A preliminary checklist of spiders (Araneae: Arachnida) in Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary, Western Ghats, India

Abstract

A preliminary study was conducted to document spider diversity in Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary, Idukki District, Kerala State in southern India. The study was conducted from October to November 2012. A total of 101 species of spiders belonging to 65 genera from 29 families were identified from the sanctuary. This accounted for 6.98% of Indian spider species, 17.81% of Indian spider genera and 48.33% of the spider families of India. The dominant families were Lycosidae (11 species) and Araneidae (10). Two endemic genera of Indian spiders such as Annandaliella and Neoheterophrictus were found at Chinnar, each representing one species each, and belonging to the family Theraphosidae. A guild structure analysis of the spiders revealed seven feeding guilds such as orb weavers, stalkers, ground runners, foliage runners, sheet web builders, space web builders and ambushers.