ARACHNOLOGISCHE GESELLSCHAFT

Arachnology Letters

LIST OF ALL VOLUMES

Heft 35 (2008)

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Cover/Contents Arachnologische Mitteilungen 35, 2008

Cover/Contents Arachnologische Mitteilungen 35, 2008

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Spinnen ökologischer Ausgleichsflächen in den Schweizer Kantonen Aargau und Schaffhausen (Arachnida: Araneae) – mit Anmerkungen zu Phrurolithus nigrinus (Corinnidae)

Spiders from ecological compensation areas in the Swiss cantons Aargau and Schaffhausen (Arachnida: Araneae) – with remarks on Phrurolithus nigrinus (Corinnidae)

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Abstract

The spider fauna of open habitats adjacent to arable land was investigated in northern Switzerland. The three habitat types were (1) herbaceous edges of fields (Sa), (2) fallow land sowed with flowers (BB), and (3) grass borders of fields (GS). Four funnel pitfall traps (10 cm diameter) were used to catch spiders in three stripe-types in two geographical regions in two years over 5 weeks in May and June: in total 12 sets of data. Spider species typical for open habitats were dominant, mostly lycosids (6 of the 10 most active species). The results were analysed together with environmental factors using a canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) and spiders were compared with carabid beetles (Coeloptera: Carabidae). Geographical region, though not very distant, had the largest influence on both spiders and carabids. The age and type of the habitats had a stronger influence on spiders than on carabids. In spiders a larger part of the total variance was explained by the analysed factors. Finally we discuss briefly a remarkable spider species. A review of all known records of Phrurolithus nigrinus in Switzerland and Germany, together with adjacent regions in France, is given. Its phenology is indicated, its habitat discussed and the overall distribution within Europe is listed.

Zur Ausbreitung humanmedizinisch bedeutsamer Dornfinger-Arten Cheiracanthium mildei und C. punctorium in Sachsen und Brandenburg (Araneae: Miturgidae)

Dispersal of two moderately venomous spiders Cheiracanthium mildei and C. punctorium in Saxony and Brandenburg (Araneae: Miturgidae)

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Abstract

In the summers of 2006 and 2007 presumed bites of Cheiracanthium spiders triggered mass hysteria in Austria and some regions of Germany, including northern Saxonia. Here we report the first records of Cheiracanthium mildei L. Koch, 1864 from Saxony and new records of C. punctorium (Villers, 1789) from Saxony and Brandenburg. C. punctorium is probably a native species in southern Germany. It shows a moderate area expansion that could be driven by global warming. Further records in north-western Saxony are to be expected. By contrast, C. mildei has to be regarded an invasive alien species that has rapidly spread into Central Europe from the Mediterranean. Leipzig is the north-easternmost locality in Europe reached so far, a further 230 km away from Nuremberg, the leading edge in 2006. A number of records in different districts of Leipzig suggest that the species is already established in the town. We also report verified bites of both species. The mild to moderate symptoms are in accordance with recent literature reviews.

Die Pseudoskorpion-Fauna (Arachnida: Pseudoscorpiones) eines Auwaldes bei Ingelheim am Rhein, unter besonderer Berücksichtigung der Auswirkungen des trocken-warmen Winters 2006/2007

The pseudoscorpion-fauna (Arachnida: Pseudoscorpiones) of a floodplain close to Ingelheim/Rhine, with special reference to the effects of the dry-warm winter 2006/2007

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Abstract

From the beginning of May 2005 to September 2007 the pseudoscorpion fauna in a hardwood floodplain forest of the Rhine valley near Ingelheim was investigated. Altogether 587 individuals representing two species from two families were captured using pitfall traps, trunk eclectors and by litter sieving. The warm, dry winter 2006/2007 exhibited a strong influence upon the activity of Neobisium carcinoides (Hermann, 1804). This winter event was followed by an extreme drought in April 2007, which affected the activity maximum of the corticolous species Chernes hahnii (C.L. Koch, 1839). In 2005 and 2006 the activity maximum of C. hahnii was observed in July, whereas in 2007 maturity was achieved earlier in May. Furthermore 31 individuals of N. carcinoides were captured in trunk eclectors. This climbing behaviour correlates with the presence of Lepidocyrtus lignorum (Collembola: Entomobryidae) on the trunks.

Leiobunum religiosum: neu für Deutschland (Arachnida: Opiliones)

Leiobunum religiosum (Arachnida: Opiliones): first record for Germany

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Abstract

L. religiosum Simon, 1879 was found at Mayen near Koblenz (Rhineland-Palatinate), Germany. This is the first record for Germany and is about 500 km from the known distribution area of the species in the southwestern Alps. The German population seems to be restricted to the ancient Roman quarry “Mayener Grubenfeld” where it is confined to stone walls and cave systems with balanced microclimatic conditions. Genital morphological structures were found to be very fragile, were easily deformed and therefore apparently variable. Difficulties in using these characters for taxonomy are discussed. Ecology, provenance and conservation status of the newly discovered population are considered.

First record of Hypsocephalus dahli in Switzerland with a review of ist distribution, ecology and taxonomy (Araneae, Linyphiidae)

First record of Hypsocephalus dahli in Switzerland with a review of ist distribution, ecology and taxonomy (Araneae, Linyphiidae)

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Abstract

The spider species Hypsocephalus dahli (Lessert, 1909) is recorded for the first time in Switzerland from museum material collected in 1974. The information given in the literature and unpublished data on this rare species are summarised including an annotated distribution map. All published pictures of males are compared with the holotype. Figures of the male palp and the vulva of the Swiss specimens are provided.

Bemerkenswerte Spinnenfunde (Araneae) aus Schleswig-Holstein der Jahre 2004 bis 2007

Remarkable spider (Araneae) records in Schleswig-Holstein of the years 2004 to 2007

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Abstract

A list of records of 10 spider species that have not been recorded for Schleswig-Holstein/Germany so far and that were found between the years 2004 and 2007 is given. Additional notes about some other 18 species from the regional red list are made.

Spider fauna of semi-dry grasslands on a military training base in Northwest Germany (Münster)

Spider fauna of semi-dry grasslands on a military training base in Northwest Germany (Münster)

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Abstract

The spider fauna of semi-dry grasslands on the military training area of Dorbaum near Münster (North Rhine-Westphalia) was investigated. From 2002 to 2003 a total of 11,194 mature spiders from 141 species and 20 families was caught by pitfall trapping and hand sampling. Among them are 18 species listed in the Red Data Book of North Rhine-Westphalia, four species are rare or previously rarely recorded. Most of the spiders are habitat generalists that extend their occurrence into all types of habitats, while the number of species which are stenotopic to sand habitats is noticeably low (n = 13). The spider data were analysed with Principal Component Analysis (PCA). It is possible to distinguish spider communities of neighbouring forested habitats from species groups of open habitats, but there is no uniform spider community which is characteristic for semi-dry grassland.

Walckenaeria simplex neu für Deutschland (Araneae, Linyphiidae)

Walckenaeria simplex new to Germany (Araneae, Linyphiidae)

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Abstract

The rare money spider Walckenaeria simplex Chyzer, 1894 was found in 2007 near the city of Meißen (Germany) on a rock overlooking the river Elbe. This is the northernmost occurrence of the species. W. simplex is distributed from Central to South Eastern Europe. The species is thermophilous and prefers wooded slopes with a southern exposition.

John Murphy (2007): Gnaphosid genera of the world

John Murphy (2007): Gnaphosid genera of the world

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Abstract

book review: John Murphy (2007): Gnaphosid genera of the world.

Ricardo Pinto-da-Rocha, Glauco Machado & Gonzalo Giribet (Hrsg.) (2007): Harvestmen, the biology of Opiliones

Ricardo Pinto-da-Rocha, Glauco Machado & Gonzalo Giribet (eds.) (2007): Harvestmen, the biology of Opiliones

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Abstract

book review: Ricardo Pinto-da-Rocha, Glauco Machado & Gonzalo Giribet (Hrsg.) (2007): Harvestmen, the biology of Opiliones

David Penney (2008): Dominican amber spiders: a comparative palaeontological-neontological approach to identification, faunistics, ecology and biogeography

David Penney (2008): Dominican amber spiders: a comparative palaeontological-neontological approach to identification, faunistics, ecology and biogeography

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Abstract

book review: David Penney (2008): Dominican amber spiders: a comparative palaeontological-neontological approach to identification, faunistics, ecology and biogeography

70 Jahre Arachnologie in Georgien: Tamara S. Mkheidze (1915 - 2007)

70 years arachnology in Georgia: Tamara S. Mkheidze (1915 - 2007)

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Abstract

obituary, bibliography, Tamara S. Mkheidze

Arachnologische Mitteilungen 35, 2008

Arachnologische Mitteilungen 35, 2008

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