Researchers involved in African arachnology (listed alphabetically)Ingi Agnarsson Ingi’s work covers a broad range of topics, not only dealing with spiders, but including taxonomy, phylogeny and evolutionary biology of social theridiid spiders, with emphasis on the genus Anelosimus. Further information
E-mail: iagnarsson@gmail.com Mark Alderweireldt Mark is revising genera of wolf spiders (Lycosidae), primarily from the Afrotropical region. Working together with Tony Russell-Smith and Rudy Jocqué, these taxonomists are trying to make sense of this chaotic group. Further information
E-mail: malderweireldt@hotmail.com Galina Azarkina Galina has worked extensively on the Asian and Afrotropical jumping spiders (Salticidae), and is busy with revisions of various genera of Aelurillinae, Plexippinae and Ballinae. Further information
E-mail: urmakuz@gmail.com Tharina Bird Tharina revised the Afrotropical Ammoxenidae for her M.Sc, investigated Afrotropical Solifugae as part of the Global Survey and Inventory of Solifugae project, and is now the Arachnologist at the Ditsong National Museum of Natural History in Pretoria. Further information E-mail: tharinab@gmail.com Alexandre Bonaldo Alex is a taxonomist working primarily on the Neotropical fauna. Currently he collaborating on projects on the taxonomy of selected Afrotropical Corinnidae and Miturgidae. Further information
E-mail: bonaldo@museu-goeldi.br Rob Bosmans Rob’s research has focused primarily on the North African spider fauna, but he has published several important papers on Afrotropical Tetragnathidae and Linyphiidae. Further information
E-mail: rop_bosmans@telenet.be Jan Bosselaers Jan has made several important contributions on the systematics of the Afrotropical Corinnidae, Liocranidae, Trachelidae and Tetragnathidae, and continues taxonomic and phylogenetic work on Corinnidae and Liocranidae. Further information
E-mail: hortipes@gmail.com Ansie Dippenaar-Schoeman Ansie’s research covers a broad spectrum of projects, including the taxonomy of Afrotropical Thomisidae, and spider diversity in agroecosystems and conserved areas in South Africa. She also provides identifications for spiders for surveys ongoing in South Africa as part of the South African National Survey of Arachnida (SANSA), and as part of post-graduate student projects. She is involved in the PBI Oonopidae project as a senior investigator, and is the curator of the National Collection of Arachnida in South Africa. Further information
E-mail: dippenaaransie@gmail.com Moira FitzPatrick Moira completed her Ph.D revising the genus Zelotes (Gnaphosidae) in the Afrotropical Region, and continues studies on the scorpions and spiders of Zimbabwe. Further information
E-mail: moirajane.fitz@gmail.com Stefan Foord Stefan's current research focuses mainly on the ecology of spiders in the savanna biome in South Africa, particularly in the Soutpansberg Mountains. Further information
E-mail: sfoord@univen.ac.za Gonzalo Giribet Gonzalo is involved in several studies on the systematics of Opiliones, including molecular and biogeographical studies of the mite harvestmen (Cyphophthalmi). Further information
E-mail: ggiribet@oeb.harvard.edu Charles Haddad Charles is involved in several projects on spider biodiversity in South African conserved areas and natural habitats, and also focuses on the taxonomy of Corinnidae, Trachelidae and Salticidae. He has also been involved in studies of termitophagous and myrmecophagous spiders. Further information
E-mail: haddadcr@ufs.ac.za Mark Harvey Mark is involved with a variety of taxonomic projects on various arachnid orders, with emphasis on the more poorly known “smaller orders”. Although much of his work focuses on the Australian fauna, he has also collaborated on various projects involving the fauna of the Afrotropical Region, including Pseudoscorpiones. Further information
E-mail: mark.harvey@museum.wa.gov.au Joh Henschel Joh has spent most of his career researching the ecology and biology of dune-dwelling arachnids and other organisms in the Namib Desert in Namibia, with particular focus on sparassid spiders. Further information
E-mail: joh.henschel@gmail.com Arnaud Henrard Arnaud is currently working on molecular phylogenies of the families Ctenidae and Zodariidae, with revisions and descriptions of several new genera. Further information
E-mail: arnaud.henrard@gmail.com Bernhard Huber Bernhard is a taxonomic specialist on the Pholcidae (daddy long-legs spiders), and is revising genera from all corners of the globe. He is also interested in the evolution of genitalic structures and their role in reproduction in spiders. Further information
E-mail: b.huber.zfmk@uni-bonn.de Rudy Jocqué The focus of Rudy’s studies is the family Zodariidae on a global scale, while he has been involved in revisions of several genera of Afrotropical Linyphiidae, Lycosidae, Ctenidae and Corinnidae, amongst others. Further information
E-mail: rudy.jocque@africamuseum.be
Matjaz Kuntner Matjaz is involved in studies on the evolutionary biology and taxonomy of web-building araneoid spiders. Recently he completed the revision of the family Nephilidae, which has resolved many taxonomic problems associated with this popular group of spiders. Further information
E-mail: kuntner@gmail.com Norman Larsen Norman is an amateur arachnologist and photographer interested in the behaviour and biodiversity of South African spiders, especially those of the Cape Peninsula. Further information
E-mail: menneus1968ab@gmail.com Astri Leroy Astri Leroy is an amateur arachnologist with a wide interest in the Araneae of southern Africa, having co-authored the popular book "Spiders of Southern Africa" with John Leroy. She has steered The Spider Club of Southern Africa for several decades, aiming to bridge the gap between the general public and professional arachnologists. Further information
E-mail: astri@jml.co.za Dmitri Logunov Dmitri's research focuses on taxonomy of Salticidae, particularly from Asia. Currently he is involved in revisions of Afrotropical Spartaeinae, Lyssomaninae and Aelurillinae. Further information
E-mail: Dmitri.V.Logunov@manchester.ac.uk
Leon Lotz Leon’s research focused on the taxonomy of medically important spider genera in the Afrotropical region, taxonomy of Archaeidae, and on the orders Opiliones and Scorpiones in South Africa. He is now retired but involved in preparing the Photo Guides of South African spiders. Further information
E-mail: leonlotz57@gmail.com Wilson Lourenco The primary focus of Wilson's research is the taxonomy of scorpions, with particular emphasis on the species from Madagascar and North Africa. Further information
E-mail: arachne@mnhn.fr Robin Lyle Robin is an arachnologist at the ARC - Plant Health and Protection's Arachnology section, and is involved in collaborative research on various spider families. Further information
E-mail: lyler@arc.agric.za Jan-Andries Neethling Jan-Andries is a young researcher that has established himself as the leading African researcher on pseudoscorpion taxonomy. His current focus is on revising the South African fauna, and he has completed studies of the Geogarypidae and Gymnobisiidae. Further information E-mail: ja.neethling@nasmus.co.za Ximena Nelson Ximena is primarily involved in studies of jumping spider behaviour, communication and biology, and many of her projects involve species from East Africa. Further information
E-mail: ximena.nelson@canterbury.ac.nz Lorenzo Prendini Lorenzo’s research is focused on the systematics of Afrotropical scorpions. Several revisions have now been completed, including Parabuthus, and also of the southern African Amblypygi. Further information
E-mail: Lorenzo@amnh.org Tony Russell-Smith Now retired, Tony is able to dedicate most of his spare time to revisions of Afrotropical wolf, sheet-web and ground spiders. He is also interested in spider diversity and ecology in tropical Africa. Further information
E-mail: mrussellsmith@btinternet.com Nikolaj Scharff Nikolaj has primarily been involved in studies of Afrotropical Linyphiidae and Araneidae, with emphasis on the montane fauna of East Africa. Further information E-mail: NScharff@snm.ku.dk Tamas Szuts Tamas has completed studies of several Salticidae genera from the Afrotropical region. His present research is focusing on the phylogeny of the giant goblin spiders (Orsolobidae) of the world. Further information
E-mail: tamas.szuts@gmail.com Kristie Reddick Kristie recently completed her M.Sc on the diversity of the Solifugae of Kenya together with Robert Wharton. She is presently working as an international educator to promote interest in the taxonomy and systematics of arthropods, focusing on East Africa. Further information
E-mail: krislreddick@yahoo.com Almie van den Berg Almie's research focuses on the diversity and role of spiders as predators in agroecosystems in South Africa. Further information
E-mail: VDBergAM@arc.agric.za Charles Warui Charles completed his Ph.D study on the ecology of spiders in dry Kenyan savanna, and is currently involved in a biodiversity survey of the spiders of Kenya. Further information
E-mail: cmwarui@yahoo.com Wanda Wesolowska Wanda has spent most of her career revising Afrotropical jumping spider genera, which greatly improved our knowledge of the continent's fauna. Further collaboration includes identification of salticid material from Zimbabwe, South Africa, Nigeria, Lesotho, Mozambique and Ethiopia. Further information
E-mail: tomwes@biol.uni.wroc.pl Hannah Wood Hannah completed her Ph.D study on the spider families Mecysmaucheniidae and Archaeidae, including studies of the Madagascan fauna, and is working on spider cheliceral mechanics and phylogenetic studies. Further information
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