A study on the diversity of Spiders in different localities of Mysore city, Karnataka
M. Ramyashree and R. Anusha
Postgraduate Department of Zoology JSS College of Arts, Commerce and Science Ooty Road, Mysore-570015 (India) Email: m.ramyashree@gmail.com ; Mob: 9620878716
ABSTRACT
Spiders belong to the largest order Aranae of the class Arachnida Phylum Arthropoda. Spiders are important food source of many vertebrates such as birds, lizards, etc., and thus become an important part of various food chain and food web. The present study was undertaken to know the diversity of Spiders in three different study sites of Mysore city. The study sites were selected based on the anthropogenic activity. Field survey was conducted during March to May 2021 in the morning between 6:30 to 8:30 am. The observations were recorded according to visual count method and all out search method and standard methods were followed to identify the different species of spider. Total 41 species of spiders belonging to 18 families were recorded during the study period. The Araneidae family was the dominant family with highest number of species recorded followed by Salticidae and Lycosidae families. Family Linyphiidae, Pisauridae, Oxyopidae, Thomisidae and Nephilidae consists of two species respectively. Out of total diversity recorded, the family Araneidae was considered dominant with the relative abundance of 29% and Salticidae with 15% followed by Lycosidae 7%, Linyphiidae, Pisauridae, Oxyopidae, Thomisidae and Nephilidae 5% each, and Sparassidae, Uloboridae, Scytodidae, Theraphosidae, Hersiliidae, Tetragnathidae, Gnaphosidae, Oecobiidae and Dictynidae with 2% each. The present study is a basic research which gives a preliminary information on the diversity of spiders. Further detailed observation on how environment and vegetation plays a major role in sustenance of spiders in the natural system may have to be studied in a systematic way.