These animals belong to the phylum Arthropoda (which includes crustaceans, insects and spiders). Spiders and their relatives belong to a class called Arachnida which includes spiders, ticks, mites, scorpions and harvestmen. The study of these animals is called arachnology.

Characteristics of arachnids

• Eight walking legs
• Two body parts (cephalothorax (fused head and thorax) and abdomen)
• Biting or piercing jaws (chelicerae)
• Simple eyes
• No antenna

Research

Research programs are concerned with the systematics, phylogeny and zoogeography of spiders (Araneae), harvestmen (Opiliones) mites (Acarina), particularly in relation to Australian fauna. In addition, spiders and other arachnids are an important component of biodiversity and evolutionary studies undertaken in conjunction with the Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Research and the Centre for Evolutionary Research.

Projects

• Systematics of amaurobioid spiders
• Systematics of filistatid spiders
• Forest biodiversity studies
• Funnel-web spiders
• Systematics of Australian oribatid mites (Acarina: Oribatida)
• Systematics of harvestmen (Opiliones)
• Supervising post-graduate research

Collections

The arachnology collection is representative of most arachnid groups, and also includes collections millipedes, centipedes other minor arthropod groups. The spiders and harvestmen collections are the strongest areas with material from many parts of Australia including much Tasmanian a large type collection.

Further Information

Spiders website

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