaler (flower) and receiver selection of North-West Cape and Barrow (insect). Visual, olfactory and tactile Island populations shows significant flower signals lure pollinating insects to divergence between the two regions. The the reproductive organs of the flower, recognition of the North-West Cape and where insects find profitable food sources Barrow Island species is validated by the (nectar and pollen) and in turn provide molecular study. Considerable molecular reproductive service to the plant. Crab divergence between the Pilbara spiders intrude this communication populations is supported by small but system by ambushing pollinating insects, consistent differences in key for example bees, on flowers. We aimed morphological features, suggesting that to investigate the effect of evolutionary each mesa is inhabited by separate history of crab spiders and their bee prey species of Draculoides. The mesas were on bee behaviour. formed during the Tertiary but are now isolated from each other by terrains that We experimentally tested the are unsuitable for dispersal of response of crab spiders and bees to Draculoides. flower signals such as flower colour, flower smell and symmetry patterns. These studies highlight the Moreover, we investigated the effect of usefulness of studying arachnids that crab spider presence on flowers on bee exhibit all the traits of short-range behaviour. Australian crab spiders endemism. Combined molecular and (Thomisus spectabilis and Diaea evanida) morphological studies provide compelling and bees that co-evolved with their evidence for deep divergences between predators (Trigona carbonaria) showed no elevated landforms in different regions of coinciding flower choice, while European Western Australia. honeybees (Apis mellifera) that did not co- evolve with Australian crab spiders preferred flower symmetry patterns and flower smell that also attracted spiders. The presence of crab spider on flowers visually manipulates the appearance of Australasian Arachnology No. 73 – January 2006 Page 23 flowers to both co-evolved and not co- as the cost of cannibalism to a sterile evolved bees. Australian crab spiders on male may be very low. flowers manipulated the flower signal in a way that deterred co-evolved bees Do dominant spider structure rock (Australoplebia australis), but attracted outcrop assemblages? European honeybees. Dieter F. Hochuli, J. K. Webb Predation is a key selective force that shapes behavioural adaptations of Institute of Wildlife Research, School of prey, and our results suggest the Biological Science, Heydon-Laurence evolution of an antipredator-response in Building (A08), The University of Sydney, bees, which share a phylogenetic history NSW 2006 with their predators. In contrast, such The invertebrate fauna of rock outcrops antipredatory adaptations are missing in on Hawkesbury sandstone are poorly bees that did not co-evolve with understood despite the threats posed by Australian crab spiders. bush rock collection, listed as a key Genital damage and threatening process in New South Wales. cannibalism in spiders: a review and The outcrops are resource poor habitats prospectus dominated by predators and opportunists competing for retreat sites whose quality Marie E. Herberstein is characterized by their thermal properties. We experimentally removed Department of Biological Sciences, the dominant flat rock spiders (Hemicloea Macquarie University New South Wales major) from their retreat sites to assess 2109 their impact on the assemblages of these Traditionally, male reproductive habitats. We performed the experiment at success was thought to be limited only by 9 sites nested within three independent the number of females he can coerce into plateaus in Morton National Park around mating. However, the cannibalistic 160km south of Sydney. Four months tendencies in some spiders place an after spider removal, rocks were obvious limit to male reproductive recolonised by a range of fauna including potential: in some species, males will only juvenile flat rock spiders and other mate once or twice with a single female predators including skinks, geckos, other before he is eaten. Recent work on the spiders and centipedes. Numerous morphology of male and female genitalia potential prey items (primarily in a variety of spiders has uncovered an , Laxta sp.) also colonized additional limitation to male reproduction: rocks where spiders were removed. In genital damage. Here I will present a confirming that competition for high short summary of known cases of genital quality retreat sites is intense on rock damage in spiders from the literature and outcrops, our results also show that high my own collaborative work. Sterility as a densities of predators in these systems result of genital damage may have mean that potential regulation of important implications to the evolution assemblages through top-down and maintenance of sexual cannibalism, processes is tempered by competition Australasian Arachnology No. 73 – January 2006 Page 24 from other predators. The importance of 1School of Animal Biology, University of competition in these systems highlights Western Australia, 35 Stirling Hwy, the threats caused by human removal of Crawley, W.A. 6009; prime habitat and the urgency for action 2Department of Terrestrial Invertebrates, to control the threatening process Western Australian Museum, Locked Bag 49, Welshpool DC, W.A. 6986. Burrowing behaviour and aerial tube construction in Misgolas robertsi In 1973, Rolly McKay coined the (Mygalomorphae: ) term ‘bicolor group’ for a group of large Australian wolf spiders with a striking leg Sydney Jordan and body colouration. The legs have Zoology Department, University of New alternate pale and dark colouration with England, Armidale, NSW 2351 different species displaying different colour combinations of leg segments. In The aim of this poster is to addition, several species have describe burrowing behaviour and aerial characteristic, contrasting bands on the tube construction in a mygalomorph abdomen. Unusual within wolf spiders, in spider. Misgolas robertsi are trapdoor which males often incorporate a visual spiders that construct a silken aerial tube component into their courtship display, above the entrance to their burrows. males of most species within the bicolor Specimens of M. robertsi were collected group lose their distinct colouration when from the field and maintained in a moulting to adults. Therefore, although laboratory. Burrowing behaviour was present in collections, males have not recorded and analysed for each specimen been attributed to matching females, and using cameras attached to VCRs. A it is mainly the females that were number of specific behaviours and the illustrated for the nine species currently stages involved in burrow excavation and recognised. Our research shows that the aerial tube construction will be described species of the bicolor group represent a in detail. Experiments were also carried monophyletic group at generic level, not out in the laboratory to test whether the only unified by their distinct colouration, aerial tube aided in the capture of flying but also male and female genitalic insects. These results will also be features. Hoggicosa Roewer, 1960, with discussed. Lycosa errans Hogg, 1905 as type species, is the valid name for this Where did my colour go? The Australian genus, although at present all systematics and biology of the ‘bicolor species are misplaced in the northern group’ of Australian wolf spiders hemisphere genus Lycosa. Three (Araneae, Lycosidae) species, including the type of the genus L. errans, are considered junior synonyms Peter R. Langlands1 & Volker W. 2 of L. castanea Hogg, 1905. Five new Framenau species are described for the first time, resulting in a total of eleven species. These large and colourful lycosids are well distributed through western and Australasian Arachnology No. 73 – January 2006 Page 25 southern Australia, found predominately to enhance the current understanding of in arid and semi-arid areas. Living in lycosid relationships, phylogenies of 70 burrows, several species construct a trap lycosid species were reconstructed by door from sand or pebbles. parsimony and Bayesian methods using three molecular markers; the Molecular phylogenetic reconstruction mitochondrial genes 12S rRNA, NADH1, of the wolf spiders (Araneae: and the nuclear gene 28S rRNA. The Lycosidae): implications for resultant trees from the mitochondrial classification, biogeography and the markers were used to assess the current evolution of web building behaviour taxonomic status of the Lycosidae and to assess the evolutionary history of sheet- Nick P. Murphy1, Volker W. Framenau2, web construction in the group. The results Steve Donellan3, Mark S. Harvey2, Aandy suggest that a number of genera are not D. Austin1 monophyletic, and that some subfamily relationships need to be reassessed. In 1Centre for Evolutionary Biology & addition, a major clade of strictly Biodiversity, School of Earth and Australasian taxa may require the Environmental Sciences, The University creation of a new subfamily. The analysis of Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia of sheet-web building in Lycosidae 2Department of Terrestrial Invertebrates, revealed that the interpretation of this trait Western Australian Museum, Francis St, as an ancestral state relies on two Perth, WA 6000, Australia factors: 1) an asymmetrical model 3 favouring the loss of sheet-webs, and 2) Evolutionary Biology Unit, South that the suspended silken tube of Pirata is Australian Museum, North Terrace, directly descended from sheet-web Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia building Wolf spiders are one of the largest spider families, and although the Endangered species, science, ethics family Lycosidae is generally considered and communication: to represent a monophyletic taxon, the the tarantula's publishing dilemma internal classification of the group is still uncertain. Several subfamilies and tribes Robert J. Raven are still in use but most are without clear Queensland Museum, PO Box 3300, definitions or have not been demonstrated South Brisbane, Q. 4101 as clearly monophyletic. The family includes a range of prey-capture Biodiversity is important, both to strategies ranging from web-building be recognised and documented. species (generally with long posterior Australian Whistling spiders or Tarantulas ) to burrow-dwellers and (family Theraphosidae), it is believed, are vagrants. Whilst the web-building groups being taken out of the Queensland wild at are generally postulated as being the the rate of 10,000 spiders per year most basal within the family, this without apparent control. In 2003, NT supposition has never been tested within implemented regulations, which prohibits a robust phylogenetic framework. In order the import of spiders and encourages Australasian Arachnology No. 73 – January 2006 Page 26 captive breeding. In Queensland, 4 1CSIRO Entomology, GPO Box 1700, species are currently listed as ACT 2601 "threatened" but its legislation requires 2Department of Zoology, University of only that commercial sellers and breeders Podlasie, 08-110 Siedlce, Poland, register and pay an annual license fee. Apart from standard permits required for 3Australian Museum, 6 College Street, collection in National Parks and other Sydney South, NSW 2010 protected areas, no other state has implemented any regulation, on keeping, A total of 4104 locality records rearing or selling native spiders. Although for specimens of 51 genera were stored in only 9 species of the family were BioLink. Maps of observed and predicted described (of which only 5 are presently (using BIOCLIM) distributions were considered valid) for Australia, based on prepared for each genus. The predicted my revision, the actual number is closer distributions were combined to provide to 40. Contrary to early views, few estimates of the number of genera likely species are widespread; several are to be found at each locality. known only from one locality and have The current distribution of not been recollected for 100 years. Many genera is predicted by their bioclimatic species occur predominantly in areas profiles rather than by their origins or privately owned for either agriculture or ecology. Some Oriental genera, however, cattle. Because these spiders are so little have not reached southwestern WA, known, when many new species are though bioclimatic conditions there are described from Australia, a high premium predicted to be suitable for them. (both nationally and internationally) will Maximum regional diversity is predicted be placed upon their “heads”. Collectors for central eastern Queensland, though will use the co-ordinate data provided in diversity at single locations is highest the monograph to locate the spiders and further south in the NSW/Qld border will substantially reduce the populations region. The locations of hotspots are and probably threaten entire species therefore scale dependent. The results unless proactive protection orders and highlight the shortcomings of past strategies are put in place now. That is of fieldwork in Australia, which has course unless a triage solution is found: concentrated on the higher rainfall areas. descriptions may be published without It seems likely that inland Australia will specific localities, species may be lumped support a large, highly endemic, fauna (as they are now), or the monograph need adapted to the region and ultimately, not be published… perhaps forty or more genera could be found in each region. The results show Distributional Patterns of Jumping the possibility of using the maps of spiders (Araneae: Salticidae) in predicted distribution of genera not only Australia for biogeographic analyses but also for 1 2 conservation management and survey Barry J. Richardson , Marek Zabka , purposes. Mike R. Gray3 & Graham Milledge3 Australasian Arachnology No. 73 – January 2006 Page 27

Abundance and distribution of the The results will be mapped to update the Tree-Stem Trapdoor Spider, Aganippe current abundance and distribution record castellum in the Eastern West of A. castellum. This poster will also Australian wheatbelt describe the population dynamics and burrow characteristics/structures of A. M. Russell castellum. School of Natural Sciences, Edith Cowan University, WA 6027 Chromosomal phylogeography of cancerides The Tree-Stem Trapdoor Spider (Aganippe castellum, family: Ctenizidae) Haley Sharp, David Rowell is currently classified as rare and likely to Department of Botany and Zoology, become extinct. It has a distinct above- Australian National University, ACT 0200 ground burrow structure which separates it from other trapdoor spider species with The Australian social , an aerial, webbed tube extending up Delenca cancerides, encompasses a against the base of a tree or shrub. It also numer of chromosomally distinct races. has clusters of bilaterally grouped twig These include an ancestral population wit lines, which drape to the ground on its left an entirely telocentric genome, a and right side which direct foraging prey metacentric bivalent-forming population (mainly ants) past the mouth of the nest. saturated from Robertsonian fusions, and The nest of foraging base also supplies a a number of raches with monobrachial brood chamber of eggs and spiderlings homology, which leads to the formation of and protection from predators, parasites sex-linked, alternately segregating chains and the physical environment. at male meiosis. As the species exhibits prodigal dispersal Spiders from throughout southeastern (scattering widely) and settles in isolation Australia were examined, and eight new some distance from the parents (in open karyomorphs identified, possibly ground), it is at a disadvantage with a representing as many as eleven new regard to foraging (less concentrated races. These occupy clearly delineated prey), reproduction (the males’ search for geographic ranges within a continuous females is longer and more dangerous) distribution. Three of the new forms have and habitat (a viable population requires single sex-linked meiotic chains, similar a relatively large area of habitat). to those previously reported, and five carry pairs of chains. Stable systems There are currently twelve populations of involving more than one chain of A. castellum in the east West Australian chromosomes have not previously been wheatbelt. From preliminary site surveys observed in any organism. the abundances of these populations are found to range from 6 individuals (or A very different sort of active burrows) to over 190 individuals. chromosomal diversity has also been During this project the four largest found in the Victorian high country. population sites will be surveyed to Within a very small area, four different determine the total number of burrows. forms have been identified that have rings Australasian Arachnology No. 73 – January 2006 Page 28 of chromosomes, as well as tow types success may be their variability combined with pairs of rings. These populations all with some behavioural traits. have a diversity of ring types present, This overview will provide a brief intermixed with metacentric bivalent summary of the taxonomy of the forming individuals. This means Delena Australian species. The range of variation undoubtedly has the most structurally will be illustrated along with the diverse karyotype known. camouflage this can confer when on the correct substrate. Behavioural An overview of the taxonomy, biology observations and other background and behaviour of the genus Poltys in information will help to fill in some gaps Australia (Araneae: Araneidae) in our knowledge of these nocturnal and Helen M. Smith cryptic araneids.

The Australian Museum, 6 College St, Evidence of a latitudinal gradient in Sydney, NSW, 2010, Australia (address spider diversity in Australian cotton for correspondence) Mary E.A. Whitehouse1, Scott and Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Hardwick2, Brad C. G. Scholz3, Amanda Natural Resources, The University of J. Annells4, Andrew Ward5, Paul R. Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia. Grundy6 & Steven Harden7 Poltys is an interesting orb- 1CSIRO Entomology, ACRI, Locked Bag weaving genus, which is distributed from 59, Narrabri, NSW 2390, Australia. Africa westwards to Japan and 2 southwards through mainland Australia. CSIRO Entomology, Locked Bag 3, Despite this wide distribution the genus is Hillston, NSW 2680 now at: AgResearch, poorly known. Some Australian species of Biocontrol and Biosecurity, Private Bag Poltys have evolved an unusually large 3123 Hamilton, New Zealand. range of abdomen variation in shape and 3 DPI Queensland, PO Box 102, colouration in the females. This has led to Toowoomba, QLD 4350, Australia. taxonomic confusion when combined with micro males, which are hard to match to 4Department of Agriculture, P.O.Box 19, females, and were rarely collected before Kununurra, WA 6743, Australia now at: the present study. Poltys are nocturnally Department of Agriculture, P. O. Box 522, active, building finely meshed orb webs at Carnarvon, WA 6701. night and reingesting them around dawn. 5Katherine Research Station, Stuart By day they hide on dead twigs, often in Highway, PO Box 1346 Katherine, NT, exposed positions. In some areas Australia now at Becker Underwood, RMB successful exploitation of this 1084 Pacific Hwy, Somersby, NSW 2250. microhabitat makes them one of the most common spiders. This is unusual for very 6Department of Primary Industries and cryptic animals in open situations, which Fisheries, LMB 1, Biloela, QLD 4715, are often well dispersed. The key to this Australia. Australasian Arachnology No. 73 – January 2006 Page 29

7NSW DPI, Tamworth Centre for Crop Systematics of the web-building wolf Improvement, RMB 944 Calala Lane, spider genus Venonia (Araneae, Tamworth, NSW 2340, Australia. Lycosidae) If a latitudinal gradient in species Jung-Sun Yoo1, 2 & Volker W. Framenau1 diversity is largely governed by spatial 1 heterogeneity, then the diversity of a Department of Terrestrial Invertebrates, community in a monoculture should be Western Australian Museum, Locked Bag identical, irrespective of where it occurs. 49, Welshpool DC, Western Australia Spiders are the dominant community in 6986, Australia Australian cotton, which is grown along a 2School of Animal Biology, University of latitudinal gradient. We tested to see if Western Australia, Crawley, Western spider diversity in cotton changed with Australia 6009, Australia latitude, and if the spider community in cotton in different parts of Australia was The enigmatic, Oriental wolf spider genus structurally identical. We sampled seven Venonia (type species V. coruscans sites extending over 20o of latitude. At Thorell, 1894) belongs to one of the few each site we sampled 1-3 fields 3-5 times true web-building genera within the during the cotton-growing season using Lycosidae. Their small sheet-webs with pitfall traps and beatsheets, recording all funnel-like retreats are generally found in the spiders collected to family. We found the ground layer of vegetation, e.g. on that spider communities in cotton are lawns and meadows, but also in diverse, making them suitable for a depressions of the soil and under roots of conservation biological control program. trees. Web-building has generally been We also found that spider diversity considered ancestral within wolf spiders, increased from high to low latitudes, and supported by morphological evidence the communities were different, even such as the presence of three tarsal though the spiders were in the same claws, however this notion remains monocultural habitat. Spider beatsheet contentious. Members of the genus communities around Australia were Venonia are easily identified within the dominated by different families, and Lycosidae due to a unique combination of responded differently to seasonal somatic and genitalic characters. Most changes, indicating that different pest conspicuous is a posterodorsal white spot groups would be targeted at different on the abdomen just above the spinnerets locations. These results show that on an otherwise uniformly dark, small diversity can increase from high to low spider. The cymbium of the male latitudes, even if spatial heterogeneity is pedipalp is truncated anterolaterally and held constant, and that other factors the tegular apophysis is membranous. external to the cotton crop are influencing The female epigyne has a central spider species composition. Other depression. Our revision recognises models, which may account for the nineteen species, which nearly doubles latitudinal gradient observed in this study, the number of currently known species. are discussed. Venonia gabrielae Barrion and Litsinger, 1995 from the is considered a junior synonym of V. micans (Simon, Australasian Arachnology No. 73 – January 2006 Page 30

1898) and V. spirocysta (Chai, 1991) from birds and bees? Biology Letters 1, does not conform to the generic 299-302. diagnosis of Venonia. Venonia has a tropical distribution (Australia, , Cho, B.-S., Yoo, J.-S., Kim, Y.-J., Jung, China, , New Guinea, J. & Kim, J.-P. 2005. Spider fauna of Philippines, Singapore), with the Odaesan (Mt.), Gangwon-do, Korea. exception of V. micarioides, that occurs Korean Arachnology 21, 33-62. along the east coast of Australia into the Clemente, C.J., McMaster, K.A., Fox, temperate climate of Victoria and it is L., Meldrum, L. Main, B.Y. & also present in southern Western Stewart, T. 2005. Visual acuity of the Australia. Somatic morphology does not sheet-web building spider Badumna show great interspecific variability and our insignis (Araneae, Desidae). Journal of cladistic analysis with Anomalosa kochi Arachnology 33, 726-734. (Simon, 1898) as outgroup concentrates mainly on male and female genitalia. This Framenau, V.W. 2005. The wolf spider analysis results in distinct clades within genus Artoria Thorell in Australia: new Venonia and allows an interpretation of synonymies and generic transfers the biogeographical history of the genus. (Araneae, Lycosidae). Records of the Western Australian Museum 22, 265- 292. ------Framenau, V.W. 2005. Gender specific differences in activity and home range Recent Australasian reflect morphological dimorphism in Arachnological wolf spiders (Araneae, Lycosidae). Journal of Arachnology 33: 334-346. Publications Fromhage, L., Elgar, M. A. & Baehr, B.C. 2005. The generic Schneider, J.M. 2005. Faithful relationships of the new endemic without care: the evolution of Australian ant spider genus monogyny. Evolution 59, 1400–1405. Notasteron (Araneae, Zodariidae). Journal of Arachnology 33, 445-455. Gardzinska J., Zabka M. 2005. A revision of the spider genus Brennan, K.E.C., Majer, J.D. & Moir, Chalcolecta Simon, 1884 (Araneae: M.L. 2005. Refining sampling Salticidae. Annales Zoologici, protocols for inventorying invertebrate Warszawa 55: 437-448. biodiversity: influence of drift-fence length and pitfall trap diameter on Gray, M.R. 2005. A revision of the spider spiders. Journal of Arachnology 33, genus Taurongia (Araneae, 681-702. Stiphidoidae) from southeastern Australia. Journal of Arachnology 33, Bruce, M.J., Heiling, A.M. & 490-500. Herberstein, M.E. 2005. Spider signals: are web decorations visible to Australasian Arachnology No. 73 – January 2006 Page 31

Griffiths, J.W., Paterson, A.M. & Vink, (Lycosidae, Pardosinae). Journal of C.J. 2005. Molecular insights into the Arachnology 33, 398-407. biogeography and species status of New Zealand’s endemic Latrodectus Nelson, X.J., Jackson, R.R., Edwards, spider species: L. katipo and L. atritus G.B. & Barrion, A.T. 2005. Living (Araneae, Theridiidae). Journal of with the enemy: jumping spiders that mimic weaver ants. Journal of Arachnology 33, 776-784. Arachnology 33, 813-819. Herberstein, M.E., Barry, K., Turoczy, Nelson, X.J., Jackson, R.R. & Sune, G. M.A., Wills, E., Youssef, C. & Elgar 2005. Use of Anopheles-specific prey- M.A. 2005. Post-copulation mate capture behavior by the small guarding in the sexually cannibalistic juveniles of Evarcha culicivora, a St Andrew’s Cross spider (Araneae, mosquito-eating . Araneidae). Ethology, Ecology and Journal of Arachnology 33, 541-548. Evolution 17, 17-26. Schneider, J.M. & Elgar, M.A. 2005. The Herberstein, M.E., Gaskett, A.C., combined effects of pre- and post- Schneider, J.M., Vella, N.G.F. & insemination sexual selection on Elgar M.A. 2005. Limits to male extreme variation in male body size. copulation frequency: sexual Evolutionary Ecology 19, 419-433. cannibalism and sterility in St Andrews Cross spiders (Araneae, Smith, H.M. 2005. A preliminary study of Araneidae). Ethology 111, 1050— the relationships of taxa included in 1061. the tribe Poltyini (Araneae, Araneidae). Journal of Arachnology Kim, J.-P., Jung, J., Park, Y.-C. & Yoo, 33, 468-481. J.-S. 2005. Check list of Korean Aranea spiders. Korean Arachnology Tomasiewicz, B. & Framenau, V.W. 21, 75-154. 2005. Larval chaetotaxy in wolf spiders (Araneae, Lycosidae): Lee, Y.-B., Yoo, J.-S., Jung, F. & Kim, systematic insights on subfamily level. J.-P. 2005. Study on the distribution Journal of Arachnology 33, 415-425. properties of ground dwelling spiders in Korea according to taxonomic Volschenk, E.S. 2005. A new technique composition. Korean Arachnology 21, for examining surface microsculpture 21-32. of scorpions. Journal of Arachnology 33, 820-825. Lee, Y.-B., Yoo, J.-S., Jung, J. & Kim, J.-P. 2005. Geographic distributional Zschokke, S. & Herberstein, M.E. 2005. properties of ground dwelling spiders Laboratory methods for maintaining n Korea. Korean Arachnology 21 63- and studying web-building spiders. 74. Journal of Arachnology 33, 205-213. Lehtinen, P.T. 2005. Review of the Oriental wolf spider genus Passiena

Australasian Arachnology Issue 73 January 2006

Contents

Editorial…………………………………………………….. 3 Membership Updates……………………………………... 3 Thesis Abstract (Honours): Conserving Biodiversity in the Rangelands: Are Land Systems Effective Surrogates for Spider Assemblages? by Gaynor Owen………………………………...……….. 3 Thesis Abstract (Ph.D.): The Function and Phylogeny of Web Decorations in Orb-web Spiders by Matt Bruce…………………………………………….. 5 Feature Article: Travel into the unknown: the Australian orb-weaving spiders of the subfamily Araneinae by Volker W. Framenau………………………………… 6 Feature Article: A continuing 6-year-study of a long lived semi-arid zone Australian tarantula: 1. Natural history of Selenotypus sp. “glenelva”(Araneae, Theraphosidae) by Steven C. Nunn…………………………………….... 10 Feature Article: A short history of the Australasian Arachnological Society by Tracey Churchill………………………………….... 13 “Invertebrates 2005”: Abstracts of the Symposium: Australasian Arachnology – Evolution, Ecology and Conservationl………………………………….………….... 15 Recent Australasian Arachnological Publications…… 30