– names in bold indicate current or former members of the EVOiMEC lab –

Wolff JO (2024) Spider silk tensile performance does not correlate with web use. Evolution, qpae135. doi.org/10.1093/evolut/qpae135

Wolff JO, Ashley LJ, Schmitt C, Heu C, Denkova D, Jani M, Řezáčová V, Blamires SJ, Gorb SN, Garb J, Goodacre SL, Řezáč M (2024) From fibres to adhesives: evolution of spider capture threads from web anchors by radical changes in silk gland function. Journal of the Royal Society Interface 21, 20240123. doi.org/10.1098/rsif.2024.0123

Wolff JO, Rößler DC (2024) Evolution: decoding the adaptation of multi-eyed visual systems. Current Biology 34, R675-R677. doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2024.05.052

Wolff JO, Kennedy SR, Houghton M, Pascoe P, Gajski D, Derkarabetian S, Fraser C, Krehenwinkel H, Renault D (2024) Infrequent long-range dispersal and evolution of a top terrestrial arthropod predator in the sub-Antarctic. American Naturalist 204, 191-199. doi.org/10.1086/730827

Liprandi D, Ramírez M, Schlüter S, Baumgart L, Joel A-C, Michalik P, Wolff JO (2024) Hierarchical looping results in extreme extensibility of silk fibre composites produced by Southern house spiders (Kukulcania hibernalis). Journal of the Royal Society Interface Focus 14, 20230071. doi.org/10.1098/rsfs.2023.0071

Kreuz J, Michalik P, Wolff JO (2024) Comparative anatomy of the spinneret musculature in cribellate and ecribellate spiders (Araneae). Journal of Morphology 285, e21670. doi.org/10.1002/jmor.21670

Gajski D, Wolff JO, Melcher A, Weber S, Prost S, Krehenwinkel H, Kennedy S (2024) Facilitating taxonomy and phylogenetics: An informative and cost-effective protocol integrating long amplicon PCRs and third-generation sequencing. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 192, 107988. doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2023.107988

Beyer M, Uludag KÖ, Lailler M, Wolff JO, Eberhard MJB, Czaczkes TJ, Tuni C (2023) Testing presence of directionality information in female spider silk trails through male trail-following behavior. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 77, 139. doi.org/10.1007/s00265-023-03386-8

Kelly MJB, Khan K, Wierucka K, Jones BR, Shofner R, Derkarabetian S, Wolff JO (2023) Dynamic evolution of locomotor performance independent of changes in extended phenotype use in spiders. Proceedings of the Royal Society: Biological Sciences 290, 20232035. doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2023.2035

Wolff JO, Cherry BR, Yarger JL, Adler L, Thomas DS, Hook JM, Blamires SJ (2023) Organic salt composition of pressure sensitive adhesives produced by spiders. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution 11, 1123614. doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2023.1123614

Ramírez MJ, Wolff JO, Jäger P, Pavlek M, Pérez-González A, Magalhaes I, Peter Michalik P (2023) Geometric regularity in webs of non-orb-weaving spiders. Ecology and Evolution 13, e9839. doi.org/10.1002/ece3.9839

Aceves-Aparicio A, Narendra A, McLean DJ, Lowe EC, Christian M, Wolff JO, Schneider JM, Herberstein ME (2022) Fast acrobatic manoeuvres enable arboreal spiders to hunt dangerous prey. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA 119, e2205942119. doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2205942119

Wolff JO, Wierucka K, Paterno G, Coddington JA, Hormiga G, Kelly MBJ, Herberstein ME, Ramírez MJ (2022) Stabilized morphological evolution of spiders despite mosaic changes in foraging ecology. Systematic Biology 71, 1487–1503. (Journal Cover) doi.org/10.1093/sysbio/syac023

Herberstein ME, McLean DJ, Lowe E, Wolff JO, Khan MK, Smith K, Allen AP, Bulbert M, Buzatto BA, Eldridge MBD, Falster D, Winzer LF, Griffith SC, Madin JS, Narendra A, Westoby M, Whiting MJ, Ian Wright, Carthey A (2022) AnimalTraits: a curated animal database for body mass, metabolic rate and brain size. Scientific Data 9, 265. doi.org/10.1038/s41597-022-01364-9

Seiter M, Schwaha T, Prendini L, Gorb SN, Wolff JO (2022) Cerotegument microstructure of whip spiders (Amblypygi: Euamblypygi Weygoldt, 1996) reveals characters for systematics from family to species level. Journal of Morphology 283, 428-445. doi.org/10.1002/jmor.21452

Blamires S, Nobbs M, Wolff JO, Heu C (2022) Nutritionally induced nanoscale variations in spider silk structural and mechanical properties. Journal of the Mechanical Behavior of Biomedical Materials 125, 104873. doi.org/10.1016/j.jmbbm.2021.104873

Pekár S, Wolff JO, Černecká L, Birkhofer K, Mammola S, Lowe EC, Fukushima CS, … , Cardoso P (2021) The World Spider Trait database (WST): a centralised global open repository for curated data on spider traits. Database 2021, baab064. doi.org/10.1093/database/baab064

Wolff JO, Michalik P, Ravelo AM, Herberstein ME, Ramírez MJ (2021) Evolution of silk anchor structure as the joint effect of spinning behavior and spinneret morphology. Integrative and Comparative Biology 61, 1411-1431. doi.org/10.1093/icb/icab003

Wolff JO, Wierucka K, Uhl G, Herberstein ME (2021) Building behaviour does not affect rates of phenotypic evolution in spiders. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA 118, e2102693118. doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2102693118

Wolff JO, Liprandi D, Bosia F, Joel A-C, Pugno NM (2021) Robust substrate anchorages of silk lines with extensible nano-fibres. Soft Matter 17, 7903-7913. doi.org/10.1039/D1SM00552A

Seiter M, Schwaha T, Ferreira RL, Prendini L, Wolff JO (2021) Fine structure of the epicuticular secretion coat and associated glands of Pedipalpi and Palpigradi (Arachnida). Journal of Morphology 282, 1158-1169. doi.org/10.1002/jmor.21360

Wolff JO, von Byern J, Piorkowski D, Fang J, Wang X, Adler L, Thomas DS, Hook JM, Blamires S (2021) Adhesive droplets of glowworm snares (Keroplatidae: Arachnocampa spp.) are a complex mix of organic compounds. Frontiers in Mechanical Engineering 7, 27. (invited for Research Topic ‘Bioadhesion’). doi.org/10.3389/fmech.2021.661422

Wolff JO (2021) Locomotion and kinematics of arachnids. Journal of Comparative Physiology A 207, 99-103. (Editorial for themed issue) doi.org/10.1007/s00359-021-01478-2

Wolff JO (2020) Evolutionary kinematics of spinneret movements for rapid silk thread anchorage in spiders. Journal of Comparative Physiology A 207, 141-152. doi.org/10.1007/s00359-020-01453-3

Wolff JO, Little D, Herberstein MH (2020) Limits of piriform silk adhesion – similar effects of substrate surface polarity on silk anchor performance in two spider species with disparate microhabitat use. The Science of Nature – Naturwissenschaften 107, 1-10. doi.org/10.1007/s00114-020-01687-w

Lowe E*, Wolff JO*, Aceves-Aparicio A, Birkhofer K, Branco VV, Cardoso P, …, and Marie E. Herberstein (2020) Towards establishment of a centralized spider traits database. Journal of Arachnology 48, 103-109. doi.org/10.1636/0161-8202-48.2.103

Greco G, Wolff JO, Pugno NM (2020) Strong and tough silk for resilient attachment discs: the mechanical properties of piriform silk, in the spider Cupiennius salei (Keyserling, 1877). Frontiers in Materials 7, 138. (invited for Research Topic ‘Frontiers in Silk Science and Technology’). doi.org/10.3389/fmats.2020.00138

Wolff JO (2020) The Evolution of Dragline Initiation in Spiders: Multiple Transitions from Multi- to Single-Gland Usage. Diversity 12, 4. (invited for Special Issue ‘Systematics and Evolution of Spiders’ (ed. Goodacre S, Dimitrov D)) doi.org/10.3390/d12010004

Jeliazkov A, Mijatovic D, Chantepie S, Andrew N, Arlettaz R, Barbaro L, …, Wolff JO, …, Chase JM (2020) A global database for metacommunity ecology, integrating species, traits, environment and space. Scientific Data 7, 1-15. doi.org/10.1038/s41597-019-0344-7

Wolff JO, Paterno GB, Liprandi D, Ramírez MJ, Bosia F, van der Meijden A, Michalik P, Smith HM, Jones BR, Ravelo AM, Pugno N, Herberstein M (2019) Evolution of aerial spider webs coincided with repeated structural optimization of silk anchorages. Evolution 73, 2122-2134. (Journal Cover) doi.org/10.1111/evo.13834

Seiter M, Lemell P, Gredler R, Wolff JO (2019) Strike kinematics in the whip spider Charon sp. (Amblypygi: Charontidae). Journal of Arachnology 47, 260-5. doi.org/10.1636/JoA-S-18-089

Gibbons AT, Idnurm A, Seiter M, Dyer PS, Kokolski M, Goodacre SL, Gorb SN, Wolff JO (2019) Amblypygid-fungal interactions: The whip spider exoskeleton as a substrate for fungal growth. Fungal Biology 123, 497-506. doi.org/10.1016/j.funbio.2019.05.003

Wirth M, Wolff JO, Appel E, Gorb SN. (2019) Ultrastructure of spider thread anchorages. Journal of Morphology 280, 534-43. doi.org/10.1002/jmor.20962

Kruppert S, Deussen L, Weiss LC, Horstmann M, Wolff JO, Kleinteich T, Gorb SN, Tollrian R (2019) Zooplankters’ nightmare: The fast and efficient catching basket of larval phantom midges (Diptera: Chaoborus). PloS One 14, e0214013. doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0214013

Wolff JO, Wiegmann C, Wirkner CS, Koehnsen A, Gorb SN (2019) Traction reinforcement in prehensile feet of harvestmen (Arachnida, Opiliones). Journal of Experimental Biology 222, jeb192187. doi.org/10.1242/jeb.192187

Wolff JO, Jones B, Herberstein ME (2018) Plastic material investment in load-bearing silk attachments in spiders. Zoology 131, 45-7. doi.org/10.1016/j.zool.2018.05.002

Frost KF, Gorb SN, Wolff JO (2018) Adhesion and friction in hunting spiders: The effect of contact splitting on their attachment ability. Zoologischer Anzeiger – A Journal of Comparative Zoology 273, 231-239. doi.org/10.1016/j.jcz.2018.01.003

Wolff JO, van der Meijden A, Herberstein ME (2017) Distinct spinning patterns gain differentiated loading tolerance of silk thread anchorages in spiders with different ecology. Proceedings of the Royal Society: Biological Sciences 284, 20171124. doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2017.1124

Wolff JO, Wells D, Reid CR, Blamires SJ (2017) Clarity of objectives and working principles enhances the success of biomimetic programs. Bioinspiration & Biomimetics 12, 051001. doi.org/10.1088/1748-3190/aa86ff

Wolff JO, Řezáč M, Krejčí T, Gorb SN (2017) Hunting with sticky tape: functional shift in silk glands of araneophagous ground spiders (Gnaphosidae). Journal of Experimental Biology 220, 2250-2259. (Editor’s Choice) doi.org/10.1242/jeb.154682

Labarque FM, Wolff JO, Michalik P, Griswold CE, Ramírez MJ (2017). The evolution and function of spider feet (Araneae, Arachnida): Multiple acquisitions of distal articulations. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 181, 308–341. doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlw030

Filippov AÉ, Wolff JO, Seiter M, Gorb SN (2017). Numerical simulation of colloidal self-assembly of superhydrophobic arachnid cerotegument structures. Journal of Theoretical Biology 430, 1-8. doi.org/10.1016/j.jtbi.2017.07.001

Wolff JO, Lovtsova J, Gorb E, Dai Z, Ji A, Zhao Z, Jiang N, Gorb SN (2017). Strength of silk attachment to Ilex chinensis leaves in the tea bagworm Eumeta minuscula (Lepidoptera, Psychidae). Journal of The Royal Society Interface 14, 20170007. doi.org/10.1098/rsif.2017.0007

Wolff JO, Herberstein MH (2017) Three-dimensional printing spiders: back-and-forth glue application yields silk anchorages with high pull-off resistance under varying loading situations. Journal of The Royal Society Interface 14, 20160783. (Journal Cover) doi.org/10.1098/rsif.2016.0783

Heepe L, Petersen DS, Tölle L, Wolff JO, Gorb SN (2017) Sexual dimorphism in the attachment ability of the ladybird beetle Coccinella septempunctata on soft substrates. Applied Physics A: Materials Science and Processing 123, 34. doi.org/10.1007/s00339-016-0684-5

Seiter M, Wolff JO (2017) Stygophrynus orientalis sp. nov. (Amblypygi: Charontidae) from Indonesia with the description of a remarkable spermatophore. Zootaxa 4232, 397-408. doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4232.3.8

Wolff JO, Seiter M, Gorb SN (2017) The water-repellent cerotegument of whip-spiders (Arachnida: Amblypygi). Arthropod Structure and Development 46, 116-129. (part of Special Issue ‘Arthropod Cuticle Function: from Molecules to Structures to Ecology’, ed. Fabritius H-O, Moussian B) doi.org/10.1016/j.asd.2016.10.010

Wolff JO, Schwaha T, Seiter M, Gorb SN (2016). Whip-spiders (Amblypygi) become water-repellent by a colloidal secretion that self-assembles into hierarchical microstructures. Zoological Letters 2, 23. doi.org/10.1186/s40851-016-0059-y

Heepe L, Wolff JO, Gorb SN (2016) Influence of ambient humidity on the attachment ability of ladybird beetles (Coccinella septempunctata). Beilstein Journal of Nanotechnology 7, 1322–1329. (invited) doi.org/10.3762/bjnano.7.123

Wolff JO, Martens J, Schönhofer AL, Gorb SN (2016) Evolution of hyperflexible joints in sticky prey capture appendages of harvestmen (Arachnida, Opiliones). Organisms Diversity & Evolution 16, 549-557. doi.org/10.1007/s13127-016-0278-2

Wolff JO, Schönhofer AL, Martens J, Wijnhoven H, Taylor C, Gorb SN (2016) The evolution of pedipalps and glandular hairs as predatory devices in harvestmen (Arachnida, Opiliones). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 177, 558-601. doi.org/10.1111/zoj.12375

Wolff JO, Seiter M, Gorb SN (2015) Functional anatomy of the pretarsus in whip spiders (Arachnida, Amblypygi). Arthropod Structure and Development 44, 524-540. doi.org/10.1016/j.asd.2015.08.014

Eggs B, Wolff JO, Kuhn-Nentwig L, Gorb SN, Nentwig W (2015) Hunting without a web: how lycosoid spiders subdue their prey. Ethology 121, 1166-1177. doi.org/10.1111/eth.12432

Seiter M, Wolff JO, Hoerweg C (2015) A new species of the South East Asian genus Sarax Simon, 1892 (Arachnida: Amblypygi: Charinidae) and synonymization of Sarax mediterraneus Delle Cave, 1986. Zootaxa 4012, 542-552. doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4012.3.8

Wolff JO, Huber S, Gorb SN (2015) How to stay on mummy's back: Morphological and functional changes of the pretarsus in arachnid postembryonic stages. Arthropod Structure and Development 44, 301-312. doi.org/10.1016/j.asd.2015.04.004

Hüsken M, Hufnagel K, Mende K, Appel E, Meyer H, Peisker H, Tögel M, Wang S, Wolff J, Gorb SN, Paululat A (2015) Adhesive pad differentiation in Drosophila melanogaster depends on the Polycomb group gene Su(z)2. Journal of Experimental Biology 218, 1159-1165. doi.org/10.1242/jeb.108332

Wolff JO, Grawe I, Wirth M, Karstedt A, Gorb SN (2015) Spider’s super-glue: Thread anchors are composite adhesives with synergistic hierarchical organization. Soft Matter 11, 2394. doi.org/10.1039/C4SM02130D

Wolff JO, Gorb SN (2015) Adhesive foot pads: an adaptation to climbing? An ecological survey in hunting spiders. Zoology 118, 1-7. (Journal Cover) doi.org/10.1016/j.zool.2014.04.006

Wolff JO, Schönhofer A, Schaber C, Gorb SN (2014) Gluing the ‘un-wettable’: Soil-dwelling harvestmen use viscoelastic fluids for capturing springtails. Journal of Experimental Biology 217, 3535-3544. doi.org/10.1242/jeb.108852

Seiter M, Wolff JO (2014) Description of Sarax buxtoni (Gravely 1915) (Arachnida: Amblypygi: Charinidae) and a new case of parthenogenesis in Amblypygi from Singapore. Journal of Arachnology 42, 233-239. doi.org/10.1636/Ha14-13.1

Grawe I, Wolff JO*, Gorb SN (2014) Composition and substrate-dependent strength of the silken attachment discs in spiders. Journal of the Royal Society Interface 11, 20140477. doi.org/10.1098/rsif.2014.0477

Wohlfart E, Wolff JO, Arzt E., Gorb SN (2014) The whole is more than the sum of all its parts: collective effect of spider attachment organs. Journal of Experimental Biology 217, 222-224. doi.org/10.1242/jeb.093468

Wolff JO, Nentwig W, Gorb SN (2013) The great silk alternative: Multiple coevolution of web loss and adhesive setae in spiders. PloS One 8, e62682. doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0062682

Wolff JO, Gorb SN (2013) Radial arrangement of Janus-like setae permits friction control in spiders. Scientific Reports 3, 1101. doi.org/10.1038/srep01101

Wolff JO, Gorb SN (2012) Comparative morphology of pretarsal scopulae in eleven spider families. Arthropod Structure and Development 41, 419-433. doi.org/10.1016/j.asd.2012.04.004

Wolff JO, Gorb SN (2012) Surface roughness effects on attachment ability of the spider Philodromus dispar (Araneae, Philodromidae). Journal of Experimental Biology 215, 179-184. doi.org/10.1242/jeb.061507

Wolff JO, Gorb SN (2011) The influence of humidity on the attachment ability of the spider Philodromus dispar (Araneae, Philodromidae). Proceedings of the Royal Society: Biological Sciences 279, 139-143. doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2011.0505