Eine Mitarbeiterin untersucht eine Vogelspinne unter einer großen Lupe. Die Spinne sitzt auf ihrer Hand, während sie das Tier konzentriert betrachtet.

Arachnids and Myriapods

With around 250,000 specimens, this sub-collection is one of the most important resources of its kind for research into arachnids and millipedes in Europe.

Overview

The sub-collection of arachnids (spiders and other arachnids) and myriapods (millipedes) comprises around 250,000 specimens, including 5,110 type specimens. It is one of the largest and historically most significant collections of its kind in Europe.

The holdings comprise around 20,600 alcohol specimens, 7,400 dried specimens and 27,300 micro-specimens. These are supplemented by smaller collections of related groups such as harvestmen, arrowtail crabs, as well as tongue worms, stilt-legged animals and tardigrades.

The geographical focus is on Germany, Central Europe and the Balkan Peninsula. In addition, the sub-collection includes extensive holdings from Brazil, Australia, Indonesia and Japan, as well as from former German colonial territories such as Namibia, Togo, Tanzania and Papua New Guinea. 

Access

The sub-collection is available to researchers upon prior request. Please contact the Head of Collections or the Collections Management team.

In addition, there is an extensive specialist library containing around 19,800 monographs, offprints and electronic publications.

Digital records of the type specimens are accessible via databases such as SysTax and international platforms such as GBIF. 

History

Much of the sub-collection dates back to research expeditions undertaken in the 19th and early 20th centuries. These include, amongst others, expeditions to Central Africa, Namibia and Western Australia.

The sub-collection preserves numerous historically significant holdings, including material from Carl Ludwig Koch (1778–1857) and Ludwig Koch (1825–1908), as well as type specimens from the former curators Ferdinand Karsch (1853–1936) and Friedrich Dahl (1856–1929). Further important contributions come from Eugène Simon (1848–1924) as well as from special collections such as the water mites of Ferdinand Koenike (1854–1935) and the millipedes of Karl Verhoeff (1867–1944) and Otto Schubart (1900–1962).

More recent additions include, amongst others, predatory mites by Wolfgang Karg (1935–2013), horn mites by Manfred Moritz (born 1938) and regional spider collections from Germany.

Research

This sub-collection forms a key foundation for research into the evolution, systematics and morphology of arachnids and myriapods. A particular focus is on comparing fossil and modern species, for example using specimens found in amber or coal.

Researchers are studying the body structure of various groups and its significance for phylogenetic relationships within the arachnids. The aim is to place the origin and development of individual lineages in a chronological context and to gain a better understanding of their evolutionary relationships.