Fabulous reads: Get the jump on SA’s arachnids
Book overview - Field Guide to the Spiders of South Africa by Ansie Dippenaar,
Field Guide to the Spiders of South Africa, Ansie Dippenaar, Penguin Random House, ISBN: 9781775847977
Thoroughly revised and updated, this long-awaited new edition of Field Guide to the Spiders of South Africa is the most comprehensive guide to South African spiders to date.
It features over 780 of the more common spider species encountered in the field and in homes and gardens, as well as representative species from some of the rarer spider families.
• ‘Quick Keys’ to the 72 South African spider families provide a useful starting point to identification.
• Succinct genus and species accounts cover identifying characteristics, breeding, behaviour, distribution and conservation status.
• Colour photographs and distribution maps support each entry.
• An introductory chapter discusses spider morphology, life cycle, functions of silk and spider collection techniques.
• Section on venom, unpacks neurotoxic and cytotoxic venom, and details the symptoms and treatment of spider bites.
Ansie Dippenaar-Schoeman is an arachnologist and a foremost expert on African spiders. Over 55 years, her research has resulted in more than 300 published titles, including nine books and 66 photo identification guides.
She retired from her Specialist Scientist post at the Agricultural Research Council in 2013. She was involved in describing 43 new spider species, and 38 are named after her.
