About...
...this website
...the author
...the photographers
About...
...this website
This website has been developed to assist people who are not expert arachnologists to identify spiders they have found. The emphasis is on species found in
South-east Queensland although many of the species presented may also be found in other parts of Australia. In addition, the site may be of some value
for determining the family links of species that are very similar to, but not exactly the same as, spiders shown on this website. This includes some
spiders found in places remote from Australia. On the other hand, many species that do occur in South-east Queensland are not included on this site either because
they have yet to be described and assigned a scientific name or because no good photos of them have so far become available to the author.
...the author
Dr Ron Atkinson obtained a BSc(Hons) at the University of Queensland, concentrating on zoology, physiology and pharmacology. He then completed a Doctor
of Philosophy degree, his research project for this involving the study of two toxins that interfered with blood clotting in poultry. While there
he also served as a demonstrator and tutor in human physiology. In 1968 he moved to the University of Southern Queensland in Toowoomba (initially known as the
Queensland Institute of Technology, Darling Downs) and there provided instruction in physiology, pharmacology, toxicology and pathophysiology
to Biology, Nursing and some other students until his retirement in 2006. His research interests during this period centred on the
spiders of the Darling Downs and the toxicology of their venoms, and he published papers on funnel-web antivenoms,
necrotising arachnidism, and the use of spider toxins as insecticides.
...the photographers
Many of the images included in this website are photographs taken by Ron Atkinson and these will not display the photographer's name. However, this
website also contains a large and increasing number of images that have been donated by other people and all of these have the name of the photographer
shown on them. Special mention needs to be made of the many images supplied by Robert Whyte, Nick Monaghan, Steve Pearson, Trevor Jinks, Liz and
Graeme MacRaild, Beth Shaw, and Glenda Walter, all of whom
are excellent photographers, but many other people have also contributed one or a few very good images. The author is grateful to all of these people
because a primary object of this website is to make a comprehensive set of images of Australian spiders available for anyone who needs it and this probably
could not be done by just one person. None of these photographers has asked for payment for the use of their photos, the understanding being that the
author, is entitled profit financially by using these without first obtaining the approval of the photographer. To do so would be a breach of copyright.
Email Ron Atkinson for more information.
Last updated 20 February 2020.
|
