Researchers

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

Daniela Andriamalala

Daniella is currently studying Madagascan and Seychellian Oonopidae for her Ph.D as part of the PBI Global Inventory of Oonopidae project.

Further information
E-mail: dand@gwu.edu

Galina Azarkina

Galina has worked extensively on the Asian Salticidae, and has recently started studies of the Afrotropical Aelurillinae, Plexippinae and Ballinae. Together with Rudy Jocqué and Tony Russell-Smith she is developing an interactive key to the genera of Afrotropical Salticidae, and is collaborating on a study of the South African Salticidae taxonomy and species barcoding.

Further information
E-mail: urmakuz@yahoo.com

Tharina Bird

Tharina revised the Afrotropical Ammoxenidae for her M.Sc, and is currently working on the Afrotropical Solifugae as part of the Global Survey and Inventory of Solifugae project.

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.

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: robert.bosmans@lne.vlaanderen.be

Jan Bosselaers

Jan has made several important contributions on the systematics of the Afrotropical Corinnidae, Liocranidae and Tetragnathidae, and continues taxonomic and phylogenetic work on Corinnidae and Liocranidae.

Further information
E-mail: dochterland@pandora.be

Andrea Corronca

Andrea is involved in studies on the Solifugae of the world, with focus on the Afrotropical fauna, and is a collaborator in the Global Survey and Inventory of Solifugae project.

Further information
E-mail: axgonzalezr@yahoo.com.ar

José Corronca

José has recently made important taxonomic contributions during recent years on the systematics of the Afrotropical Selenopidae. His final paper, revising the genus Anyphops and describing several new genera, will be published soon.

Further information
E-mail: jcorronca@arnet.com.ar

Meg Cumming

Meg is an amateur arachnologist that has conducted a long-term study on the spider diversity in her suburban garden, with focus on the biology of jumping spiders (Salticidae). Together with Wanda Wesolowska, several new species have been described based on her work, with details on the biology of each.

Further information
E-mail: cummingms@gmail.com

Domir de Bakker

Domir is busy with his Ph.D investigating the diversity and resilience of spiders from canopies of Afrotropical rainforests. Domir is also involved with the PBI Oonopidae project, studying the occurrence of oonopids in tree canopies in the Afrotropical Region.

Further information
E-mail: domir,debakker@gmail.com

Benjamin de Bivort

Benjamin is involved in revisionary and phylogenetic studies of the mite harvestmen (Cyphophthalmi), and recently completed a revision of the Afrotropical Petallidae.

Further information
E-mail: debivort@rowland.harvard.edu

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: DippenaarA@arc.agric.za

Wouter Fannes

Wouter is currently busy with his Ph.D studying the taxonomy of several African oonopid genera, particularly those inhabiting tree canopies, and is also involved in the PBI Oonopidae project focusing on the diversity and phylogeny of the Afrotropical fauna.

Further information
E-mail: wouter.fannes@africamuseum.be

Moira FitzPatrick

Moira completed her Ph.D revising the genus Zelotes (Gnaphosidae) in the Afrotropical Region, and continues studies on the Afrotropical Gnaphosidae.

Further information
E-mail: mfitzpatrick@netconnect.co.zw

Stefan Foord

Stefan recently completed his Ph.D, a taxonomic study of the Afrotropical Hersiliidae. His 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

Richard Gallon

Richard’s research focuses on the taxonomy and biology of Afrotropical Theraphosidae (baboon spiders).

Further information
E-mail: postmaster@zezz.demon.co.uk

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 Griswold

Charles has recently been involved in the Assembling the Tree of Life project as a clademaster, and is a principle investigator on the PBI Oonopidae project, where his research focuses on the Madagascan fauna. Previously, he revised many Afrotropical spider taxa, including the Cyatholipidae, Migidae, Phyxelididae and Zoropsidae.

Further information
E-mail: cgriswold@calacademy.org

Charles Haddad

Charles recently completed his Ph.D thesis on Afrotropical Castianeirinae, and is also involved in several projects on spider biodiversity in South African conserved areas and natural habitats. 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: harveym@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: henschel@saeon.ac.za  

Arnaud Henrard 

Arnaud is involved in the PBI Oonopidae project and recently completed a revision of the genus Orchestina in the Afrotropical Region. He is currently working on a molecular phylogeny of the family 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 several 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

Robert Jackson

Robert is primarily involved in studies of jumping spider behaviour and biology, and many of his projects involve species from East Africa.
 
Further information
E-mail: robert.jackson@canterbury.ac.nz

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. He also described the families Halidae and Chummidae from Africa. He is also currently involved in the PBI Oonopidae project as a senior investigator, and is the curator of the vast collection of the Royal Museum for Central Africa in Belgium.

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. Together with Ansie Dippenaar-Schoeman, he is preparing a checklist of the spiders of the Cape Peninsula.

Further information
E-mail: avellopsis@telkomsa.net

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. Astri is currently compiling an illustrated checklist of the spiders of Brenthurst Gardens in Johannesburg.

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 focuses 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 recently completed a revision of Cheiracanthium, and studies on Loxosceles and Sicarius are in progress.

Further information
E-mail: arachnol@nasmus.co.za

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 recently completed her MSc on the taxonomy of Afrotropical tracheline sac spiders (Corinnidae), and is presently busy with her PhD on the systematics of the Afrotropical Idiopidae.

Further information
E-mail: lyler@arc.agric.za

Jean-Louis Juakaly Mbumba

Recently, Jean-Louis completed his PhD studying changes in community composition of ground-dwelling spiders in the Kisangani Region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Further information
E-mail: juakalylouis@yahoo.fr

Jeremy Miller

Jeremy is involved in research on the systematics of velvet spiders (Eresidae), and is also evaluating the world Latrodectus species from a molecular and phylogenetic angle.

Further information
E-mail: miller@naturalis.nnm.nl

Christoph Muster

Christoph is busy with revisionary studies on the family Philodromidae. While his previous focus has been on the European and Asian fauna, he has recently begun studies on the Afrotropical taxa.

Further information
E-mail: c.muster@rz.uni-leipzig.de

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

Thomas Norgaard

Thomas recently completed his Ph.D on the ecology of dune-dwelling sparassid spiders (Leucorchestris) in the Namib Desert in Namibia.

Further information
E-mail: noergaard.thomas@gmail.com

Norman Platnick

Although not focusing particularly on the Afrotropical fauna, Norman has contributed several important papers on the Gnaphosoidea and other spiders from the region during his career, including descriptions of the first molycriine prodidomids and Orsolobidae. Norm is a Principle Investigator of the PBI Oonopidae project.

Further information
E-mail: platnick@amnh.org

Lorenzo Prendini

Lorenzo’s research is focused on the systematics of Afrotropical scorpions. Several revisions have now been completed, including Parabuthus and Opistophthalmus, and also of the southern African Amblypygi. Lorenzo is also co-Principle Investigator for the “Global Survey and Inventory of Solifugae” project.

Further information
E-mail: Lorenzo@amnh.org

Lucian Ross

Lucian is presently involved in studies of the natural history of scorpions from eastern and northern Africa.

Further information
E-mail: lucian.ross@yahoo.com

Tony Russell-Smith

Now retired, Tony is able to dedicate most of his spare time to revisions of Afrotropical wolf 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, with emphasis on the montane fauna of East Africa. Current research includes a revision and phylogenetic analysis of the araneid subfamily Gasteracanthinae. Nikolaj has recently been involved in the Assembling the Tree of Life project.

Further information
E-mail: NScharff@snm.ku.dk

Tamas Szuts

Tamas has completed studies of several Salticidae genera from the Afrotropical region, including a revision of the genus Tomocyrba. 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

Petro van Niekerk 

Petro revised the Afrotropical lynx spiders of the genus Peucetia for her M.Sc, and is presently busy with a revision of the thomisid genus Heriaeus.

Further information
E-mail: vniekmp@alpha.unisa.ac.za

Charles Warui

Charles recently completed his Ph.D study on the ecology of spiders in dry Kenyan savanna, and is currently involved in a biodiversity survey of the Taita Hills in Kenya.

Further information
E-mail: cmwarui@yahoo.com

Wanda Wesolowska

Wanda has spent most of her career revising Afrotropical jumping spider genera. Some of her most important works include revisions of Heliophanus and Menemerus, which greatly improved our knowledge of these genera. 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 recently completed her Ph.D study on the spider families Mecysmaucheniidae and Archaeidae, including studies of the Madagascan fauna.

Further information
E-mail: hwood@berkeley.edu

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