Ground-living spiders (Araneae) at polluted sites in the Subarctic

Spiders were studied around the Pechenganikel smelter combine, Kola Peninsula, north-western Russia. The average spider density was 6-fold greater and the density of Linyphiidae specimens 11.5-fold higher at slightly polluted sites, compared with heavily polluted sites. Altogether, 18 species from 10 families were found at heavily polluted sites, the theridiid Robertus scoticus clearly dominating (23.3 % of identifiable specimens), also Neon reticulatus (9.6 %), Thanatus formicinus (9.6 %) and Xysticus audax (8.2 %) were abundant. The most numerous among 58 species found at slightly polluted sites were Tapinocyba pallens (18.5 %), Robertus scoticus (13.7 %), Maso sundevalli (9.5 %) and Alopecosa aculeata (8.2 %). The family Linyphiidae dominated at slightly polluted sites, 64 % of species and 60 % of individuals; compared with heavily polluted sites, 23 % and 38 % respectively

Arachnology in Finland. 2

Activity of Finnish arachnologists during the second half of the 20th century is presented. About thirty persons are dealt with, and a selection of their publications is given. Differences in research subjects between universities can be found: in Helsinki mainly ecology and faunistics, in Jyväskylä behaviour studies, in Oulu faunistics, and in Turku taxonomy and systematics as well as ecology and faunistics

Three species of spiders (Araneae) new to the fauna of Finland from the southwestern archipelago

Jacksonella falconeri (Jackson), Enoplognatha thoracica (Hahn) and Ozyptila westringi (Thorell) are reported for the first time from Finland

Spider Fauna (Araneae) of the Low Arctic Belcher Islands, Hudson Bay

Thirty-three species of spiders were found on the low arctic Belcher Islands (on Flaherty Island), N.W.T., Canada in southeastern Hudson Bay (about 56 degrees N, 79 degrees W). Eight families were represented; 23 species belonged to Linyphiidae (s. lat.) and 4 to Lycosidae. The most abundant and frequently caught species, in the pitfall trap material, were the lycosids Pardosa labradorensis (Thorell), Alopecosa hirtipes (Kulczynski) and Arctosa insignita (Thorell). Other frequently trapped, eurytopic species included the linyphid Conigerella borealis (Jackson) and the gnaphosid Gnaphosa orites Chamberlin. A great number of species were found under stones. Diplocephalus sphagnicolus Eskov, known earlier from Siberia, is reported for the first time from the Nearctic region, and Typhochrestus pygmaeus (Soerensen), known from Greenland, is reported for the first time from North America. More than half of the found spider species are Holarctic.Key words: spiders, Araneae, zoogeography, habitats, taxonomy, Belcher Islands, Hudson Bay, Canada, low arctic, tundra RÉSUMÉ. On a trouvé 33 espèces d’araignées dans les îles Belcher du Bas-Arctique (sur l’île Flaherty), dans les Territoires du Nord-Ouest au Canada, dans le sud-est de la baie d’Hudson (à environ 56º de latitude N. et 79º de longitude O.). Huit familles étaient représentées; 23 espècesappartenaient à la famille des linyphiidés et 4 à celle des lycosidés. Les esptces les plus abondantes et celles dont on a capturé le plus de spécimens dans les pièges à fosse étaient les lycoses Purdosa labradorensis (Thorell), Alopecosa hirtipes (Kulczynski) et Arctosa insignita (Thorell). D’autresespèces euryèces capturées comprenaient la linyphie Conigerella borealis (Jackson) et la gnaphose Gnaphosa orites Chamberlin. On a trouvé un grand nombre d’espèces sous des pierres. On rapporte avoir trouvé pour la première fois dans la région néarctique un spécimen de Diplocephalussphagnicolus Eskov, déjà répertorié en Sibérie, et aussi pour la première fois en Amérique du Nord, un spécimen de Typhochrestus pygmaeus (Soerensen), déjà répertorié au Groenland. Plus dela moitié des espèces d’araignées que l’on a trouvées sont holarctiques.Mots clés: araignées, aranéides, zoogéographie, habitats, taxonomie, îles Belcher , baie d ’Hudson, Canada, Bas-Arctique, toundr

Triaeris stenaspis Simon (Araneae, Oonopidae) found in the Botanical Garden of the University of Turku, Finland

Entomologica Fennica. 18 April 199

A cosmopolitan spider, Smeringopus pallidus (Blackwall, 1858) (Araneae, Pholcidae), in an aquarium shop in Turku, Finland

A population of the cosmopolitan spider Smeringopus pallidus lived at least for ten years in an aquarium shop in Turku. This originally Afrotropical species is known in Europe only from the Netherlands

Lépidoptères diurnes capturés sur la côte est des baies d’Hudson et de James, Nouveau-Québec

La capture de lépidoptères diurnes dans neuf sites situés sur la côte est des baies de James et d'Hudson permet de signaler la présence de 22 espèces dans ce territoire inclus dans les zones subarctique et hémiarctique. Le lac Guillaume-Delisle semble posséder la plus grande diversité d'espèces, favorisé par la confluence dans cette région de plusieurs zones phytogéographiques. Quelques espèces voient leur aire de répartition connue s'étendre vers le nord.Twenty two species of butterflies were caught in 9 localities situated on the east coast of James Bay and Hudson Bay. The area studied is situated within both the subarctic and hemiarctic vegetation zones. The Lac Guillaume-Delisle area seems to have the richest fauna due to the occurrence of several phytogeographic limits in this region. The known distribution of a few species is extended northward

Johann Friedrich Gustav von Eschscholtz – a pioneer naturalist and explorer of the Pacific Islands and Western North America

Johann Friedrich Gustav von Eschscholtz (1793-1831) was a Baltic-German naturalist, scholar and explorer. In the early 19th century he took part in two expeditions to the Pacific Ocean and to Russian America, present Alaska. During these expeditions he collected extensive scientific materials and described a great number of new species from many animal groups. Eschscholtz’s work formed the basis for the significant pioneer study of the beetle fauna of Western North America by the Finnish statesman and entomologist Carl Gustaf Mannerheim (1797–1854)

Review: Brown ticks of the world

Walker, J.B., Keirans, J.E. and Horak, I.G. 2000: The genus Rhipicephalus (Acari, Ixodidae). A Guide to the Brown Ticks of the World. Cambridge University Press, xii+643 pp. ISBN 0 521 48008 6. Price £70 (US$105)

Spiders (Araneae) from Central Yakutia, Siberia

A spider collection from the central parts of Yakutia, Siberia, includes 183 species, of which 130 have not been previously recorded from Yakutia. The species are listed together with collecting localities and with the first published record from Yakutia