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Little Miss Muffet may have been afraid, but you won't be as you learn about spiders and other arachnids such as scorpions, camel spiders, daddy longlegs, and ticks. Review the evolutionary history of arachnids, the natural history and biology of the different groups, and the medical and economic importance of these animals. Live guests may drop by for an eight-legged howdy do!

Biography: Paula Cushing received her Ph.D. in 1995 from the University of Florida. In 1998, she began her position as Curator at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. Her research focuses on the biodiversity, taxonomy, systematics, and evolutionary ecology of arachnids, particularly spiders and wind scorpions, or solifuges. She has published numerous scientific articles as well as popular articles about spiders and insects. She is also very active with the American Arachnological Society and the International Society of Arachnology and has served as President of both these scientific societies.

Syllabus:

Tuesday, October 1st

Introduction to Subphylum Chelicerata, Class Arachnida

· Pycnogonida and Xiphosura

· Palpigradi  micro-whip scorpions

· Opiliones  daddy longlegs or harvestmen

· Acarina  mites and ticks (begin, live guests)

Thursday, October 3rd

· Acarina  continued; microscope exercise

· Ricinulei  hooded tick-spiders

· Pseudoscorpiones -- pseudoscorpions

· Solifugae  camel spiders or wind scorpions

Tuesday, October 8th

· Solifugae  continued (sex video!)

· Scorpiones scorpions (live guests)

· Schizomida  short-tailed whip-scorpions

Thursday, October 10th

· Amblypygi  tailless whip scorpions (live guest)

· Thelyphonida  vinegaroon or whip scorpion (live guest)

· Araneae  spiders (just a taste and live guests (but not a taste of live guests!)