World Wide Web Sites of Interest to Arachnologists

 
© 2005 by G. B. Edwards

Although the list is short, several of these sites, in particular Herman Vanuytven's comprehensive site, are extensive and point to many other sites.

To make suggestions for additional sites, please use the electronic form. Sites related to arachnology and biology more generally are welcome; announcements of museum exhibitions are also welcome. Inclusion is based on a review conducted by the AAS site manager.

The AAS makes no official representation as to the accuracy of the information on these sites. As mentioned above, all have been at least briefly reviewed. However, as with everything on the internet, the reader should take pains to satisfy her/himself as to the site's reliability.

Arachnological Societies and Meetings

• A Listing of Arachnological Societies and Journals, maintained by the Illinois State Academy of Science
• The British Arachnological Society
• The Canadian Arachnologist -- an annual newsletter (since 2000) available for free on the web the first week of May. The goals of this newsletter are to profile Canadian arachnologists, publish feature articles, announce conference details and other news of value, help foster a sense of community and encourage collaboration. Also featured is a dynamic Nearctic Spider Database, which provides species lists across North America, distribution maps, and the capability of searching for specimens. Contributions to this database may be made from learned institutions and individual collectors.
• The International Society of Arachnology: the organizers of the International Congress of Arachnology (every three years) and publishers of the invaluable Liste des Travaux Arachnologiques. Note: much information at this site is password-protected and available only to ISA members.
• The American Tarantula Society -- all about tarantulas
• Arachnologische Gesellschaft website -- this site is mostly in German. Here one can find information on the Society's activities, publications, meetings, and also obtain checklists for arachnids of north-central Europe and links to many European arachnological societies.
• Grupo Ibérico de Aracnologia -- Homepage of the GIA, site is in Spanish

Last modified November 5, 2007

AAS homepage

Links:

• Herman Vanuytven's site "Arachnology - The Study of Arachnids" Very complete and with links to over 1000 sites, continually expanded.
• The World Spider Catalog, v2.0. by Dr. Norman I. Platnick of the American Museum of Natural History. It attempts to include "all descriptions of new species; .. all post-Roewer transfers or synonymies of previously described taxa; .. and all taxonomically useful (i.e., illustrated) references to previously described taxa".
• Nearctic Spider Database. Established in early 2005, this growing, on-line database provides species lists across North America, distribution maps, and the capability of searching for specimens. Contributions are made from institutions and individual collectors. The database is part of the Canadian Arachnologist website. Access to and information about the database can be found there. You can also visit the on-line forum associated with the Nearctic spider data base.
• Spider Species List for North America: The name says it all; this work in progress represents a major undertaking by Rich Bradley and many other arachnologists.
• Common Names of Arachnids . -- A concordance of scientific and common names; download as pdf.
• The Tarantula Bibliography by Michael Jacobi, a well-done and complete website devoted to helping folks successfully keep tarantulas. Information about husbandry, natural history and a list of other resources.
• Awesome Spiders -- Pete Carmichael's website features over 500 stunning spider photos (most from US and the neotropics). According to Pete, the site "was designed primarily for older kids and curious adults". I would add that any serious arachnologist would also greatly enjoy the site -- I sure did and will again the future.
• The Scorpion Files -- Jan Ove Rein's excellent site contains information about and pictures of scorpions; also literature citations, and weblinks.
• Spiders and Arachnids (UC Riverside)
• Araneoid Spider Systematics Research Page: monographic research on the systematics of groups of linyphiids, tetragnathids and theridiids.
• California Jumping Spiders -- great photos and information on the evolution of the genus Habronattus
• The spiders of the Kaweah Oaks (CA) Preserve -- photos, natural history, check list.
• The Colorado Spider Survey: Information on the Colorado Spider Survey and a searchable database of Rocky Mountain spiders
• The Spiders of Kentucky: spider identification, interactive basic anatomy of spiders, U.S. species list, and a nice section on poisonous spiders.
• A Guide to Missouri Spiders -- nice photos and descriptions of some of the spiders found in Missouri and adjacent states. Also general information on spiders. Maintained by the Conservation Commission of Missouri
• The Ohio Spider Survey: The spiders of Ohio and more!
• Spider Conservation in the USA by Kevin L. Skerl
• Bites and stings of medically important arthropods (UC Riverside)
• Identification of the Brown Recluse
• The Hobo Spider Web Site
• Tree of Life -- Arachnida
• Garden Spiders (Argiopes) of the USA
• South India Spiders -- a visually pleasing and very informative website dealing with spiders in general and specifically those found in southern India. Brought to all of the world by the Division of Arachnology in the Zoology Department at Sacred Heart College in Cochin, Kerala, India.
• Spiders of Northwest Europe
• "Baboon Spiders" -- Theraphosids and "tarantula"-like spiders of Africa and the Middle East.
• Arachnology section of the Senckenberg Museum, Frankfurt, Germany. Site is in German but there are a number of very nice photos of spiders.
• Kari's Scorpion Pages -- a personal site maintained by Kari J. McWest. Although different from the sites above in that it contains lots of personal information probably not of arachnological interest, the site does contain a series of links to other websites that feature annotated checklists to the scorpions of the United States.