AFRAS
The AFRICAN ARACHNOLOGICAL SOCIETY (AFRAS) is a scientific society devoted to the study of spiders, scorpions and other arachnids in Africa. It was initiated in 1986 in Pretoria and was first called "The Research Group for the Study of African Arachnida". At the 5th African Arachnological Colloquium (November 1996), the name was changed to the African Arachnological Society. The current office bearers of the AFRAS are Dr Tharina Bird (Chairperson, e-mail: tharinabird[at]gmail.com), Ms Robin Lyle (Secretary and Treasurer, e-mail: lyler[at]arc.agric.za), Prof Ansie Dippenaar-Schoeman (Past chairperson, email: dippenaaransie[at]gmail.com) and Prof Charles Haddad (Webmaster and past chairperson, e-mail: haddadcr[at]ufs.ac.za)
Spotlight
Parabuthus capensis (Buthidae), a common venomous scorpion in the arid western parts of South Africa.
