British Pseudoscorpion Recording Scheme

To date over 6600 records plot the current distribution of the British species of pseudoscorpion, as of january 2006. Originally the scheme was set up, administered and run by the Institute of Terrestrial Ecology, Monks Wood [now Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, who employed P.E. Jones to work on the group. In 1980 he produced a Provisional Atlas of the distribution of pseudoscorpions. Around 1982 I took over as recorder and over a period of time data-based all the Monks Wood Records concurrent with starting up a recording scheme and adding new records. 

In 1988 the Linnean Society of London with the Estuarine and Brackish-Water Sciences Association published Synopses of the British Fauna (New Series) No. 40, edited by Doris M. Kermack and R.S.K. Barnes: Pseudoscorpions. Written and technically illustrated by Gerald Legg it was also illustrated with superb pen and ink drawings of the then known British species by Richard E. Jones (Dick). 

Dick can has an avid interest in, amongst other things, 'creepy crawlies' and has a web site devoted to Norfolk's fauna:

Since 1988 further records have been and continue to be added. In addition two new species to Britain have been discovered and included on the British List. One of these, Larca lata, had been mistakenly identified as Chelifer cancroides and the specimen used as reference for producing the drawing that appeared in the Synopsis. A revised Synopsis is in preparation.

An attempt at producing a regular News Letter in 1984 failed to take off. The scheme continued to function but it was not until 1998 that a revitalized News Letter, Galea, appeared. This is amalgamated with the News Letter of the British Arachnological Society, although a separate edition will be produced for those who are not BAS members and are available here to download as pdf files.

Articles and records are most welcome and should be sent to [email protected].