Preface to the section of the Proceedings of the 27th European Congress of Arachnology, Ljubljana, 2012 Sept. 2-7

The taxonomic status and distribution of the poorly known gnaphosid species Zelotes strandi (Nosek, 1905) is clarified, discussed and mapped on the basis of both the holotype (a single female from Turkey) and newly collected material (males and females from Bulgaria). This species was originally described from the island of Prinkipo (= Büyükada, District of Istanbul, Turkey) and the holotype is currently housed in the Naturhistorisches Museum, Vienna. Both sexes are here diagnosed and illustrated, whereby the male is described for the first time.

Spiders were collected by pitfall traps in the south-western archipelago of Finland. Wooded study habitats on a small-sized (1.2 km2) island were: 1) natural open ash grove, 2) dense mixed grove (old overgrown wooded meadow), 3) wooded aspen pasture and 4) wooded meadow, both restored ten years earlier, 5) natural wooded meadow. Highest species and family numbers were found at the natural sites (1 and 5) and the lowest in the dense grove (site 2). Linyphiidae dominated, both at species and individual level, in the groves. Lycosidae were abundant on the wooded meadows and Gnaphosidae on the wooded pasture. The highest faunal similarities were between the groves (70 % species in common) and between the wooded meadows (64 %). The lowest similarity was found between the dense grove (17 %) and the ash grove (23 %) with the aspen pasture. Ten years after clearing, sites 3 and 4 had diverse spider faunas. The fauna at site 4 resembled that on the corresponding natural site (5), thus showing restoration success. Altogether 84 species of spiders were caught. The proportion of Gnaphosidae (16 species found) is high. Most species found in the study are common in south-western Finland and many occur across the whole country. Pardosa lugubris was most dominant at three sites, P. pullata and Diplostyla concolor both at one site. Two species, Enoplognatha thoracica and Micaria fulgens, are included in the Finnish Red Data Book.

A detailed morphological account of the male copulatory organs of three species of ground spiders, Sergiolus capulatus, Herpyllus propinquus and Callilepis pluto (Araneae, Gnaphosidae), is presented. The large sclerites (subtegulum, tegulum and embolus) appear to be homologous in all spiders. Sergiolus and Zelanda have a plesiomorphic palp organization. The increased complexity in the male bulb organization creates a locking mechanism that fixes the male palp position during intercourse in Callilepis, as well as in Encoptarthria, Trachyzelotes and Zelotes. The palp of Herpyllus, together with Anzacia, Drassodes and Intruda, demonstrates progressive modification of the male bulb.

The first records for Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Germany, of the species Mermessus trilobatus, Parasteatoda tabulata and Araniella inconspicua are provided, together with noteworthy occurences of the rare species Ero tuberculata, Jacksonella falconeri, Philodromus histrio and Oxyopes ramosus.

The discovery of Stenochrus portoricensis Chamberlin, 1922 is the first record of the order Schizomida in Slovakia. Juvenile specimens and adult females were found in heated greenhouses in the Botanical Garden of the Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovakia. The main morphological characters of juveniles and adult females were studied and photographed.

Wolf spider females are characterised by carrying cocoons attached to their spinnerets. Emerged spiderlings are carried on the females’ opisthosomas, with the exception of three Japanese lycosid species who carry spiderlings on empty cocoons. Here, the same behaviour is recorded in a European spider: the drumming wolf spider Hygrolycosa rubrofasciata. Spiderlings of this species do not try to climb on the female’s opisthosoma, even when they are adopted by a female of a species with a normal pulli-carrying behaviour. This behaviour occurs in Trechaleidae and four unrelated species of Lycosidae inhabiting wet habitats and is therefore regarded as an adaptation to the unsuitable environment.

The sclerosomatid harvestman Homalenotus quadridentatus (Cuvier, 1795), long known close to the border of Germany, is hereby confirmed for the country. Several specimens were observed and collected in a small urban garden area in the town Aachen, suggesting a considerable population. The finding is briefly discussed, and general remarks on the distribution, ecology and conservation of the species are provided.

The pantropical theridiid spider Coleosoma floridanum Banks, 1900 was recorded for the first time in Slovakia and in the Czech Republic. Both sexes and juveniles were collected in some numbers in heated greenhouses with high humidity. A description and photographs of the species is provided.

The present study summarises spider records from East Macedonia and Thrace (NE Greece). Spiders were mainly collected by hand sampling and to a smaller extent by pitfall trapping during field trips in 2002, 2004, 2007, 2008 and 2009. 171 species from 23 families were sampled. Pelecopsis pavida (O. P.-Cambridge, 1872) (Linyphiidae) and Xysticus kaznakovi Utochkin, 1968 (Thomisidae) were new to the European spider fauna and ten further species, Diaea livens Simon, 1876, Heriaeus graminicola (Doleschall, 1852), Meioneta ressli Wunderlich, 1973, Oedothorax retusus (Westring, 1851), Philodromus albidus Kulczynski, 1911, Pocadicnemis pumila Keyserling, 1880, Sitticus saltator (O. P.-Cambridge, 1868), Stemonyphantes lineatus (Linnaeus, 1758), Synageles scutiger Prószynski, 1979 and Thanatus coloradensis Keyserling, 1880, could be added to the Greek fauna for the first time. 21 and 38 species were new to East Macedonia and Thrace, respectively. Based on previous work, plus the present study, the Greek spider fauna now includes 1,108 species.