Calathotarsus simoni Schiapelli & Gerschman, 1975 is an endemic and rare trapdoor spider that lives exclusively in the mountainous systems of southern Buenos Aires province, central Argentina. In previous studies, authors suggested the preference of this species to a particular soil surface type. Thus, we hypothesized that this species differs in its responses to the soil surface type for burrow construction. To test this, we placed 26 adult females in chambers providing two choices (soil with moss and without moss) and compared the proportions of observations in each to evaluate species preference. Calathotarsus simoni significantly preferred the soil with moss. We observed a remarkable behaviour before the construction of the burrow when spiders were at the soil with moss. Finally, we discuss the possible ecological significances of this preference.

Four epigean Neobisium species have been recently collected from soil and litter in north-western parts of Iran. Neobisium (N.) crassifemoratum and Neobisium (N.) anatolicum, which are recorded for the first time from Iran, are redescribed and illustrated, providing some morphometric and morphological variations within the species. Also, the male genital organ of N. (N.) alticola is illustrated for the first time and a new locality record is given for N. (N.) validum.

In the largest systematic spider collection effort in a single location in the Caucasus Ecoregion, across several altitudinal zones and throughout the entire vegetation period of one year, 426 juvenile and 359 adult spiders belonging to 69 species from 48 genera and 19 families were collected in the Lagodekhi Reserve, Georgia, in 2014, using Malaise traps on a transect with seven study plots between 666 and 2559 m a.s.l. in the montane, subalpine, and alpine vegetation zones. Phoroncidiapilula (Karsch, 1879) is recorded in the Western Palaearctic for the first time. Thirty-eight species are recorded in the Lagodekhi Reserve for the first time, raising the number of spider species of this reserve to 202, five additions are first records for the Caucasus Ecoregion and ten species are first records for Georgia. Diagnostic drawings and analyses are provided for 13 species, including Megalepthyphantes pseudocollinusSaaristo, 1997, Phoroncidia paradoxa (Lucas, 1846), P. pilula (Karsch, 1879), and Trochosa cachetiensisMcheidze, 1997. An updated checklist of the spiders in the Lagodekhi Reserve is provided.

A description and illustration are provided for Pelecopsis susannae (Simon, 1915), a spider new to Britain.

The opilionid fauna of Northern Europe, including Denmark, has become enriched by range expansion of several species originating from southern Europe, and this process is expected to continue into the future. I present data that describe the changing occurrence (relative abundance, locality representation) of invasive as well as native harvestman species from the urban habitat in Denmark during the 30 year period 1987 to 2017. Three invasive species and three native species have increased both in relative abundance and in the proportion of towns from which they occurred during standardized searches. Another three species showed consistently decreasing trends. Of these, Leiobunum gracile decreased dramatically from being one of the most dominant species to near extinction. Opilio parietinus and Mitopus morio were consistently but less seriously reduced. The abundance of species in the standardized searches varied idiosyncratically in relation to geography (latitude, longitude) and season. Harvestman numbers were negatively correlated with town size (number of inhabitants).

A redescription of Afromarengo lyrifera (Wanless, 1978) with the first description of the female is presented. A key for species of the genus Afromarengo is provided.

Notiomaso spei sp. nov. (Araneae, Linyphiidae) is described. It is endemic to the sub-Antarctic island of South Georgia, the fifth species of spider native to the island and the second endemic species.

Parasitism upon Cyclosa omonaga (Araneidae) by the ichneumonid ectoparasitoid Reclinervellus nielseni is reported for the first time, based on molecular identification, corroborating that R. nielseni is a specialist parasitoid of members of the genus Cyclosa, having previously been recorded from C. argenteoalba,C. conica and C. laticauda. The parasitoid larva at the time of discovery (11 December) was still tiny in spite of the beginning of winter, indicating it was in its overwintering phase, and this is the first case of the overwintering R. nielseni larva found in Japan. The host's cocoon web, with fibrous and fluffy thread decorations (FTD) resulting from the wasp's behavioural manipulation, produced by the parasitized C. omonaga is described and illustrated, and its potential role is discussed.

A new spider species, Ero tenebrosa n. sp., is described from La Gomera of the Canary Island archipelago. The new species is diagnosed and illustrated based on a single female only. Barcode data and morphology of the epigyne indicate no close relatives. Distance to nearest barcoded neighbour, Ero furcata (Villers, 1789), is 13.2%. A phylogenetic tree that includes data available at the Barcode of Life Data System clusters the new species along with E. septemspinosaLissner, 2016 as a sister group to the Ero furcata-group. During the identification process, it was realized that Ermetus inopinabilisPonomarev, 2008 is a junior synonym of Ero koreana Paik, 1967; the species is proposed to be transferred to ErmetusPonomarev, 2008. The unknown female of E. laetaBarrientos, 2017 is described from specimens collected in southern Portugal.

The female sex of Ami bladesiPérez-Miles et al., 2008 is described, based on three specimens from northeastern Costa Rica and one specimen from the type locality in Panama. It is the first record of this species and genus from Costa Rica. In addition to the modified urticating hairs of type I, urticating hairs of type III were found in both females and males from Costa Rica and Panama. Notes on the distribution, ecology, and behaviour of A.bladesi are included.

A new cave-dwelling huntsman spider species from Palawan, Philippines is described: Heteropoda simoneallmannae sp. nov. (female) from the Puerto Princesa Underground River Cave system. It represents, besides H. steineriBayer & Jäger, 2009 from Laos, the second species within the genus with true cave adaptations like reduction of eye size and pigments.

The study was carried out to determine antimicrobial and haemolytic activities as well as to determine molecular weight breadth of Agelenopsis naevia venom components. Venom was extracted by micro-dissection. To measure the haemolytic activity, venom was incubated with 1% fresh human erythrocytes in 0.58 mg/ml, 2.54 mg/ml and 4.04 mg/ml for 1 hr, 2 hr, 4 hr and 6 hr while antimicrobial activity of venom was tested on Bacillus subtilis, Candida albicans, and Salmonella typhi. The venom protein molecular weights were determined by sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2DE). The results show that haemolytic activity on human erythrocytes was dose-dependent and increased with time (42.40%–52.52%) with an effective concentration (EC50) of 2.07 mg/ml. The venom also showed significant (p < 0.05) activity against Bacillus subtilis (23.5 ± 0.50) compared to the positive and negative controls; however, there was no activity against Candida albicans or Salmonella typhi. SDS-PAGE revealed proteins/ peptides of molecular weights ranging between 6 kDa–97 kDa, while over 300 spots were detected on the 2D gel with molecular weight ranging from below 14 kDa–94 kDa and isoelectric point of 3–10 pI. This study concluded that A. naevia venom contains protein/peptides of various molecular weights with haemolytic activity on human erythrocytes and antimicrobial activity on Bacillus subtilis.

Wolf spider females have the distinctive behaviour of carrying the egg sac attached to the spinnerets. If this egg sac is dislodged, the female will retrieve and reattach it, if possible. However, in some instances, a female may reattach another object of similar size or shape as a replacement for a lost egg sac. Here, I report the first example of an isopod, Armadillidium vulgare, being used as a substitute for a missing egg sac in Pardosa valensBarnes, 1959 from southeastern Arizona.