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A. striatipennis sp. nov. The new species were detected in the course of surveys for the subterranean fauna in mining areas and were collected using two techniques: scraping and trapping. All species are blind and depigmented, character states which usually are connected with subterranean or cavicolous habits. Keys are provided for the genera of the Australian Anillina and for the species of Macranillus, Gracilanillus, and Hesperanillus. Some considerations about relationships of the new genera and species are presented.

Riparian sand and gravel banks are inhabited by a fauna that is well adapted to varying river water levels and frequent inundation of the banks. Arthropods found in these habitats were studied from November 1998 to January 1999 in the upper and lower floodplains of the main rivers and tributaries in ten major catchments in the Victorian Alps. Wolf spiders (Lycosidae, 68%) and ground beetles (Carabidae, 7.8%) were the most abundant arthropods, with densities averaging 14.6 ± 1.8 (s.e.) and 2.3 ± 0.4 individuals m–2 respectively. Species composition and wolf spider densities changed substantially between upland and lowland rivers. These differences correspond with changes in altitude, shading, and gravel and gravel bank size. Comparison of our results with similar studies conducted in temperate Northern Hemisphere floodplains showed significant differences. Carabidae, not Lycosidae, are the dominant arthropod group in Northern Hemisphere floodplains. Wolf spider densities are higher in upper than lower reaches of rivers in the Victorian Alps, but do not change along rivers in the Northern Hemisphere. In contrast, carabid beetles showed similar densities between upland and lowland floodplains in Victoria, but increase in density along rivers in the Northern Hemisphere. A second, monthly sampling program on gravel banks along the Avon River (Gippsland) over a one-year period in 1996 and 1997 provided information on the life histories of eight common gravel-bank arthropods: Venatrix lapidosa, V. arenaris, two undescribed Artoria species (‘A’, ‘B’) (Lycosidae), Eudalia macleayi, Elaphropus ovensensis, Perileptus constricticeps and an unidentified Loxandrus species (‘B’) (Carabidae). Artoria sp. A and sp. B are diplochronous. Despite its smaller size, Artoria sp. B matured one month after Artoria sp. A. Lower temperatures at upland streams and rivers, the typical habitat for Artoria sp. B, may delay its development in comparison with Artoria sp. A, which is generally found further downstream. The life histories of both lycosid spiders and carabid beetles, characterised by prolonged reproductive period and short larval development, appear to have some adaptive value in regard to the disturbance-prone environment.

The Australian species of the spider family Hersiliidae are revised and compared in a key. Hersilia australiensis, sp. nov., is newly described, the first record of the genus Hersilia from Australia. For all other Australian species a new genus, Tamopsis, is erected and the species formerly included in the genus Tama Simon are transferred to it. Of the species so far recorded from Australia, only T. eucalypti (Rainbow) and T. fickerti (L. Koch) are recognised; Tama novaehollandiae (L. Koch) and Tama brachyura Simon are regarded as doubtful species, because the types are either juveniles or lost and the species are not recognisable from descriptions. For T. eucalypti (Rainbow) a lectotype and a paralectotype are designated; for T. fickerti (L. Koch) a neotype is designated from the material at hand. The following new species of Tamopsis are described: T. platycephala, sp. nov.; T. amplithorax, sp. nov.; T. brachycauda, sp. nov.; T. tweedensis, sp. nov.; T. brisbanensis, sp. nov.; T. daviesi, sp. nov.; T. kochi, sp. nov.; T. centralis, sp. nov.; T. reevesbyana, sp. nov.; T. grayi, sp. nov.; T. darlingtoniana, sp. nov.; T. queenslandica, sp. nov.; T. raveni, sp. nov.; T. cooloolensis, sp. nov.; T. brevipes, sp. nov.; T. arnhemensis, sp. nov.; T. circumvidens, sp. nov.; T. tropica, sp. nov.; T. trionyx, sp. nov.; T. pseudocircumvidens, sp. nov.; T. leichhardtiana, sp. nov.; T. rossi, sp. nov.; T. perthensis, sp. nov.; T. occidentalis, sp. nov.; T. fitzroyensis, sp. nov. The species of the genus Tamopsis are arranged in nine species-groups. A character-state analysis of several characters is provided for all species, and the phylogenetic status of species-groups and of included species is derived. It is concluded that four main lineages exist in Tamopsis: a high-eyed lineage (arnhemensis – circumvidens – tropica groups, 11 species), and three low-eyes lineages, namely the platycephala group (two species), the eucalypti group (two species), and the daviesi – queenslandica groups (10 species). In addition, the brachycauda and tweedensis groups are very primitive, each consisting of one species of obscure relationships. The origin of the genus Tamopsis is obscure, because no reliable information is available on the hersiliid fauna of neighbouring areas (New Guinea, south-eastern Asia). Phylogenetic and zoogeographical evidence, however, suggests that both high-eyed and low-eyed lineages originated in northern Australia. Perhaps the high-eyed lineage originated in or immigrated into northernmost Northern Territory, and the low-eyed lineages in northern Queensland. Within the arnhemensis – circumvidens – tropica lineage, as well as in the daviesi – queenslandica and the platycephala lineages, migration proceeded in a clockwise direction from the Northern Territory and northern Queensland respectively, through eastern Australia to south-western Australia and, in the tropica group, eventually to north-western Australia, where today the most derived Tamopsis species lives. The independent migration of species of different lineages probably explains the rich and diverse Tamopsis faunas in south-eastern Queensland and eastern New South Wales, as well as in south-western Australia. Both regions can be regarded as major centres for evolution of Tamopsis.

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The Australian Tachyine genus Tasmanitachoides Erwin is revised, and the following new species are described: T. angulicollis, sp. nov., T. maior, sp nov., T. minor, sp. nov., T. bicolor, sp. nov. and T. rufescens, sp. nov. Lectotypes and paralectotypes are designated for T. leai (Sloane) and T. obliquiceps (Sloane), and T. wilsoni (Sloane) and T. obliquiceps (Sloane), not mentioned by earlier revisors of the genus, are included in Tasmanitachoides. From a short evaluation of the phylogenetic status of the species, it appears that the generalised groups of species are still living in south-eastern Australia, including Tasmania, whereas most species of the more derivative species group have spread over tropical northern Australia, and are still in a period of rapid evolution.

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The Ochterus of the Australian region are revised. Following species are described as new: Ochterus occidentalis sp. n., O. nigrinus sp. n., O. bacchusi sp. n., O. kokodae sp. n., O. monteitheorum sp. n., O. paucistriata sp. n., O. louisiadae sp. n., O. alticola sp. n., O. cheesmannae sp. n., and O. latior sp. n. O. pseudosecundus Baehr is ranked a subspecies of O. secundus Kormilev. For O. australicus Jaczewski a lectotype is designated. O. dufourii (Montrouzier) is completely, most other species are partly redescribed. Analysis of distribution shows a surprising high number of species in Australia and New Guinea, compared with the whole Oriental region, as well as the large South Asiatic Islands. The possible reasons for this richness are discussed. A detailed analysis, however, must await a thorough revision of the Oriental and African Ochterid fauna.