Dr Helen Smith

Dr Helen Smith has worked at the Australian Museum since 1995 in several roles, mainly in Arachnology as Technical Officer (current position), Research Assistant and in grant-supported positions. Helen has several ongoing research projects, including the systematics of Australian Hadrotarsinae (Theridiidae) and the spider fauna of Jenolan Caves.

BSc Hons (Ecology); PhD

Publications by Helen Smith

Smith, H.M., Neaves, L.E. & Divljan, A. 2020. Predation on cicadas by an Australian Flying-fox Pteropus poliocephalus based on DNA evidence. Australian Zoologist. 40: 515-528.

Wolff, J.O., Gustavo B. Paterno, G.B., Liprandi, D., Ramırez, M.J., Bosia, F., Meijden, A.v.d., Michalik, P., Smith, H.M., Jones, B.R., Ravelo, A.M., Pugno, N. and Herberstein, M.E. 2019. Evolution of aerial spider webs coincided with repeated structural optimization of silk anchorages. Evolution 73-10: 2122–2134.

Smith, H. M., Harvey, M. S., Agnarsson, I. & Anderson, G. J. (2017). Notes on the ant-mimic genus Anatea Berland (Araneae: Theridiidae) and two new species from tropical Australia. Records of the Australian Museum 69(1): 1–13.

Eberhard, S.M., Smith, G.B., Gibian, M.B., Smith, H.M. and Gray, M.R. (2014) Invertebrate cave fauna of Jenolan. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 136: 35–67.

Baehr, B.C., Harvey, M.S., Smith, H.M. and Ott, R.C. 2013. The goblin spider genus Opopaea in Australia and the Pacific islands (Araneae: Oonopidae). Memoirs of the Queensland Museum – Nature 58: 107–338.

Smith, H.M. 2013. The spider genus Toxopsoides Forster and Wilton (Araneae: Desidae: Toxopinae): new records and species from Australia. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 135: 19–43.

Kulkarni, S. & Smith, H. 2013. First record of Poltys columnaris Thorell, 1890 (Araneae: Araneidae) from Western Ghats, India. Journal of Threatened Taxa 5(10): 4524–4526; http://dx.doi.org/10.11609/JoTT.o3490.4524-6

Smith, H.M., Vink, C.J., Fitzgerald, B.M. & Sirvid, P. 2012. Redescription and generic placement of the spider Cryptachaea gigantipes (Keyserling, 1890) (Araneae: Theridiidae) and notes on related synanthropic species in Australasia. Zootaxa 3507:38–56.

Smith, H.M. & Levi, H.W. 2010. Review of the genus Micropoltys (Chelicerata: Araneae: Araneidae). Arthropod Systematics and Phylogeny 68: 291–307.

Gollan, J.R., Smith, H.M., Bulbert, M., Donnelly, A.P. and Wilkie, L. 2010. Using spider web types as a substitute for assessing web-building spider biodiversity and the success of habitat restoration. Biodiversity and Conservation. 19: 3141–3155.

Baehr, B.C., Harvey, M.S. and Smith, H.M. 2010. The goblin spiders of the new endemic Australian genus Cavisternum (Araneae: Oonopidae). American Museum Novitates 684: 1–40.

Smith, H.M. 2009. The costs of moving for a diurnally cryptic araneid spider. Journal of Arachnology 37: 84­–91.

Baehr, B.C. and Smith, H.M. 2008. Three new species of the Australian orsolobid spider genus Hickmanolobus (Araneae: Orsolobidae). Records of the Western Australian Museum 24: 323–334.

Smith, H.M. 2008. Some notes on rearing Poltys (Araneae: Araneidae) in captivity. Journal of Arachnology 36: 207–209.

Smith, H.M. 2008. Synonymy of Homalopoltys (Araneae: Araneidae) with the genus Dolichognatha (Araneae: Tetragnathidae) and descriptions of two new species. Zootaxa 1775: 1–24.

Gray, M.R. and Smith, H.M. 2008. A new subfamily of spiders with grate-shaped tapeta from Australia and Papua New Guinea (Araneae: Stiphidiidae: Borralinae). Records of the Australian Museum 60: 13–44.

Smith, H.M. 2006. A revision of the genus Poltys in Australasia (Araneae: Araneidae). Records of the Australian Museum 58: 43–96.

Smith, H.M. 2005. A preliminary study of the relationships of taxa included in the tribe Poltyini (Araneae, Araneidae). The Journal of Arachnology 33: 468–481.

Gray, M.R. and Smith, H.M., 2004. The "striped" group of stiphidiid spiders: two new genera from northeastern New South Wales, Australia (Araneae: Stiphidiidae: Amaurobioidea). Records of the Australian Museum 55(1):123–138.

Smith, H.M., 2003. Shape variation in Australian Poltys species (Araneae: Araneidae). Bulletin of the British Arachnological Society 12(8):355–360.

Gray, M.R. and Smith, H.M., 2002. Therlinya, a new genus of spiders from eastern Australia (Araneae: Amaurobioidea). Records of the Australian Museum 54(3):293–312.