International Society of Arachnology

The International Society of Arachnology (ISA) is the first international scientific society dedicated to
arachnology. ISA focuses on all arachnid orders. Currently ISA has about 500 members from 70
countries. The ISA promotes the study of arachnids and the exchange of information among researchers
in this field. It acts as a leading organization for regional societies and individuals interested in spiders,
and related animals. They also organize an International Congress every three years. The society
maintains a database of members including contact information and professional interests to facilitate
communication among arachnologists.

A BRIEF HISTORY OF ISA

The idea of arachnologists coming together for scientific meetings comes from the German zoologist
Hermann Wiehle in 1959. He encouraged Wolfgang Crome and Ernst Kullmann in this matter. Later a
meeting of the German Zoological Society in Bonn was held in 1960. This meeting was used as a
platform for the first arachnological meeting. There were about 20, mostly German scientists in
attendance.

They did this conference for a few years. During the preparation of the Frankfurt meeting in 1963,
organizer Otto Kraus and the French zoologist Max Vachon discussed the establishment of a formal
organization to improve international cooperation among arachnologists. The Centre International de
Documentation Arachnologique (C.I.D.A.) based at the National Museum of Natural History in Paris was
formed. Max Vachon became the first president and Otto Kraus the vice president.

From 1963 C.I.D.A. began releasing a list of active workers in the field of arachnology, cross-referenced
by country and research interests every three years. They also issued a list of recent scientific
publications in this field annually. Following Frankfurt, the meetings were held every three years. This
was later known as the International Congress of Arachnology.

In 1998 the administration of the society moved to Washington, D.C. At the same time a proposal was
made at the 1999 Chicago meeting to change the name to International Society of Arachnology (ISA).

ORDERS OF ARACHNIDS

All arachnids have eight legs, although the front pair of legs in some species has converted to a sensory
function. In other species, different limbs can grow large enough to take on the appearance of extra
pairs of legs. The term is derived from the Greek word aráchnē, meaning "spider".

Almost all arachnids in existence are terrestrial. However, some inhabit freshwater environments and,
marine environments as well. There are over 100,000 named species. There are about 11 different
orders of arachnids. Some of which are Acari, Opiliones, Palpigradi, Ricinulei, Scorpions, etc.
Conclusion

Arachnologists are primarily responsible for classifying arachnids and studying characteristics of their

biology. They are sometimes referred to as spider experts. Disciplines within arachnology include
naming species and determining their evolutionary relationships to one another. There is also the study
of how they interact with other members of their species and/or their environment. Some study how
they are distributed in different regions and habitats. Other arachnologists perform research on
the composition or makeup 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. These fields are very interesting and have many medical applications.

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