Dr P. A. Sebastian took his doctoral degree in arachnology from Bhavnagar University, Gujarat. Since then he has been actively engaged in research on various aspects of spiders such as taxonomy, ecology, diversity, biological control potential, toxicology, synanthropic spiders, spider silk biotechnology, spider venom chemistry, etc. He has taken the initiative to organise a research group solely devoted to research on spiders in the Division of Arachnology, Sacred Heart College, Kochi.

Dr K. V. Peter is a horticulturist, a plant breeder, a university teacher, and an acknowledged research manager. He is a Fellow of the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences, New Delhi, and the National Academy of Sciences, Allahabad. He has also served as the Vice-Chancellor of Kerala Agricultural University.

Message from Dr M S Swaminathan
Foreword
Preface
List of Genera and Species Described in this Book

Part I

1. introduction to Spiders
P A Sebastian and MJ Mathew

2. Natural History and Bioecology
MJ Mathew, AV Sudhikumar and J Joseph

3. Studying Spiders
PA Sebastian, AV Sudhikumar and CR Biju

4. Systematics and Evolution
AV Sudhikumar, MJ Mathew and PA Sebastian

Part 2

5. Suborder Mygalomorphae
E Sunish, KS Jose and SP Beevi

6. Suborder Araneomorphae
PA Sebastian, AV Sudhikumar, MJ Mathew and PD Samson

Bibliography
Glossary
Updated Checklist of Indian Spiders Contributors
Index