book review: Yoshida Hajime (2003): The Spider Family Theridiidae (Arachnida: Araneae) from Japan.

book review: Dmitri V. Logunov & David Penney (eds.) (2004): European Arachnology 2003.

obituary, bibliography, Erwin Tretzel

obituary, bibliography, Ludĕk J. Dobroruka

Spider of the Year 2005

url information

congress report

The paper presents new records of the spider Atypus muralis Bertkau, 1890 in the valleys of the rivers Saale and Unstrut in the south of Saxony-Anhalt in Middle Germany. All specimens were males, caught by pitfall traps in xerothermic steppic grasslands on steep slopes. The geographic distribution of Atypus muralis in the eastern parts of Germany and habitat traits are discussed with special reference to regional climate, vegetation type and soil conditions. The phenology of aboveground activity of Atypus muralis males is shown.

Errata: Drogla, R. & K. Lippold (2004): Arachnol. Mitt. 27/28: 1-54 [doi: 10.5431/aramit2701]

Editorial

Based on the examination of over 23,000 specimens, distribution, frequency/dominance, morphometric data and ecology of the East German false scorpions are presented. Most samples were collected by the authors, the rest are from Museums and other persons. 38 species were recorded. The preferred habitats and strata of the most species are described. Phoresy was observed for Allochernes peregrinus, Lamprochernes chyzeri, L. nodosus and Pselaphochernes scorpioides. Nine species live in ant nests. Zoogeographic aspects of the species assemblage are discussed in the world wide context. Distribution limits of four species run across the area of investigation.

Larinioides sclopetarius is one of very few Central European spiders known to be found in colonies in which the orb-webs are attached to each other. Indiviuals of different generations cooperate at least in web-building, i.e. they share the same framework or irregular "web carpet". This behaviour is called parasocial and up to now it has been studied mainly in subtropical and tropical species. Parasocial (colonial) life can lead to total degeneration of the orb-webs and is the result of increased tolerance, which depends on local superabundance of prey. Initial surveys in Essen (Germany) showed that groups of 60 to 200 individuals do not seem to be exceptional. More detailed studies on the group-living of L. sclopetarius are needed.

The first record of this species outside the Alps is presented from Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. The locality, Bad Neuenahr, represents a considerable extension of the known range of a species which has up till now been regarded an endemic of southern Switzerland.

Findings of the pseudoscorpion species Chthonius tetrachelatus (Preyssler, 1790) on the island of Helgoland in the North Sea are described.

Many new localities for Polish harvestmen are recorded, specifically for species whose ranges do not encompass the whole country. Opilio canestrinii is recorded for the first time in Poland.

Remarkable spiders in the area of Niederlausitz (Brandenburg, Germany).

book review: Thaler Konrad (wissenschaftliche Redaktion) (2004): Diversität und Biologie von Webspinnen, Skorpionen und anderen Spinnentieren. Diversity and biology of spiders, scorpions and other arachnids.