This spring, Alexander Fomichev, an arachnologist and researcher in the Department of Zoology and Physiology at Altai State University, returned from his fifth expedition to the Russian Far East. Fieldwork was carried out in Primorsky Krai from 9 to 29 May. Alexander’s team included his wife, Elizaveta, as well as Mikhail and Valeria Omelko from the Federal Research Center for Biodiversity of East Asian Terrestrial Biota, Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, in Vladivostok.

“Primorsky Krai is the southernmost part of the Russian Far East. It borders China and North Korea and is washed by the Sea of Japan to the east. The region’s main natural feature is its unique combination of temperate and subtropical elements. The Sikhote‑Alin Mountains occupy most of the territory, but in the far south, near the border with North Korea, there are low‑lying swampy plains. Small mountain ranges, resembling islands, rise here and there among the monotonous swamps. At one time, the sea level was higher; the swamps formed the bottom of a bay, and these highlands were true islands. Studying their isolated fauna became the main goal of the expedition,” explains Alexander Fomichev.

To search for and collect spiders, the researchers employed a full range of methods: night‑time collections with headlamps, sifting forest litter, and setting soil traps. The result was a rich collection of spiders, which now awaits laboratory processing. However, it can already be stated that among the collected material is at least one species new to science, belonging to the family of comb‑footed spiders (Theridiidae). This same family includes the black widow and the karakurt, both of which are dangerous to humans.

Spiders were not the only focus of the trip. The expedition members recorded nine species of amphibians and reptiles, including five snakes. These included:

• the venomous Ussuri copperhead, with its variable, almost unpredictable coloration;
• the tiger snake, equipped with venomous fangs and haemorrhagic venom;
• the specialised semi‑aquatic red‑backed racer.

On the coast, the scientists observed spotted seals, and the tracks of the Far Eastern leopard were so common that they became an almost familiar backdrop.

The most unexpected ornithological discovery was the frigatebird, a native of tropical oceans. These birds are typically found thousands of kilometres further south. Another surprise awaited the zoologists in the marine littoral (the area of seabed or shore that is regularly flooded at high tide and exposed at low tide): a scaly‑legged crab, a rare relict of the Miocene epoch (23–5 million years ago), was discovered there. All animals encountered were carefully photographed. Only the spiders were preserved in alcohol for subsequent scientific processing.

“There were some incidents. During the expedition, I received a severe bite from a defending pit viper. The venom affected my right hand. The situation was complicated by the fact that there was no hospital nearby, and it was impossible to interrupt the expedition. I had to endure the poisoning while continuing to work. Fortunately, thanks to my wife’s help, Elizaveta, I was able to treat the bite myself without any consequences,” says Alexander.

Despite all the difficulties, the expedition is considered a great success. It is already clear that it will result in a series of publications in highly rated scientific journals. While the zoologists sort through the collections, Primorye continues to guard its secrets – somewhere among the swamps, on ancient islands, on the peaks of the Sikhote‑Alin.