Vibration as a New Survey Method for Spiders.

Spiders have important ecological roles as generalist predators, are a significant source of food for many other species, and are bioindicators of environmental health. However, spiders are poorly studied. Given their importance, a comparison of spider survey methods used to determine differences in spider diversity and abundance is required to understand their limitations and biases.

Revisions of Australian ground-hunting spiders VI: five new stripe-less miturgid genera and 48 new species (Miturgidae: Miturginae).

A group of Australian miturgines that are common in widespread areas of mostly dry landscapes are revised. Five new genera (Miturgopelma, Knotodo, Xistera, Miturgiella and Xeromiturga) and 48 new species are described. Three species presently included in three families are placed in these groups in the Miturgidae: Uliodon ferrugineus (L.

On the genus Thalerommata Ausserer, 1875 (Araneae, Theraphosidae), with the description of six new species.

The poorly known mygalomorph genus Thalerommata Ausserer, 1875 is redescribed and rediagnosed. Thalerommata gracilis Ausserer, 1875 (type species) and T. macella (Simon, 1903) are rediagnosed.

Total-evidence analysis of an undescribed fauna: resolving the evolution and classification of Australia's golden trapdoor spiders (Idiopidae: Arbanitinae: Euoplini).

In the trapdoor spider genus Euoplos Rainbow & Pulleine (tribe Euoplini), it was discovered recently that two divergent lineages occur in sympatry in eastern Australia. This challenged the monogeneric classification of the tribe and, in combination with inadequate taxonomic descriptions of some species, precluded comprehensive taxonomic revision. To resolve these issues, we conducted a total-evidence cladistic analysis on a largely undescribed continental fauna-the first such analysis on a group of Australian Mygalomorphae.

Spiny trapdoor spiders (Euoplos) of eastern Australia: Broadly sympatric clades are differentiated by burrow architecture and male morphology.

Spiders of the infraorder Mygalomorphae are fast becoming model organisms for the study of biogeography and speciation. However, these spiders can be difficult to study in the absence of fundamental life history information. In particular, their cryptic nature hinders comprehensive sampling, and linking males with conspecific females can be challenging.

A revised dated phylogeny of scorpions: Phylogenomic support for ancient divergence of the temperate Gondwanan family Bothriuridae.

The scorpion family Bothriuridae occupies a subset of landmasses formerly constituting East and West temperate Gondwana, but its relationship to other scorpion families is in question. Whereas morphological data have strongly supported a sister group relationship of Bothriuridae and the superfamily Scorpionoidea, a recent phylogenomic analysis recovered a basal placement of bothriurids within Iurida, albeit sampling only a single exemplar. Here we reexamined the phylogenetic placement of the family Bothriuridae, sampling six bothriurid exemplars representing both East and West Gondwana, using transcriptomic data.

Venom Profiling of a Population of the Theraphosid Spider Phlogius crassipes Reveals Continuous Ontogenetic Changes from Juveniles through Adulthood.

Theraphosid spiders (tarantulas) are venomous arthropods found in most tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Tarantula venoms are a complex cocktail of toxins with potential use as pharmacological tools, drugs and bioinsecticides. Although numerous toxins have been isolated from tarantula venoms, little research has been carried out on the venom of Australian tarantulas.

Around the World in Eight Million Years: Historical Biogeography and Evolution of the Spray Zone Spider Amaurobioides (Araneae: Anyphaenidae).

Closely related organisms with transoceanic distributions have long been the focus of historical biogeography, prompting the question of whether long-distance dispersal, or tectonic-driven vicariance shaped their current distribution. Regarding the Southern Hemisphere continents, this question deals with the break-up of the Gondwanan landmass, which has also affected global wind and oceanic current patterns since the Miocene. With the advent of phylogenetic node age estimation and parametric bioinformatic advances, researchers have been able to disentangle historical evolutionary processes of taxa with greater accuracy.

A revision of ant-mimicking spiders of the family Corinnidae (Araneae) in the Western Pacific.

The Corinnidae of the western Pacific are revised. The formerly sparassid genus Anchognatha Thorell, 1881, and the gnaphosid genus Battalus Karsch, 1878, are transferred to the Castianeirinae. The Corinninae include only the introduced Creugas gulosus Thorell, 1878 and Medmassa christae sp.

ArachnoServer: a database of protein toxins from spiders.

Background: Venomous animals incapacitate their prey using complex venoms that can contain hundreds of unique protein toxins. The realisation that many of these toxins may have pharmaceutical and insecticidal potential due to their remarkable potency and selectivity against target receptors has led to an explosion in the number of new toxins being discovered and characterised. From an evolutionary perspective, spiders are the most successful venomous animals and they maintain by far the largest pool of toxic peptides.

Funnel-web spider bite: a systematic review of recorded clinical cases.

Objective: To investigate species-specific envenoming rates and spectrum of severity of funnel-web spider bites, and the efficacy and adverse effects of funnel-web spider antivenom.

Data Sources: Cases were identified from a prospective study of spider bite presenting to four major hospitals and three state poisons information centres (1999-2003); museum records of spider specimens since 1926; NSW Poisons Information Centre database; MEDLINE and EMBASE search; clinical toxinology textbooks; the media; and the manufacturer's reports of antivenom use.

Data Extraction: Patient age and sex, geographical location, month, expert identification of the spider, clinical effects and management; envenoming was classified as severe, mild-moderate or minor/local effects.

Wolbachia pipientis in Australian spiders.

Wolbachia pipientis is an endosymbiotic bacterium common to arthropods and filarial nematodes. This study presents the first survey and characterization of Wolbachia pipientis that infect spiders. All spiders were collected from Queensland, Australia during 2002-2003 and screened for Wolbachia infection using PCR approaches.

Bites by spiders of the family Theraphosidae in humans and canines.

Spiders of the family Theraphosidae occur throughout most tropical regions of the world. There have only been three case reports of bites by these spiders in Australia. The aim of this study was to describe the clinical effects of bites by Australian theraphosid spiders in both humans and canines.