Specimens of T. vulgaris were recently introduced in Germany with cricket boxes from southern United States. The species has been sent within Germany with post packages to different pet dealers. These samples represent probably the first confirmed records of T. vulgaris for Germany. Further observation could show, whether the populations are stabile in synanthropic habitats, especially inside bulidings. Female genitalia are illustrated. One structure is recognized as a glandular part of the spermathecae. Terminology of female genitalia is given in comparison of terms used in the past by different authors.

Spider of the year 2001 and 2002: Argiope bruennichi and Pisaura mirabilis

book review: Logunov, D.V. & Y.M. Marusik (2000): Catalogue of the jumping spiders of northern Asia (Arachnida, Araneae, Salticidae)

book review: J.-P. Kim (2002): [Coloured spiders of Korea].

During the survey of epigeous spider communities in the Bavarian Alps (Germany, Upper Bavaria), three species of Erigoninae were recorded from Germany for the first time. Micrargus alpinus and Silometopus rosemariae are endemic species of the Alps, Panamomops palmgreni is endemic to the Alpine mountain system. For each species present knowledge on distribution, habitat and phenology is summarized. As Micrargus alpinus was described in 1997, faunistic and ecological data are still very poor. Niche differentiation between the closely related species of the Micrargus herbigradus-group is discussed.

The opilionid Amilenus auranticus from caves in Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland/Germany (Arachnida: Opiliones: Phalangiidae)

In a survey of 1,5 years, the daily activity pattern of epigeic spiders was recorded in a xerothermic habitat in the Diemeltal near Marsberg. The correlation between vegetation-structure, daily activity pattern and the hunting type of the spiders is discussed.

The areal expansion of Argiope bruennichi (Scopoli, 1772) in Germany has been pretty accurately documented in the last few decades. From the early expansion phase around 1900, however, there exist only few detailed facts. The research of the egg parasites has caused discussion to determine whether or not early finds of the ichneumonid species Tromatobia ornata (Gravenhorst, 1829) can be used as proof of the occurrence of Argiope bruennichi. The larvae of this parasitoid are monophag so the existence of Tromatobia ornata without the parallel existence of the hostspider does not appear to be possible.

Observations on the prey of pholcids (Pholcidae)

Pseudicius epiblemoides (Araneae: Salticidae) in Central Europe. A new record of this rare south-eastern European species is presented which represents the northernmost and westernmost locality and the second one in Central Europe. A detailed description of its diagnostic characters is given.

Published data and unpublished communications show that the range of Astrobunus laevipes in Central Europe is much larger than previously believed. The present review extends the list of records to the German states of Baden-Württemberg, Hessia, Rhineland-Palatinate, Bavaria, Northrhine-Westfalia, Saxony, and Lower Saxony and provides a map of the present distribution in Germany. Furthermore, it lists new findings of A. laevipes in the Czech Republic and Hungary (Rakaca/Serehat Valley). Records of A. laevipes in Austria are not included in this review.

book review: F.G. Barth: Sinne und Verhalten: aus dem Leben einer Spinne.

book review: Angewandte Carabidologie 1 (1998).

book review: Oliver-D. Finch (2001): Zönologische und parasitologische Untersuchungen an Spinnen (Arachnida, Araneae) niedersächsischer Waldstandorte

tribute: Prof. Otto Kraus, honoray member of ESA (European Society of Arachnology)

congress report