From Pisaura mirabilis (2002) to Pholcus phalangoides (2003). The Spider of the year is going on.

Results are presented with respect to faunistics and are briefly discussed. Notes concerning Bavarian faunistics are added for the following remarkable species: Arctosa perita, Centromerus capucinus, Collinsia inerrans, Haplodrassus dalmatensis, Haplodrassus minor, Meioneta fuscipalpa, Talavera aperta.

In 2000 and 2001 the spider communities along ten low mountainous streams in Thuringia, Hesse and Lower Saxony were studied. Pitfall traps were set along a perpendicular transect extending from close to the water's edge to a distance of about 10-30 m away. Additonally, hand collectionwithin defined areas and time-frames was carried out. In order to investigate colonization patterns experimentally, coarse substrate was exposed simultating newly-developed bars. In total 164 species were detected. 138 species were caught only in the pitfall traps of which 75 (54%) species were caught not only in grassland but also in other floodplain habitats. 19 speciese were restricted to unvegetated banks or open stream bars. 12 species had a significantly higher abundance along restored sections compared to sections which are still regulated, and therefore would be positively influenced by increased fluvial dynamics whereas no species showed a significantly reduced abundance in response to restoration. Oedothorax agrestis, Pirata knorri and Pirata latitans are regarded as typical for the riparian spider community of low mountainous streams.

book review: Namkung, J.: The spiders of Korea

book review: Reichling, Steven B.: Tarantulas of Belize

book review: Buchar, Jan & Vlastimil Ruzicka (2002): Catalogue of spiders of the Czech Republic

obituary, Herbert Casemir, aftermath

request

anniversary, Peter Weygoldt

editorial

Balkan populations of Rafalskia olympica (Kulczyński, 1903) are distinguished as separate subspecies Rafalskia olympica bulgarica Staręga, 1963 nov. stat.. Certain novel details of the R. olympica female body structure are presented. It is stated that Metaplatybunus drenskii Šilhavý, 1965 in not a synonym of R. olympica.

We collected spider communities of oak trees in a Bavarian forest (Germany) by insecticidal knockdown fogging and investigated how communities changed on trees where predacious Formica polyctena ants were dominant. Spider communities of 'ant-trees' harboured significantly more spiders, mostly juveniles, and were different in familial- and species composition. In particular, Clubionidae, Salticidae, Araneidae and Linyphiidae were sampled in higher abundances from trees with ants. In contrast, lower numbers of Theridiidae (mostly Enoplognatha ovata) and Anyphaenidae were collected. Within Linyphiidae, which dominated all communities in terms of individuals and species numbers, Linyphia triangularis (only juveniles) was found in much higher numbers on oak trees with ants.

The peat bog in Dubravica is of spread interest due to ist overgrowing by the process of natural succession, causing the habitat to become dryer and shadier. The dominance structure and phenology of wolf spiders on the Dubravica bog was studied. The spiders were collected during the period 09.04.-9.10.1995, using 20 pitfall traps. Altogether 10 lycosid species were found among 723 adult individuals. For six more abundant species phenology graphs are presented. Three species are found to be eudominant: Pardosa lugubris, Trochosa spinipalpis and Hygrolycosa rubrofasciata. The lycosids habitat preferences and dominance structure according the habitat condition and species occurences on some other European bogs are discussed. 55,2 % caught specimens are hygrophilous species, and only 7,6 % are photophilous. The lycosid fauna and dominance structure does reflect the habitat condition. As overgrowing is not fully progressed yet, the lycosid fauna of this bog is still relatively bog-characteristic.

In 1996 and 1997, spiders were collected by means of tree eclectors on standing dead tree trunks in floodplain forests in South Moravia (Czech Republic). Trunk communities on two sites differing in their exposure to floods were studied. In 1997, one of the sites was struck by a severe summer flood. Of 1714 individuals collected, 924 adults and 50 juveniles were identified to species. 82 species of 17 families were found. The dominant families both in terms of individuals and species were Linyphiidae and Theridiidae. 41 of the present species are considered obligate to facultative arboricolous ones. 13 species were new finds for the study area (extended Pálava Biosphere Reserve). Tmarus stellio was the first record for the Czech Republic, Midia midas the first one for Moravia. More species and individuals were collected on the flood-exposed site, particularly in 1997 with a peak at the time of the summer inundation (Oedothorax retusus made up for 97 % of adults during this period). A number of rare species was found and some comments regarding their distribution in the Czech Repubic, range and habitat are made.

It is described, how an adult female of Scotophaeus scutulatus killed an also adult female of Tegenaria atrica in the web of the latter species. According to published and unpublished data, a web-invading behaviour is known in 4 gnaphosid species (Poecilochroa senilis, Poechilochroa pugnax, Scotophaeus blackwalli, Taieria erebus), an araneophagic behaviour is also known in 4 species (Drassodes lapidosus, Poecilochroa senilis (auspex), Scotophaeus scutulatus, Taieria erebus). the question, wether these behaviour patterns are typical for soil-dwelling gnaphosids, remains open until further observations and investigations.

book review: Harvey, Peter R., David R. Nellist & Mark G. Telfer (eds.): Provisional Atlas of British Spiders (Arachnida, Araneae), Volumes 1 & 2.