For 40 years Ischyropsalis hellwigi hellwigi has been known in Baden-Württemberg. Whereas most previous records rely only on single specimens, numerous individuals were recorded during a study in three forest areas in northern Black Forest and southern Odenwald. A total of 37 specimen were caught by pitfall trapping in the natural forest "Wilder See" (an old forest without human impact), in a forest with human impact near "Hornisgrinde", which is similar in terms of exposition, temperature and structure, and in a succession area after a forest fire near Heidelberg. According to these localities, Ischyropsalis hellwigi hellwigi seems to have a broader tolerance to climatic factors than previously thought. All three localities differ widely in terms of forest type, ground vegetation, temperature and light exposure. Whether it is appropriate to conclude the relevant microhabitat conditions for this species from the characteristics of the trapping localities is discussed. The phenology of Ischyropsalis hellwigi hellwigi is described from two areas in northern Black Forest and southern Odenwald. The main period of activity at both localities was August, similar to records from Northwest Germany. From theses results it is concluded that therecently introduced term "natural stage indicator" might be inappropriate for Ischyropsalis hellwigi hellwigi. The species is not restsricted to forests with fallen wood on the surface, as long other habitat elements provide a hiding place with balances microclimate conditions. In order to clarify the distribution of Ischyropsalis hellwigi hellwigi in Germany, the authors request information about new records of this species.

Spiders at lettuce fields near Kitzingen (Lower Frankonia, Bavaria, Germany)

Species lists of spiders (Araneae) collected in the urban region of Mainz (Germany)

book review: Goertz, D.: On the refuge function of relics of flood plain woods in the man-made landscape of the central Saale valley. Spider associations as model groups for habitat assessment.

book review: Haeberli, S.: Characterisation of anti-bacterial peptides from the venom of Cupiennius salei (Araneae: Ctenidae).

correct citing of the recent catalogue by Platnick

Supplement to the short note by T. Blick (1998) in Arachnologische Mitteilungen 15: 54-62

internet, spiders of Central Europe

book review: Frieder Sauer und Jörg Wunderlich: Die schönsten Spinnen nach Farbfotos erkannt

book review: Selden, P.A. (Hrsg.): Porceedings of the 17th European Colloquium of Arachnology. Edinburgh 1997

editorial

Record of Coleosoma floridanum from Germany (Araneae: Theridiidae)

Tmeticus affinis (Blackwall, 1855), Tetragnatha shoshone Levi, 1981, Clubiona juvenis Simon, 1878, Marpissa Canestrinii Ninni, 1868, and Theridiosoma gemmosum (L. Koch, 1877) are new records for the Czech Republic. New data about Enoplognatha caricis (FICKERT, 1876), Theridion hemerobium SIMON, 1914, Rugathodes instabilis (O. P. CAMBRIDGE, 1871), Tetragnatha striata L. KOCH, 1862, and Dolomedes plantarius (CLERCK, 1757) are given. The validity of the name Enoplognatha caricis (FICKERT, 1876) is supported.

This paper presents some results of a forest ecology research project by the University of Munich’s faculty of Forestry, involving the comparison of forests designed to reflect varying degrees of naturalness. Spiders on the ground and on trunks in four different forests in the Hienheimer Forst were caught with 24 ground photo eclectors, 8 arboreal eclectors and with 40 pitfall traps. Habitat requirements were measured and analysed with particular attention to forest soil. Abiotic parameters and the structure of the litter layer were recorded. The most frequent spiders were the Linyphiidae, Agelenidae and Amaurobidae.63 species of the family Linyphiidae were caught. One half of the Linyphiidae-species could be found on trunks of oak and spruce (eclector fauna). In terms of the number of spider species and in the portion of rare and endangered species there were almost no differences between commercial forest areas and conservation areas. The differences are not as great as the original classification according to closeness to the natural state had led us to expect.

Trogulus martensi Chemini, 1983, formerly thought to be endemic in northern Italy, is recorded from several places near Basle (first records in Switzerland and France). The species is close to T. galasensis Avram, 1971. Important differences to the syntopic T. closanicus Avram, 1971 (first published record in Fance) and the sympatric T. nepaeformis (Scopoli, 1763) are shown and discussed. Additional biometric, autecological and phenological data of Trogulus martensi are presented.

Remarkable harvestmen from the Czech Republic

First record of Maro sublestus Falconer, 1915 in Saxonia (Araneae, Linyphiidae)