Field Work

Siberia 2018 — From Novosibirsk to the Kazakhstan border, the Altai, and Tuva, in search of Pellenes jumping spiders with Galina Azarkina and colleagues from the ISEA.

 

 

México 2017 — A road trip through Oaxaca and Chiapas to look for Mexigonus jumping spiders.  Most exciting salticids: purple tomato, blue-legs, quetzal, and red moon. These are our nicknames for them, as they don’t have scientific names yet.

 

 

 

Arizona and Mexico 2013– A trip to Arizona (mostly in the area near Tucson) and to Puerto Peñasco, Mexico. Many salticids were collected, but the focus on this trip was to collect as many different Habronattus species as possible. Most exciting salticids: two new Mexican Habronattus species!

Borneo 2012 — In which Edy Piascik and Wayne Maddison sought a complete salticid fauna with data on their habitats.  Most exciting salticids: the first adult hisponines east of India, and “tiny shiny blacks”.

Ecuador 2011 — 150 salticid species in one site in Ecuador, Yasuní.  What more could you ask for?  Well, follow it with a trip to Canandé were we found an unexpected ground-dwelling Lapsias and a transparent amycine.


Ecuador 2010 — Tiny beetles and strange lapsiine salticids, with David Maddison.  Most exciting salticids: New Thrandina species and Lapsias lorax!

Dominican Republic 2009– A trip with four salticidologists (G.B. Edwards, Wayne Maddison, Junxia Zhang and Gustavo Ruiz). Goal: primarily to understand the Caribbean radiation of euophryine salticids.Most exciting salticids: euophryines, euophryines, euophryines!

Papua New Guinea 2008– A Conservation International RAP survey to the Porgera area (Kai-Ingri at 3300 m elevation and Wanakipa at 800-1400 m elevation). Goal: to find new species; for Wayne, the goal was to see cocalodines alive. Most exciting salticids: three new genera of cocalodines (Cucudeta,Yamangalea, and Tabuina).

Gabon 2007– To the Crystal Mountains NE of Libreville, and Waka National Park to the south. Goal: to understand the phylogenetic position of central African rainforest salticids. Most exciting salticids: the thiratoscirtines!




Sierra Nevada, California 2005 to 2012 — Gwylim Blackburn’s exploration of different forms of Habronattus americanus only a few kilometers apart, among the patches of snow in the high elevations of the Sierra Nevada.



Singapore and Malaysia 2005- with Daiqin Li. Goal: diverse salticids. Most exciting salticids: agoriines, hasariines, ballines, spartaeines, euophryines, plexippines, and the strange nannenines!

Ecuador 2004– A trip mostly to the eastern slopes of the Andes, from 3000 m elevation down to 400 m, but with some time west of the Andes. Goal: salticids and social spiders, in collaboration with Leticia Avilés and Ingi Agnarsson. Most exciting salticids: new genera of lapsiines (Thrandina, Galianora).