Industrial melanism refers to the phenomenon whereby some invertebrates evolved dark (melanic) forms in response to the darkening by soot of their resting surfaces during the Industrial Revolution. This response provided a clear example of Darwin's 'evolution by natural selection' and was particularly well studied in moths. In this webinar, Geoff will reappraise three claimed examples of industrial melanism in spiders and draw conclusions as to whether they constitute genuine exemplars of the phenomenon.
Dr Geoff Oxford taught genetics and evolution at the University of York for nearly 40 years. His research largely focusing on (a) the adaptive significance of colour polymorphisms in spiders, and (b), speciation and hybridization in Large House spider species. He was a past president of the British Arachnological Society and is currently Hon. Secretary.