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Arachnids are animals that have:
eight walking legs
two main body parts
jaws adapted for tearing or piercing prey
simple eyes
a skeleton outside the body
An Arachnologist is a scientist who studies and works specifically with
the different types or arachnids. Arachnids
include spiders, scorpions, harvestmen, ticks mites etc.
Arachnids are NOT insects.
More specific
study directions are:
Acarology – the study of ticks and mites
Araneology – the study of spiders
Scorpiology – the study of scorpions
(Source:
Australian Museum)
An Arachnologist focusses on the scientific study of all of the
arachnids to promote the knowledge on each species.
Arachnologists are primarily responsible for classifying
arachnids and studying aspects of their biology. In the popular
imagination they are sometimes referred to as 'spider experts'.
Disciplines within arachnology include naming species and determining
their evolutionary relationships to one another (taxonomy and
systematics), studying how they interact with other members of their
species and/or their environment (behavioural ecology), or how they are
distributed in different regions and habitats (faunistics).
Other topics to study are
Arachnid taxonomy and genetics
Morphology and physiology
Behaviour of arachnids
Parasitology with a study of mites and ticks
Ecological impact of arachnids
The medical uses of spider and scorpion venom
The commercial or practical use of spider silk
Other arachnologists perform research on the anatomy or physiology of
arachnids, including the venom of spiders and scorpions. Others study
the impact of spiders in agricultural ecosystems and whether they can be
used as biological control agents.
ANZSCO ID: 234518
Alternative names: Araneologist,
Spider Expert,
Specialisations:
Acarologist – studies ticks
and mites
Araneologist – studies spiders
Scorpiologist – studies scorpions
Knowledge, skills and attributes
- Animal handling
- Animal care techniques
- Good health and physical fitness
- Basic computer literacy
- Self-awareness
- Empathy
- Critical thinking
- Creative thinking
- Decision making
- Problem Solving
- Effective communication
- Interpersonal relationship
Dr Mike Gray, Arachnologist,
with a Tarantula from Mexico, at Australian Museum's exhibition
(Source:
KidsNews)
Duties and Tasks
- Research species
- Plan and travel to study area
- Collect species for analysis
- Collect data and take photographs
- Keep proper record of species
- Attend seminars
- Write reports
- Administration and filing
(Source:
Some Pets)
Working conditions
Arachnologists spend the majority of their time working
outdoors. The environment can range from humid rainforests to some of
the driest deserts in the world.
Doing tests and writing reports can be done indoors.
In most cases an Arachnologist is employed by a research institution,
universities, pharmaceutical companies, pest control companies or even
government. They may also be self employed.
The most difficult part of this career is being able to work with very
small animals that can be venomous.
They may also be required to work irregular hours including evenings,
weekends, and holidays and in difficult weather.
Education and training/entrance requirements
Most Arachnologists start off with an undergraduate degree in
Entomology, with majors in subjects such as biology, animal behavior,
animal science, or zoology.
They specialize in arachnids towards the end of the degree, as well as
in Masters studies.
Arachnologists can also complete short
courses – such as
capturing and handling spiders, and using research tools.
|
Did You Know? Arachnids Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Arthropoda Subphylum: Chelicerata Class: Arachnida Order: Araneae Arachnids are a class (Arachnida) of joint-legged invertebrate animals in the arthropod subphylum Chelicerata. All arachnids have eight legs, although the front pair of legs in some species has converted to a sensory function, while in other species, different appendages can grow large enough to take on the appearance of extra pairs of legs. The term is derived from the Greek word ἀράχνη (aráchnē), meaning "spider". Almost all extant arachnids are terrestrial. However, some inhabit freshwater environments and, with the exception of the pelagic zone, marine environments as well. They comprise over 100,000 named species. To read a LOT more about Spiders and their record breaking achievements please click here for a local copy [Word doc 42pages] or go to Record breaking achievements by spiders and the scientists who study them [PeerJ] |
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