Zoology - Ijzr - Diversity of Spiders Around - Priya Sharma
Zoology - Ijzr - Diversity of Spiders Around - Priya Sharma
Zoology - Ijzr - Diversity of Spiders Around - Priya Sharma
ABSTRACT
This study describes the diversity of spiders around Sirpur lake (220 41 52N 750 4845 E) located in the
outskirt of about 6-8 km away from Indore city. This survey was carried out during 2013 to 2014 using three sampling
techniques (Active visual searching, Sweep netting, Vegetation beating). A total of 58 species of spiders belonging to 38
genera under 17 families viz., Araneidae, Clubionidae, Erisidae, Gnaphosidae, Hersillidae, Lycosidae, Mitrogidae,
Oxyopidae, Pisuridae,Philodromidae, Salticidae, Scytodidae, Sparssidae, Therididae, Thomisidae, Tetraganthidae,
Uloboridae, were recorded. Among these families most dominated family was Araneidae. This Family represented by 8
genera and 23 species. The second largest family was Salticidae, represented by 10 genera & 13 species. Abundance of
Araneidae may be due to greater availability of prey due to better humidity and occurrence of high number of Salticidae is
because it is cosmopolitan present everywhere in abundance. The survey result shows that the study area is rich in spider
diversity.
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The spiders of many families were practically unknown from Madhya Pradesh before Tikadar (1980, 1982) and
Tikadar and Malohtra (1980) who described some species of the families Thomisidae, Philodromidae, Lycosidae
Araneidae and Gnaphosidae from Madhya Pradesh in fauna of India. Araneae volume 1 and 2 Tikadar and Gajbe (1976)
described a few species of family Gnaphosidae from Madhya Pradesh. The spiders of Madhya Pradesh were studies in
detail by Gajbe (1987-1999), who described many new species fromthis region. Gajbe (1992a) described the family
Mimetidae and Platnick (1991) and Platnick and Gajbe (1994) recorded species of the family Cithaeronidae for the first
time from Madhya Pradesh. Gajbe(1995a) recorded 13 species from Indravati Tiger Reserve, Chhattisgarh. Rane and singh
(1977) recorded five species from and Gajbe (1995b) 14 species from Kanha Tiger Reseve, Madhya Pradesh. In recent
times, Gajbe (1999,2000) have described 32 new species, Bhandari and Gajbe (2001) 10 new species, and Gajbe (2003)
one new species of spiders from Jabalpur district, Madhya Pardesh. Gajbe (1999) also recorded many lynx spiders of the
genera Oxyopes and Peucetia (family Oxyopidae) from Madhya Pradesh and further identified 25 new species from
Madhya Pradesh, provisionally placed under the genera Scytodes, Triaeris, Pholcus, Thomisus, Philodromus,
Misumenoides, Runcinia, Tegenaria, Heteropoda, Phidippus, Rhene, Eucta, Tetragnatha and Dolomedes, which will be
described in detail, separately. On the basis of these species and some other species identified from Seoni district in detail
in Madhya Pradesh, the familes Oonopidae, Tetragnathidae, Heteropodidae, Pisauridae, Pholcidae and Dictynidae are also
being reported from Madhya Pradesh.
Sweep-Netting
This method was employed in order to sample spiders mainly from grass layer with a sweep net of diameter 40
cm. The method was employed for one hour including the period for searching and bottling of spider. This method
consisted of roaming through the grass-shrub layer and sweeping the net for a standard number of times (Coddington et al.
1996). Each sweeping event consisted of 05 sweeps, followed by emptying the content in an umbrella, collection and
repeating the process for an hour (approximately 30 sweeps/hour).
Beating
Spiders from canopy layer above 5 feet height were collected using beating method. Beating consisted of
tapping/striking the shrub and tree vegetation with a 1m long soild stick and catching the falling spiders in an inverted
umbrella held beneath the vegetation. It is easy to transfer form the umbrella into the sample vial. An average of of 20
beats (one slot of 05 beat) per tree were taken in a span of one hour.
Identification of Spiders
All adult specimens were preserved in 70% alcohol and identified up to family, genus and species level.
Identification of spiders was carried out on the basis of morphometric characters of various body parts and the detail
structure of epigyne of female and pedipalp of male spiders. A help of various keys and World Spider Catalogue (recent
edition) and other relevant literatures from India and abroad was taken in to consideration for proper identification. Initially
the book, Spider families of the world by Jocque and Dippenaar-Schoeman was referred every time to identify the family
of the spider and then the published Indian literature (Books and Monographs) first and then research papers from India
and outside India were referred to identify the genus and species. I used to go through World Spider Catalogue 14.5
(Platnick,2014) was useful in knowing the synonyms and transfers before finalizing the name of spider.
RESULTS
A total of 58 species of spiders belonging to 38 genera under 17 families from different places around sirpur lake
were recorded. Various families were recorded are Aranidae, Clubionidae, Eresidae, Gnaphosidae, Hersillidae, Lycosidae,
Miturgidae, Oxyopidae, Pholcidae, Philodromidae, Salticidae, S cytodidae, Sparassidae, Theridiidae, Thomisidae,
Tetraganthidae, Uloboridae. Among these families most dominated family was Araneidae. This Family represented by 8
genera and 23 species.
4 species belonging to Theridiidae family, 2 species each of family Thomisidae, Oxyopidae, Lycosidae and one
species each of families Clubionidae, Eresidae, Gnaphosidae, Hresillidae, Miturgidae, Sparassidae, Tetraganthidae,
Philodromidae and Uloboridae.
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1.Family:Araneidae
Argiope aemula Walckenaer 1841 (Female)
Argiope anasuja Thorell 1887 (Female)
Araneus mitificus Simon 1886 (Female)
Cyclosa bifida Doleschall 1859 (Female)
Cyclosa confraga Thorell 1892 (Female)
Cyclosa moonduensis Tikader 1963 (Female)
Cyclosa moonduensis (Male)
Cyclosa spirifera Simon 1889 (Female)
Cyclosa spirifera Simon 1889 (Male)
Cyrtophora cicatrosa Stoliczka 1869 (Female)
Cyrtophora citricola Forskal 1775 (Female)
Cyrtophora citricola Forskal 1775 (male)
Eriovixia excelsa Simon 1889 (Female)
Eriovixia excels Simon 1889 (male)
Lipocrea epeiroides (Female)
Lipocrea epeiroides (male)
Neoscona nautica L. Koch 1875 (Female)
Neoscona theisi Walckenaer 1841 (Female)
Neoscona theisi Walckenaer 1841 (Male)
Neoscona vigilans Blackwall 1865 (Female)
Neoscona vigilans Blackwall 1865 (Male)
Thelacantha brevispina Doleschall 1857 (Female)
Thelacantha brevispina Doleschall 1857 (Male)
2.Family:Clubionidae
Clubiona drassodes OP Cambridge 1847 (Female)
3.Family:Eresidae
Stegodyphus sarasinorum Karsch 1891 (Female)
4.Family: Gnaphosidae
Gnaphosa Sp. Latereille 1804(Male)
5.Family:Hersillidae
Hersilia savignyi Lucas 1836 (Female)
6.Family:Lycosidae
Hippasa agelenoides Simon 1884 (Female)
Paradosa sumatrana Thorell 1890 (Female)
7.Family: Miturgidae
Chericanthium C.L. Koch 1839 (Female)
8.Family:Oxyopidae
Oxyopes birmanicus Thorell 1887 (Female)
Peucetica viridence Hentz 1832 (Female)
9.Family:Pholcidae
Crossopriza lyoni Blackwall 1867 (Female)
Pholcus phalangioides Fuesslin 1775 (Female)
10.Family:Philodromidae
Philodromus sp. Walckenaer 1826 (Female)
11.Family:Salticidae
Hasarius adansoni Audouin 1826 (Female)
Hyllus semicupreus Simon 1885 (Female)
Menemerus bivittatus Dufour 1831 (Female)
Myrmarachne plataleoides OP Cambridge 1869
Myrmarachne Maratha Tikadar 1973 (Female)
Myrmarachne orientales Tikadar 1973 (Female)
Phintella vittata C.L.Koch 1846 (Female)
Plexippus paykulli Audoin 1826 (female)
NAAS Rating: 2.59
44.
45.
46.
47.
48.
49.
50.
51.
52.
53.
54.
55.
56.
57.
58.
Table 1: Contd.,
Plexippus paykulli Audoin 1826 (male)
Phiddipus sp. (Female)
Rhene sp. Thorell 1869 (Female)
Telamonia didimata Simon 1889 (Female)
Thiania sp. C.L.Koch 1847 (Female)
Family:Scytodidae
Scytodes sp. Walckenaer 1804 (Female)
Family:Sparassidae
Olios sp. Walckneaer 1837 (Female)
Family:Tetraganthidae
Leucage decorata Blackwall 1864 (Female)
Family:Theridiidae
Argyrodes sp.Simon,1864 (Female)
Argyrodes sp.Simon,1864 (male)
Ariamnes sp.Thorell 1869 (Female)
Ariamnes sp.Thorell 1869 (male)
Family:Thomisidae
Xysticus sp.C.L.Koch 1835 (Female)
Thomisus Sp.Walckenaer 1805 (Female)
Family:Uloboridae
Uloborus sp.Laterile 1806 (Female)
Family Aranidae exploring 40% of spider specices out of total spider species recorded from this area, followed by
the family Salticidae exploring 22% and Therididdae 7%. Family Lycosidae, Thomisidae, Pholcidae, Oxyopidae each
exploring 3% of spider species. Remaining families Clubionidae, Eresidae, Gnaphosidae, Hersillidae, Miturgidae,
Philodromidae, Scytodidae, Sparassidae Tetraganthidae, Uloboridae exploring 1% of spider species each.
The spiders live in different type of habitat spiders belonging to Salticidae, Eresidae, Thomisidae Tetraganthidae,
Oxyopidae, Theridiidae found in vegetation. Thomisidae spiders found on flowering plants. Hersilia savignyi (family
Hersillidae) was found on the bark of tree. Some spiders from Salticidae and Lycosidae family were located on the ground
in between folded dry leaves. Orb webs are seen attached to the branches of plants and spiders rest in nearby shaded area.
Also observed some ant mimicking spider from family Salticidae are Myrmarachne plataleoides, Myrmarachne Maratha,
Myrmarachne orientales. Social spider Stegodyphus sarasinorum (Family Erisidae) also found in this area.
Spiders are found most abundantly from this area are Argiope Aaemula, Argiope anasuja, Cyclosa bifida,
clubiona drassodes, Stegodyphus sarasinorum, Leucauge decorata, Hyllus semicupreus, Plexippus paykulli, Telamonia
dimidiata. Whereas spider species Thiani sp., Rhene sp. Cyclosa spirifera are found very rare in this area.
This study bought out the fact that though the sirpur lake is small water body near Indore city abode of spiders in
addition to multitude of migratory birds. This rich diversity of spiders is also indicative of overall biodiversity of this area.
Since the spiders are considered useful indicators of species richness. Abundance of Araneidae may be due to greater
availability of prey due to better humidity and occurrence of high number of Salticidae is because it is cosmopolitan
present everywhere in abundance. Spiders plays the very important role to maintain ecological balance, if we conserve the
spiders from this area it will definitely help to prey predator chain of this area.
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