From the beginning of November 2003 to January 2004 the opilionid fauna was collected in a floodplain forest of the Rhine valley west of Mainz. Altogether 1643 individuals were captured in pitfall traps; these belong to six species representing three families. The thermophilous species Astrobunus laevipes, Nemastoma dentigerum and Trogulus martensi are noteworthy for this habitat. Results on the phenology of three stenochronous species over the sample periods are presented, and both activity abundance and dominance were measured. Additionally survival strategies for flooding periods are proposed and vicariance and concurrence with related species are discussed.

New data on the sex ratio of 16 populations of the endemic harvestman Megabunus lesserti Schenkel, 1927 in the northeastern Alps confirm the previously assumed pattern of geographic parthenogenesis. Bisexuals inhabit a small area between the eastern margin of the Northern Calcareous Alps and the Ennstaler Alps, which was covered by ice during the last (Würm) glaciations. Postglacially recolonized areas are occupied by parthenogenetic clones. Some all-female samples were found in close geographic proximity to bisexual populations. Apparently isolated occurrences at the western (Ammergau Alps) and southwestern (Carinthian) limits of the range proved to consist exclusively of females. A single male recorded in the Karwendel Mts. near Innsbruck is interpreted preferentially as a case of spanandry, being a fatherless "mistake" without any significant function.

book review: Jörg Wunderlich (ed.) (2004): Fossil Spiders in Amber and Copal. Fossile Spinnen in Bernstein und Kopal.

book review: Rainar Nitzsche (2004): Spinne sein. Spinnen-Spiegelungen in Menschen-Augen.

memorial award, Konrad-Thaler-Gedächtnispreis

anniversary, Otto Kraus

congress report

congress report

About 1100 individuals belonging to 32 opilionid species (300 series), mainly of German origin, were identified based on material provided by, and stored at, the Senckenberg Museum, Frankfurt (Main). A list of all species with habitat information is included. Comments on two remarkable species (Oligolophus hanseni, Odiellus spinosus) are given. The comments include the importance of some series as reference material from MARTENS (1978), additions to regional faunas and the expansion of the known distribution of some thermophilous species.

congress invitation

tribute, Theo Blick

The spider communities of four restored, afforested pure stands of first generation pine, birch and birch-robinia in the postmining landscape and one natural pine forest of the Lower Lusatia (Germany: Saxony and Brandenburg) were investigated. From 1997-98 a total of 6,368 spiders were caught using stemeclectors and pitfall traps. More than 50% of the specimens collected were juveniles. The remaining individuals were identified and represent 123 from 23 families. Among them are several taxa listed in the Red Data Lists of Germany (n = 16), Brandenburg (n = 13) and Saxony (n = 14). One species, Clubiona leucaspis is rare for Germany and new to Saxony. When comparing afforested stands of pine on postmining areas with natural ones the species Coelotes terrestris (Amaurobiidae) was observed exclusively in the latter. The absence of this species on restored sites seems to indicate a disturbance of the soil up to almost 60 years after the end of restoration. According to pitfall trapping in three pine forests the increasing biomass of spiders indicates a high predation rate at the oldest site, whereas the highest species diversity was found on younger, rehabilitated sites.

Two specimens of Zimiris doriai Simon, 1882 have been found in a container shipped from Vietnam. The family Prodidomidae has not been recorded yet from Germany, and is characterised by 1. the anterior position and the elongated shape of the anterior-lateral spinnerets and 2. by their strongly procurved posterior eye row. Characters for identifying the species are presented.

This paper presents the first two European records for the dictynid species Cicurina japonica (Simon, 1881), originally distributed in East Asia. The many specimens caught in the former freight railway station of the "Deutsche Bundesbahnen" (DB) in Basel allow us to present some ideas about the ecology of the species.

In a study of the spider fauna, 1990-1992, of a small open freshwater fen on the coast in Habo, Lomma, Scania, southernmost Sweden, 55º42'N 13º4'E, the rare spider species Agroeca dentigera Kulczynski, 1913 and Entelecara omissa O. P.-Cambridge, 1902 were found.

The data presented by Hänggi et al. (1995) and Bolaños (2003) on the habitats of a large number of European spiders are examined, most of which appear to show non-specific preferences. The abundance and frequency peaks of the 384 species graphs (HÄNGGI et al. 1995) can be explained by assuming that habitat tolerance varies with geographical location. This can be demonstrated on a local level within a particular country or throughout the European range of a species. Examples are described. Many published ecological studies of spider faunas seem to have assumed that the habitat preferences of a species is a fixed characteristic wherever they occur but evidence is presented to show that this may apply to only a few species. A number of examples are described showing how preferences change with latitude and longitude within Europe. It is proposed that most species can be categorised as stenotopic, mesotopic or eurytopic, although there is a gradual change from one group to another, with no clear boundaries. Supporting evidence for regional variation in habitat tolerance is scarce. More studies are required of individual species throughout their European distribution and detailed descriptions of their habitats in different parts of their range. Definitions of micro-, macro- and minor habitats are presented as useful tools for field studies of spider faunas. It is also recommended that future faunal surveys should use the same system of habitat classification so that the results are comparable with other studies. The most appropriate method is described by BUCHAR & RUŽICKA (2002) but could be made more precise by the use of scientific measuring equipment for light/shade, dryness/humidity and temperature. Finally the importance of checking the validity of some published records is stressed because misidentifications are sometimes frequent.

85 literature sources and 61 spider species have to be added to the "Catalogue of spiders of the north west German Lowland and Schleswig-Holstein", published in 1994. Nine species have to be omitted from the original list. Currently, the total number of spider species in the region is 653, including at least 21 doubtful records. This overall large regional species pool obviously results from the large size of the area included and its landscape diversity with coastal zones as well as lowlands with both anthropogenic and natural habitats of different natural landscapes.