On the spider diversity of Salbardi forest and upper

Wardha Dam Amravati India

Ujjwala Shivaji Deshmukh

Assistant Professor, Department of Zoology Goverment Vidarbha Institute of Science and Humanities,

Amravati. 444604 (M.S.), India

ABSTRACT

Present study was carried out to explore the diversity and abundance of spiders from Salbardi Forest and catchment area

of Upper Wardha Dam, Dist. Amravati, Maharashtra, India, for consecutive 2 year (2011-2013). The study areas were

surveyed by making quadrants of approximately of 10 x 10 meters. The  oor, undergrowth, rocks,  rewood and stones

were systematically searched for spiders. Each site was surveyed from early morning 8 AM to 6 PM at the interval of

7 days. During this survey 142 species of spiders from 62 genera of 21 families were recorded. The most diverse fam-

ily observed was the Aranidae with 33 species followed by Salticidae 30, Oxyopidae and Thomisidae 11, Lycosidae 9,

Gnaphosidae 8, Tertragnathedae 7, Philodromidae 4, Clubionidae, Erasidae, Pholcidae, Pisauridae, Theridiidae and Ulo-

boridae 3 each, Hersilidae, Miturgidae, Scytodiidae and Sparassidae 2 each and Nephilidae, Sicariidae and Theridioso-

matidae 1 species each. Abundance and diversity of spiders was recorded highest during August to December while least

was recorded during summer. Amongst all families spiders from Salticidae were recorded throughout the year. However

Lycosidae, Oxyopidae, Hersilidae and Thomisidae were predominantly observed during late monsoon and early winter.

Seasonal variation showed a great impact on diversity and abundance of spiders. Their food consists of common insect

pests; they are important predators in nature and may serve as bio-indicator species for speci c ecosystem.

KEY WORDS: DIVERSITY, SPIDERS, UPPER WARDHA DAM, SALBARDI FOREST

687

Ecological

Communication

Biosci. Biotech. Res. Comm. 11(4): 687-690 (2018)

ARTICLE INFORMATION:

Corresponding Authors: ujjwaladeshmukh@rediffmail.com

Received 12

July, 2018

Accepted after revision 21

Nov, 2018

BBRC Print ISSN: 0974-6455

Online ISSN: 2321-4007 CODEN: USA BBRCBA

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Online Contents Available at:

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DOI: 10.21786/bbrc/11.4/20

Ujjwala Shivaji Deshmukh

688 STUDY OF SPIDERS DIVERSITY FROM SALBARDI FOREST BIOSCIENCE BIOTECHNOLOGY RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS

INTORDUCTION

Spiders belong to phylum Arthropoda, class Arachnida,

a large group of animals with jointed legs and rank sev-

enth in total species diversity among all other group of

organisms. Spiders are ancient animals with a history

going back over 350 million years. They are abundant

and widespread in almost all ecosystems and consti-

tute one of the most important components of global

biodiversity. The current global list of Spider fauna is

approximately 42,055 belonging to 3821 genera and

110 families (Platnick, 2014). Although the fossils record

of spiders is considered poor, almost 1000 spiders have

been described from fossils. The oldest known amber

that contains fossils arthropods dates from 130 million

years ago in the early cretaceous period.

Spiders are generalist feeders with great species rich-

ness in every type of terrestrial habitat and play an

important role in the structure of communities and food

webs, both as an individual numbers and as energy con-

sumers. Spiders acting as ecological indicator are cos-

mopolitan in distribution and locally abundant in terms

of individuals and taxa. Their small body size allows

them to maintain their community in small area. Spiders

are insectivorous animal and insect fauna changes with

the change in vegetation. Spiders play a signi cant eco-

logical role by being exclusively predatory and thereby

maintaining ecological equilibrium.

Spiders have a very signi cant role to play in ecology

by being exclusively predatory and thereby maintain-

ing ecological equilibrium. Bastawade (2004) described

arachnid fauna of orders Araneae, Scorpionida and Soli-

fugi from Melghat Tiger Reserve, Amravati, Maharashtra

State. Spiders of protected areas in India are studied by

Gajbe (1995a) in Indravati Tiger Reserve and recorded

13 species and Gajbe (1995b) 14 species from Kanha

Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh. Gajbe (2003) prepared

a checklist of 186 species of spiders in 69 genera under

24 families distributed in Madhya Pradesh and Chhat-

tisgarh. Patel (2003) described 91 species belonging to

53 genera from Parabikulum Wildlife Sanctuary, Kerala.

Deshmukh and Raut (2014) reported 92 species from

Salbardi forest, Satpura range Maharashtra. Manju

Siliwal et al. (2003) recorded 116 species from 66 genera

and 25 families of spiders from Purna wildlife Sanctu-

ary, Dangs, Gujarat. Hippargi, et al. (2011 b) reported

occurrence of spiders from 19, 25, 31 families from

Lonar, Melghat and Southern Tropical Thorn forest,

Solapur respectively. Hore and Uniyal (2008a, 2008b)

worked on the spider assemblage and the diversity and

composition of spider assemblages in different vegeta-

tion types in Terai Conservation Area (TCA). Hore and

Uniyal (2008) worked on spiders as indicator species for

monitoring of habitat condition in TCA. They also stud-

ied on the effect of prescribed  re on spider assemblages

in TCA. Sebastin and Peter (2009) studied spider fauna

from irrigated rice ecosystem in central Kerala. Spi-

ders provide vital control of the invertebrate population.

They are skilled and ef cient hunters of insects. Recent

studies have investigated the importance of spiders as

ecological indicators. Terrestrial arthropods, of which

spiders are amongst, have long been monitored for early

warning sign of environmental changes. The aim of this

study was to investigate the spider species composi-

tion in different habitat type within Salbardi forest and

Upper wardha Dam area.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Study area: Present study was carried out to explore the

diversity and abundance of spiders from Salbardi For-

est (The Latitude and Longitude of salbardi is 21.4183

and 78.0113 respectively) and catchment area of Upper

Wardha Dam (The Latitude and Longitude of Upper

Wardha Damis 21.2764 and 78.0572 respectively), Dist.

Amravati, Maharashtra, India, (2011-2013). The study

areas were surveyed by making quadrants of approxi-

mately of 10 x 10 meters. Salbardi is about 8 km. (5 miles)

North of Morshi, District Amravati, on the border lying

partly in the Betul District of Madhya Pradesh on Madu

River. Salbardi is named from its abundance of Sal trees

and the stony character of its soil, Upper Wardha Dam

is situated on Wardha River near to Morshi. Catchment

area of both the sites comprises dry deciduous forest.

Field Methods: For adequate sampling the spiders

from various spots were collected every weekend. The

collection methods such as trapping, sweeping, beating,

pitfall trap and visual search for webs or retreats were

used. Only mature spiders were collected as well as rep-

etition of collection was avoided. Collected spiders were

identi ed using standard identi cation keys of Barrion

and Litsinger (1995), Biswas and Biswas (2004), Gajbe

(1999), Plantnick (1989), Tikader (1974, 1980, 1982 a

and b, 1987).

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Spiders were sampled from various habitats by making

the quadrants approximately of 10x10 m. Consecutive

two years survey result shows that total 142 species of

spiders belonging to 61 genera and 21 families were

identi ed. Table 1. Abundance and richness of spiders

was at the peak during September to January. As spiders

feeds exclusively on insects or other arthropods, which

were abundantly found during the same season as sea-

sonal  ora is also at the peak. Among the specimen most

of the individuals were females while very few number

Ujjwala Shivaji Deshmukh

BIOSCIENCE BIOTECHNOLOGY RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS STUDY OF SPIDERS DIVERSITY FROM SALBARDI FOREST 689

tailed spiders found on barks of trees, very much mim-

icking to habitat, spinnerets of these spiders are long

just like tail. Lycosidae (9 species from 3 genera) or Wolf

spider were recorded from ground and bushes. Miturgi-

dae (2 species from 1genus) or Dark sac spider observed

on vegetation mimicking to environment. Nephilidae (1

species from 1genus) or giant wood spiders, these were

observed on huge webs constructed on large trees, with

the average diameter of 8-10 meters. Female is large and

rest at the centre while 3-4 males comparatively small,

were found on web at the periphery. Oxyopidae or lynx

spiders, these are colourful spiders observed abundantly

during rainy season on seasonal  ora, males of these

were found in large number along with females. Philo-

dromidae (4 species from 4 genera) or elongated crab

spider or running crab spider are dull colored- brown,

gray or yellowish spiders and do not build webs, but use

silk for draglines and for egg sacs. These are observed

running very fast on ground and grass. Pholcidae (3 spe-

cies from 2 genera) commonly known as daddy long

legs, observed in humid and shady areas. Many times

females were observed carrying their egg sacs. Pisuiri-

dae (3 species from 2 genera) or Nursery web spiders,

carry their egg sacs by means of their jawsandpedi-

palps these spiders were observed at river site or near

water bodies. Scytodidae (2 species from 1 genus) or

spitting spiders, have sixeyesarranged in three pairs,

found under bark and leaf-litter. Sicariidae (1 species

from 1 genus) observed in dense forest. Six-eyed,ven-

omous spidersknown for their allegedlynecroticbites.

Sparasiidae (2 species from 1 genus) or Huntsman spi-

ders found in humid places. Tetragnthidae (7 species

from 2 genera) long-jawed orb weavers, mostly observed

in vegetation near water bodies. Theridiidae (3 species

from 3 genera) or comb-footed spiders, these were col-

lected from on the ground, on plants, in burrows and

caves, often webs were found in dark. Theridiosomatidae

found in damp habitats, among low-growing vegetation.

Thomosidae (11 species from 6 genera) or crab spider /

 ower crab spider, were observed Wandering on plant

and ground, mainly on foliage, camou ages with sur-

rounding. Uloboridae (3 species from 2 genera) cribel-

late orb weaversorhackled orb weavers. These are non-

venomous spiders. These were observed in dry as well as

humid habitat on vegetation.

Spiders feeds on insects and other small arthropods,

any speci c selectivity was not observed in selection of

food rather they feed on eggs, larvae of insects along

with adults. Depending upon availability of food spiders

population was observed varied. However spiders can

remain starved for comparatively longer time. Diver-

sity and abundance of spiders depends on population

of insects. Diversity of insects is mostly determined by

ecological conditions,  ora and other environmental

Table 1. Number of genera and number of species

recorded from 21 families.

Sr. No. Family Number of

genera

Number of

Species

1 Araneidae 08 33

2 Clubionidae 01 03

3 Eeasidae 01 03

4 Gnaphocidae 05 08

5 Hersilidae 01 02

6 Lycosidae 03 09

7 Miturgidae 01 02

8 Nephilidae 01 01

9 Oxyopidae 02 11

10 Philodromidae 04 04

11 P Pholcidae 02 03

12 Pisuiridae 02 03

13 Salticidae 14 30

14 Scytodidae 01 02

15 Sicariidae 01 01

16 Sparassidae 01 02

17 Tetragnatidae 02 07

18 Theridiidae 03 03

19 Theriosomatidae 01 01

20 Thomisidae 06 11

21 Uloboridae 02 03

Total 62 142

of males were observed. Chrysilla lauta is only male till

now recorded from Saltisidae family was also observed

during the survey.

Highest number of species were recorded from fam-

ily Araneidae (33 species from 8 genera) or orb viewers,

these spiders were found in all most all spots as well as in

all seasons. Spiders from genus Neoscona was recorded

with high abundance and most of them observed con-

structing their webs in the evening. Second diverse fam-

ily was Saltisidae (30 species from 14genera) or jump-

ing spider, spiders of which were recorded throughout

the year and in all most all places. Only few species as

Opisthoncus, Rhene, Siler, Telamonia were found dur-

ing  owering season. Clubionidae (3 species from a sin-

gle genus) commonly called as leaf rolling spider were

observed through sacs in rolling leaves. Eresidae (3 spe-

cies from a single genus) or Social spiders were observed

through their typical web pattern unkempt irregular and

large webs on trees, shrubs from height 4 feet to max

60 feet. In a single web numbers of spiderlings were

found. Gnaphosidae (8 species from 5 genera), or ground

spider were observed wondering on ground, under lit-

ters or in crevices. Hersilidae (2species from 1genus) or

690 STUDY OF SPIDERS DIVERSITY FROM SALBARDI FOREST BIOSCIENCE BIOTECHNOLOGY RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS

Ujjwala Shivaji Deshmukh

factors. Therefore spiders can be used as bio-indicator

species of any ecosystem.

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