Title:Early-type stellar systems in nearby clusters

Abstract:
In a first part, I will present results from a large spectroscopic survey of globular cluster (GC) and 
ultra-compact dwarf galaxy (UCD) candidates in the core of the Hydra I galaxy cluster. From 118 identified 
cluster members, 52 are brighter than M_V = -11 mag, and can therefore be termed UCDs. With M_V = 
-13.4 mag, the brightes UCD in our sample is one of the brightest and most massive UCDs ever discovered. 
We investigate the kinematics of the GC/UCD system, and interpret the findings in the context of different 
UCD formation channels. In a second part, I will present a detailed photometric study of the early-type dwarf 
galaxy (dE) population in Hydra I and Centaurus. The large samples of newly discovered dEs, together with 
data on other early-type stellar systems, are used to present a complete picture of stellar systems over ten 
orders of magnitude in mass. Differences as well as intriguing parallels between those systems will be 
discussed.