The Australasian Arachnological Society is a body dedicated to promotion of knowledge and study of

arachnids Arachnida () is a Class (biology), class of joint-legged invertebrate animals (arthropods), in the subphylum Chelicerata. Arachnida includes, among others, spiders, scorpions, ticks, mites, pseudoscorpions, opiliones, harvestmen, Solifugae, came ...

(

spiders Spiders ( order Araneae) are air-breathing arthropods that have eight legs, chelicerae with fangs generally able to inject venom, and spinnerets that extrude silk. They are the largest order of arachnids and rank seventh in total species dive ...

and other 8-legged

arthropods Arthropods (, (gen. ποδός)) are invertebrate animals with an exoskeleton, a Segmentation (biology), segmented body, and paired jointed appendages. Arthropods form the phylum Arthropoda. They are distinguished by their jointed limbs and Arth ...

) in the

Australasian realm The Australasian realm is a biogeographic realm that is coincident with, but not (by some definitions) the same as, the geographical region of Australasia. The realm includes Australia, the island of New Guinea (comprising Papua New Guinea and ...

, which includes Australia, New Zealand, South-east Asia, Oceania and the Pacific Islands. Membership is open to all individuals and scientific institutions. The Society maintains a large library of reference books and scientific journals housed at

Queensland Museum The Queensland Museum is the state museum of Queensland, dedicated to natural history, cultural heritage, science and human achievement. The museum currently operates from its headquarters and general museum in South Brisbane with specialist m ...

. The society is informally structured to promote the study of arachnology to amateurs, students, professionals and institutions. The Society was founded by

Robert Raven Robert John Raven is an Australian arachnologist, being the Head of Terrestrial Biodiversity and the Senior Curator (Arachnida) at the Queensland Museum. Dr Raven has described many species of spider in Australia and elsewhere, and is spider bit ...

in 1979. The first national meeting was held in 1989 as a special symposium of the 17th Annual General Meeting of the Australian Entomological Society in

Tanunda, South Australia Tanunda is a town situated in the Barossa Valley region of South Australia, 70 kilometres north-east of the state capital, Adelaide. The town derives its name from an Aboriginal word meaning ''water hole''. The town's population is approximately ...

. A second meeting was convened on the periphery of the 12th International Congress of Arachnology, held in

Brisbane Brisbane ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the states and territories of Australia, Australian state of Queensland, and the list of cities in Australia by population, third-most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a populati ...

in July 1992 by the

International Society of Arachnology The International Society of Arachnology (ISA) promotes the study of arachnids and the exchange of information among researchers in this field. It acts as an umbrella organisation for regional societies and individuals interested in spiders, and ...

. Other meetings have included one in

Canberra Canberra ( ) is the capital city of Australia. Founded following the federation of the colonies of Australia as the seat of government for the new nation, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The ci ...

on the occasion of the Invertebrate Biodiversity and Conservation Conference in December 2005, and joint participation with the Australian Entomological Society in a conference at

Hobart Hobart ( ; Nuennonne/Palawa kani: ''nipaluna'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian island state of Tasmania. Home to almost half of all Tasmanians, it is the least-populated Australian state capital city, and second-small ...

in 2012. Since 1979 many members have acted in administrative roles with no formal structure in place. In 1996 Volker Framenau took on the secretariat with assistance from other members, notably Cor Vink. Dr Michael Rix took on the role of newsletter editor in November 2009, with Volker Framenau staying on as administrator. In 2009 Robert Whyte and Helen Smith took on the responsibility of administration and newsletter, ''Australasian Arachnology, which'' has been regularly published since 1979. Membership fees entitles members to a number of issues of the newsletter which is delivered as a PDF. Membership is not time based.

Newsletter 89 (Winter 2020)Newsletter 88 (Spring 2019)Newsletter 87 (December 2018)Newsletter 86 (September 2015)Newsletter 85 (June 2013)Newsletter 84 (August 2012)Newsletter 83 (February 2012)Newsletter 82 (August 2011)Newsletter 81 (February 2011)Newsletter 80 August 2010)Newsletter 79 (November 2009)Newsletter 78 (January 2008)Newsletter 77 (April 2007)Newsletter 76 (January 2007)Newsletter 75 (September 2006)Newsletter 74 (April 2006)Newsletter 73 January 2006)Newsletter 72 August 2005)Newsletter 71 (April 2005)Newsletter 70 (December 2004)Newsletter 69 (May 2004)Newsletter 68 (October 2003)Newsletter 67 (June 2003)Newsletter 66 (February 2003)Newsletter 65 (October 2002)Newsletter 64 (July 2002)Newsletter 63 (April 2002)Newsletter 62 (August 2001)Newsletter 61 (January 2001)Newsletter 60 (October 2000)Newsletter 59 (June 2000)Newsletter 58 (March 2000)Newsletter 57 (November 1999)Newsletter 56 (July 1999)Newsletter 55 (April 1999)Newsletter 54 (August 1998)Newsletter 53 (September 1997)Newsletter 52 (March 1997)Newsletter 51 (April 1996)Newsletter 49 (April 1995)Newsletter 48 (August 1994)Newsletter 47 (August 1993)Newsletter 46 (April 1993)Newsletter 45 (October 1992)Newsletter 44 (May 1992)Newsletter 43 (December 1991)Newsletter 42 (September 1991)Newsletter 41 (June 1991)Newsletter 40 (March 1991)Newsletter 39 (December 1990)Newsletter 38 (August 1990)Newsletter 37 (April 1990)Newsletter 36 (April 1989)Newsletter 34 (October 1988)Newsletter 33 (July 1988)Newsletter 32 (April 1988)Newsletter 31 (January 1988)Newsletter 30 (October 1987)Newsletter 29 (July 1987)Newsletter 28 (April 1987)Newsletter 27 (January 1987)Newsletter 26 (October 1986)Newsletter 25 (July 1986)Newsletter 24 (April 1986)Newsletter 23 (January 1986)Newsletter 22 (October 1985)Newsletter 20 (April 1985)Newsletter 19 (July 1985)Newsletter 18 (October 1984)Newsletter 17 (July 1984)Newsletter 16 (April 1984)Newsletter 15 (January 1984)Newsletter 14 (October 1983)Newsletter 13 (July 1983)Newsletter 12 (April 1983)Newsletter 11 (January 1983)Newsletter 10 (November 1982)Newsletter 10 (November 1982)Newsletter 9 (July-August 1982)Newsletter 8 (April 1982)Newsletter 7 (January 1982)Newsletter 6 (August 1981)Newsletter 5 (April 1981)Newsletter 4 (February 1981)Newsletter 3 (September 1980)Newsletter 2 (May 1980)Newsletter 1 (November 1979)

References

{{authority control Arachnological societies Learned societies of Australia 1979 establishments in Australia Scientific organizations established in 1979