Australian arachnologist and professor (1929–2019)
Barbara York Main
Main in the North Bungulla Nature Reserve, Western Australia, 2015
Born
(1929-01-27)27 January 1929
Kellerberrin, Western Australia
Died
14 May 2019(2019-05-14) (aged 90)[2]
Nationality
Australian
Education
PhD, zoology, University of Western Australia, 1956
Known for
Study of arachnids
Spouse
Bert Main (m. 1952–2009)
Children
3
Awards
Medal of the Order of Australia[1]
Scientific career
Fields
Arachnology
Institutions
University of Western Australia
Thesis
A comparative study of the evolution of the Araneae as illustrated by the biology of the Aganippini (Mygalomorphae: Ctenizidae)
Barbara Anne York MainOAM (27 January 1929 – 14 May 2019)[3] was an Australian arachnologist and adjunct professor at the University of Western Australia.[4][5] The author of four books and over 90 research papers,[6] Main is recognised for her prolific work in establishing taxonomy for arachnids, personally describing 34 species and seven new genera.[7] The BBC and ABC produced a film about her work, Lady of the Spiders, in 1981.[8][9]
With research interests that include the natural history and taxonomy of mygalomorph spiders, Main is noted for having studied the oldest known spider, a Gaius villosus trapdoor spider she named "Number 16", from its birth in 1974 to its death in 2016.[10][4][11]
Main is also recognised for her writing about the environment. Two of her books, Between Wodjil and Tor (1967) and Twice Trodden Ground (1971), have been described as "classic studies" of the cost to the environment of developing the wheatbelt in Western Australia.[12] Main remained active in the research community until she retired in 2017 at the age of 88.[4]
^Cite error: The named reference medal was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^"MAIN (Dr Barbara Anne York OAM ): 27.1.1929 - 14.5.2019" The West Australian, 16 May 2019. Accessed 23 May 2019.
^ Ann Jones (2019) "Barbara York Main, Australia's spider woman and Wheatbelt advocate, author and poet dies" Off Track, Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Published May 23, 2019. Accessed May 23, 2019.
^ abcSelk, Avi (1 May 2018). "The extraordinary life and death of the world’s oldest known spider". The Washington Post.
^"Adj/Prof Barbara York Main", The University of Western Australia.
^"UWA people named in Australia Day Honours" Archived 11 August 2018 at the Wayback Machine, University of Western Australia, 20 January 2011.
^Williams, Robyn (15 September 2013). "Barbara York Main: Spider Woman". Ockham's Razor. ABC Radio National. Retrieved 30 April 2018.
^"Lady of the Spiders (1981)". British Film Institute.
^Hodgkin, Ernest P. (1995). "Barbara York Main", Records of the Western Australian Museum, Supplement. 52 (pp. vii–xv), p. xi.
^Burdick, Alan (5 May 2018). "Elegy for the World’s Oldest Spider", The New Yorker.
^Mason, Leanda Denise; Wardell-Johnson, Grant; and Main, Barbara York. (2018). "The longest-lived spider: mygalomorphs dig deep, and persevere". Pacific Conservation Biology, 24(2), pp. 203–206.
^Hughes-d'Aeth, Tony (2017). "Barbara York Main (1929–)", Like Nothing on This Earth: A Literary History of the Wheatbelt. Crawley: UWA Publishing (pp. 381–432), p. 383.
Barbara Anne YorkMain OAM (27 January 1929 – 14 May 2019) was an Australian arachnologist and adjunct professor at the University of Western Australia...
Academy of Science in 1969. He was married to arachnologist BarbaraYorkMain. Bert Main is commemorated in the scientific names of a two species of Australian...
Harvey, BarbaraYorkMain, Michael Rix and Steven Cooper, and is endemic to south-western Australia. "Taxon details Bertmainius monachus Harvey, Main & Rix...
Barbara Jill Walters (September 25, 1929 – December 30, 2022) was an American broadcast journalist and television personality. Known for her interviewing...
Harvey, BarbaraYorkMain, Michael Rix and Steven Cooper, and is endemic to south-western Australia. "Taxon details Bertmainius opimus Harvey, Main & Rix...
regarded Actinopus formosus as a synonym of M. occatoria, whereas BarbaraYorkMain in 1985 treated it as a synonym of M. insignis, the position adopted...
Harvey, BarbaraYorkMain, Michael Rix and Steven Cooper, and is endemic to south-western Australia. "Taxon details Bertmainius colonus Harvey, Main & Rix...
glutinous. A. robertsi was first described as Dyarcyops robertsi by BarbaraYorkMain & Ramon Mascord in 1974, and was transferred to the genus, Misgolas...
a synonym of Selenocosmia. In 1982, the Australian arachnologist BarbaraYorkMain recognised the Australian taxa as Selenocosmia. In 1995, Günter Schmidt...
2010 by Michael Gray. Arachnologist, Professor BarbaraYorkMain and her husband professor Bert Main of zoology made many contributions to the arachnology...
to Australia. It was described in 1972 by Australian arachnologist BarbaraYorkMain. The species occurs in South Australia, in open scrub and supralittoral...
Rix. The specific epithet mainae honours Australian arachnologist BarbaraYorkMain for her contributions to Australian arachnology, especially the study...
1978. This genus is named in honour of the Australian arachnologist BarbaraYorkMain. As of May 2019[update] it contains four species: Bymainiella lugubris...
Harvey, BarbaraYorkMain, Michael Rix and Steven Cooper, and is endemic to South-western Australia. "Taxon details Bertmainius tumidus Harvey, Main & Rix...
arachnologist BarbaraYorkMain. The species occurs in the Mallee region of western Victoria. The type locality is 24.9 km south-east of Murrayville. Main, BY (2004)...
arachnologist BarbaraYorkMain. The species occurs in the Mallee region of western Victoria. The type locality is 17.8 km south-east of Murrayville. Main, BY (2004)...
arachnologist BarbaraYorkMain. The specific epithet refers to the type locality. The species occurs in Victoria. The type locality is Bairnsdale. Main, BY (1995)...
to Australia. It was described in 1985 by Australian arachnologist BarbaraYorkMain. The specific epithet refers to the type locality. The species occurs...
Barbara Colby (July 2, 1939 – July 24, 1975) was an American actress. She appeared in episodes of numerous television series before a 1974 appearance...
to Australia. It was described in 2000 by Australian arachnologist BarbaraYorkMain. The specific epithet ballidu refers to the type locality. The species...
to Australia. It was described in 1983 by Australian arachnologist BarbaraYorkMain. The species occurs in southern Western Australia in woodland and...
arachnologist BarbaraYorkMain. The species occurs in eastern coastal Queensland. The type locality is 9.5 km west of Bowen in the Whitsunday Region. Main, BY...
described in 2017 by Australian arachnologists Michael Rix, Karlene Bain, BarbaraYorkMain and Mark Harvey. The specific epithet sandsorum honours Ayleen and...
to Australia. It was described in 1969 by Australian arachnologist BarbaraYorkMain. This is a relatively large species, with body lengths of up to 45 mm...
arachnologist BarbaraYorkMain. The species occurs in the Mid West region of Western Australia. The type locality is Kathleen Valley Station, near Wiluna. Main, BY...
to Australia. It was described in 1983 by Australian arachnologist BarbaraYorkMain. The species occurs in south-west Western Australia in heath and open...
Australian arachnologist BarbaraYorkMain. The species occurs in the states of South Australia and Western Australia. Main, BY (1994). "Biosystematics...
to Australia. It was described in 1983 by Australian arachnologist BarbaraYorkMain. The species occurs in South Australia in heath habitats. The type...
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