35th European Congress of Arachnology

Name: 35th European Congress of Arachnology
Start: 2025-08-31T06:00:00Z
End: 2025-09-05T21:30:00Z
Location: University of Zadar

University of Zadar

August 31 to September 5, 2025

ECA2025 Zadar group photo

Important information prior to your arrival

Dear all,

With the ECA2025 Congress in Zadar approaching, we are sending you some important information.

ECA2025 in numbers: 175 participants (62 students) from 41 countries across 5 continents, presenting 91 oral and 61 poster contributions.

Registration opens at 18:00 on 31 August 2025 at the main venue building of Zadar University (entrance from the seaside). The Welcome Reception will take place at the same location from 19:00, offering an opportunity to meet and connect with other participants over some drinks and food before the official start of the congress. The sea is clean and approachable there, so don't hesitate to take a swim!

The welcome package includes: a cotton tote bag, a bottle (tap water is drinkable in all parts of Croatia and we are very proud of that!), a hand fan, and a mini magnifier.

Lunch will be served in the Barbakan restaurant which is in the building next to the main venue. Other than vegan and vegetarian options, there are two meals to choose from each day (meat or fish) for participants who chose the no restriction option. For those who haven't yet, please add your name and mark your selection with an 'X' in this sheet: ECA2025 Menu options. All food will be clearly labeled with allergens, ensuring that everyone with dietary restrictions will know exactly what they can eat.

Free wifi will be available in the main venue building:
Username: Unizd.Konferencija
Password: Connect@Unizd234

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Practical information

There is public transport (a bus) from the airport to the city center (Central bus station). A one-way bus ticket costs €5.00 and can be purchased from the driver, usually in cash only. Departure times are available at: https://www.zadar-airport.hr/en/public-transport.

When taking a taxi, use official apps where you can see the price in advance. Otherwise, there is a chance you'll be overcharged. Uber and Bolt are available in Zadar, but there are many other private taxi companies.

If you are arriving by bus, you'll come into the Central bus station, where plenty of city bus lines are available. The bus ticket is €1.60 and is bought from the driver, usually in cash only.

If you are arriving by car and staying at the Kolovare Hotel, you can use the hotel's parking. For everyone else, we recommend using one of the public parking lots (unless your accommodation already provides parking), such as: Parkiralište Ulica Krešimira Čosića, Parking Zadar, garage Parkhaus in Zadar, Parking Obala kneza Branimira 9, and similar.

Lastly, if several of you are flying in on the same airplane, and would like a shuttle to transfer you to your accommodation, let us know and we will contact a reliable driver for an affordable price.

Cash/Card.

Although cards are accepted in most (but not all) places, Croatians still like to have cash in hand. Therefore, we recommend that you always carry some cash with you. The currency is the euro. In restaurants/cafés, you must specify if you want to pay by card; otherwise, the bill will be prepared as if you are paying in cash.

Main emergency phone number: 112
Additional numbers: Emergency Medical Service: 194; Police: 192; National Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC Rijeka): 195

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Social activities:

31st August (Sunday): Welcome reception from 19:00

2nd September (Tuesday): Sunset guided tour in Zadar historical center starting at 18:45. Afterwards, we will go to Brlog, a local brewery where you can try craft beer and have something to eat.

3rd September (Wednesday): Peace party in Barbakan restaurant from 20:30. The organizers will provide some food and drinks, and you can bring some drinks yourself.

4th September (Thursday): Group photo at 11:00.

4th September (Thursday): Congress dinner at Arsenal building at 21:00

All locations available here: link.

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Excursions: Click here for details

Permission to collect arachnids at all three locations (only the surface, not in caves) has been secured for all participants, so you are welcome to collect. The only requirement is that we submit a report with basic information on the collecting trip. The organizers would greatly appreciate it if you share the species you collected or observed, as your records could provide valuable new data on Croatia's largely unstudied surface arachnofauna.

Paklenica hiking excursion. Bring your usual hiking gear, such as a backpack, hiking shoes, an extra T-shirt, sunscreen, and similar essentials. For those who wish to visit Manita peć please bring warm clothing, as the cave temperature is 9 °C. A stream runs along the trail, with several deeper pools. You may be able to refresh yourself there if the water flow is sufficient, but at this time of year, the water level is usually at its lowest.

Krka walking excursion. All walks will be on relatively easy paths, so you can do it without hiking shoes. Bring sun protection. Swimming in the Krka River is not allowed.

Lunch package for Krka and Paklenica excursions: A sandwich, fruit, and 1L of water will be provided for each participant. We suggest you take some extra water. Also, we will make stops where you will be able to buy additional food and drinks.

Kornati boat excursion. You will spend most of the time on the boat, with occasional stops for swimming in the sea and short walks, so please bring your bathing suit and a towel. Don't forget sun protection. Food, including lunch and refreshments, will be provided on the boat.

More details for all three excursions will follow.

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Program:

The Congress Program is available on this link.

For participants with oral presentations, please remember to submit your presentation at the registration desk one day in advance to ensure the program runs smoothly. Please prepare your presentation in .PPT, .PPTX, or PDF format, using the 16:9 aspect ratio (Design → Slide Size → Widescreen (16:9)). Name your file as FirstName_LastName.ppt/.pptx/.pdf. We recommend using the "Embed all characters" option when saving your presentation in PowerPoint to ensure that all fonts display correctly.

Posters (acceptable formats: A1 or A0, portrait orientation) will be numbered, as marked in the Congress Program - upon arrival, you will be able to find your poster location. Posters will be displayed during the whole congress, while the dedicated Poster Session will be held on Thursday afternoon. For those using the on-site printing service, don't forget to bring cash for the printing facility on the first day.

Certificates of participation and the type of presentation will be available in a shared folder, the link to which we will share with you later.

Two symposia will be held during the congress:
1) How arachnids experience their world: senses, brain, development and behaviour (organized by Gabriele Uhl)
2) Science beneath the surface: cave arachnid ecology, diversity, and evolution (organized by Efrat Gavish-Regev, Dora Hlebec, and Martina Pavlek)

Student award competition

The awards to be given at this ECA are:

ESA Cash Prize for the three best posters and talks

Best Oral Presentation (1st place): free publication in any Pensoft journal (no deadline) + the new edition of Spider Biology by Rainer Foelix

Best Oral Presentation (2nd place): the new edition of Spider Biology by Rainer Foelix

Best Oral Presentation in specific fields (Taxonomy/Systematics/Phylogenetics/Biogeography): free publication in any PeerJ journal (no deadline), plus a featured article on the PeerJ blog highlighting the presented research.

Best Poster (1st place): free publication in any PeerJ journal (no deadline), along with a feature on the PeerJ blog to showcase the research + the new edition of Spider Biology by Rainer Foelix

The awards will be given on the last day, Friday, at the ESA General Assembly.

!!! Please let us know if you plan to come later or leave earlier so we can plan the congress activities more easily !!!

Dear Colleagues,

The registration and abstract submission deadline has been postponed for a week, so June 27^th 2025 at midnight Central European Time is the new deadline.

We hope this brings more of you to Zadar :)

Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to invite you to join us at the 35th European Congress of Arachnology, which will be held in Zadar, Croatia, from 31 August to 5 September 2025.

Zadar, located on the Adriatic coast of Croatia in the northern Dalmatia region, is a city with a rich historical heritage. Its origins date back to the 9th century BC, when the area was inhabited by Liburnian tribes. Today, Zadar is a vibrant cultural, commercial, industrial, and educational hub in Dalmatia, with a population of approximately 75,000 residents.

The University of Zadar was established in 1396 as the Dominican Studium Generale and later evolved into Universitas Jadertina. Today, the university boasts 27 academic departments and serves approximately 6,000 students.

The conference will take place in a historic building of the University of Zadar, located in the heart of Zadar's Old Town.Welcome to the Event

Program Highlights:

Welcome event: Evening of August 31^st
Mid-congress excursions: September 3^rd
Congress dinner: September 4^th
Closing session: Evening of September 5^th

Details of the three proposed excursions can be found here.

We are happy to two symposia that will be part of the regular congress program:

• Symposium: How arachnids experience their world: senses, brain, development and behaviour, organizer Gabriele Uhl

• Symposium: Science Beneath the Surface: Cave Arachnid Ecology, Diversity, and Evolution, organizers Efrat Gavis-Regev, Dora Hlebec & Martina Pavlek

All participants interested in joining the sessions, please contact Gabrielle Uhl (gabriele.uhl@uni-greifswald.de) or Efrat Gavis-Regev (efrat.gavish-regev@mail.huji.ac.il)

For any questions please contact us at eca2025@irb.hr.

Also, follow the updates at X (@35thECA2025), Bluesky (@35theca2025.bsky.social), and Instagram (@35thECA2025).

See you in Zadar :)

Dear all, we have two amazing sponsors who will award the best student presentation with exciting awards:

1. Best Oral Presentation - a free publication in any Pensoft journal;

2. Best Oral Presentation in Taxonomy/Systematics/Phylogenetics/Biogeography - a free publication in any PeerJ journal, plus a featured article on the PeerJ blog highlighting the presented research;

3. Best Poster - a free publication in any PeerJ journal, along with a feature on the PeerJ blog to showcase the research.

We are happy to announce a topical session and a symposium that will be part of the regular congress program:

• Topical session: How arachnids experience their world: senses, brain, development and behaviour, organizer Gabrielle Uhl

• Symposium: Science Beneath the Surface: Cave Arachnid Ecology, Diversity, and Evolution, organizers Efrat Gavis-Regev, Dora Hlebec & Martina Pavlek

All participants interested in joining the sessions, please contact Gabrielle Uhl (gabriele.uhl@uni-greifswald.de) or Efrat Gavis-Regev (efrat.gavish-regev@mail.huji.ac.il)

Dear all,

We are happy to announce that registration is now open for the 35^th European Congress of Arachnology, which will take place in Zadar, Croatia, from August 31^st to September 5^th, 2025.

The Organizing Committee (Martina Pavlek, Dora Hlebec, Tvrtko Dražina, Tomislav Kos, Tin Rožman, Iva Čupić, and Ana Hant) looks forward to welcoming you.

The Scientific Committee (Efrat Gavish-Regev, Susan Kennedy, Vera Opatova, Gabriele Uhl, Pedro Cardoso, Matjaž Gregorič, Marco Isaia, Yuri Simone, and Jonas Wolf) will ensure a high-quality scientific program.

We are especially pleased to host four outstanding plenary speakers:

Simona Kralj Fišer, Institute of Biology, Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Ljubljana, Slovenia
Mark Harvey, Western Australian Museum, Perth, Australia
Miquel A. Arnedo, Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Universitat de Barcelona, & Biodiversity Research Institute (IRBio), Barcelona, Spain
Stefano Mammola, Water Research Institute, National Research Council, Verbania, Italy; Finnish Museum of Natural History, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland

Important Dates and Information:
Early Registration: April 10 - May 25, 2025

Regular (ESA member / non-member): 430 / 480 EUR
Student (ESA member / non-member): 250 / 300 EUR

Late Registration: May 26 - June 20, 2025

Regular (ESA member / non-member): 480 / 530 EUR
Student (ESA member / non-member): 290 / 340 EUR

Registration fee includes: conference materials, welcome package, all lunches, coffee breaks, welcome reception, social dinner, and excursion costs.
Accompanying Person Fee: 200 EUR - includes welcome package, welcome reception, excursion costs, and social dinner.

Abstract Submission: April 10 - June 20, 2025
Abstract notification of Acceptance: July 15, 2025

You’ll find all registration and abstract submission information here on our official website. After registering, you’ll be able to create a personal account to submit your abstract.

Tentative Program Highlights:

Welcome event: Evening of August 31^st
Mid-congress excursions: September 3^rd
Congress dinner: September 4^th
Closing session: Evening of September 5^th

Details of the three proposed excursions can be found here.
If you'd like to propose a symposium to be held prior to the congress, please contact us at eca2025@irb.hr

Stay updated via our social media channels:X: @35thECA2025; Bluesky: @35theca2025.bsky.social; Instagram: @35theca2025

STUDENT GRANTS - updated info

We offer the following student grants (pre- postdoctoral level).

ECA Fee Waiver - At least 4 grants covering the congress registration fee.
ECA Travel Grant - Several grants of 200-300 € to help with congress expenses.
AraGes Student Grant - One grant covering the congress registration fee.

Eligibility: Grants are available only to student members of the European Society of Arachnology (ECA grants) or Arachnologische Gesellschaft (AraGes grant). If you are not yet a member, you must join ECA or AraGes before applying.

Selection Process: Applications will be reviewed by a grant committee appointed by the conference’s scientific committee. Priority will be given to applicants who:

Demonstrate clear research goals/hypotheses with a well-structured project design.
Come from underprivileged backgrounds or institutions with limited funding.

How to Apply

Please submit a single PDF file via email to matjaz.gregoric@zrc-sazu.si until May 5^th, 2025, with the subject Student award ECA2025_your name. The PDF file should contain:

Your CV (maximum 2 pages).
Proof of student status.
A brief description of your research and its relevance to the conference (maximum 1 page).
An abstract* of your poster or talk.
A signed statement from the supervisor confirming that the project (if the student is employed on it) lacks sufficient funds to cover conference participation.

* You will be able to edit your abstract after submission through your Participant Dashboard until June 20th.

Only students who submit all required documents will be considered in the application evaluation.

The grant committee will evaluate all applications and decide whether to award an ECA Fee Waiver, an ECA Travel Grant, or AraGes Student Grant. Applicants do not need to specify which grant they are applying for.

Successful applicants will be notified by May 20^th, 2025.

Other opportunities: Other arachnological societies offer student grants intended to assist with travel and other expenses relating to attendance at conferences. Please see the grants of the Czech Society of Arachnology (grant information distributed among members), and the British Arachnological Society (BAS Small Grants Scheme).

Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to invite you to join us at the 35th European Congress of Arachnology, which will be held in Zadar, Croatia, from 31 August to 5 September 2025.

The conference will take place in a historic building of the University of Zadar, located in the heart of Zadar's Old Town.

Detailed information regarding registration, deadlines, and fees will be made available shortly. In the meantime, we kindly request that you preregister for the event at the following link: PRE REGISTRATION

While preregistration does not commit you to attend, it will provide us with a clearer estimate of expected attendance and assist with event planning and organization.