Diversity And Distribution of Spiders (Thomisidae) From Sakri Forest Region of Sakri, Dhule District (M.S.), India

Rathod P.P.

Department of Zoology

VVMs Sitaram Govind Patil Arts, Science & Commerce College Sakri Di. Dhule

E mail- pradiprathod1309@gmail.com

Abstract

The distribution of spider’s diversity in Sakri forest region of Sakri, Dhule District has been studied. Sakri forest is located to the West of Dhule city. In this forest we are collecting and an identified different type of spiders belonging to family thomisidae. This study was tried to analyze distribution of spider’s diversity. In Sakri forest nine different species of spiders were identified namely Thomisus, Xysticus, Thomisus projectus, Philodromus Bhagriathai, Thomisus pooneus, Synaema decorate, Tmarus kotigeharus, Tbeilus Simon, Genus Synaema, were observed. Out of these Thomisus and Tmarus kotigeharus was most abundant in study region.

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­Key words: – Thomisidae, Tmarus kotigeharus, Sakri forest, spider diversity

Introduction: –

Spider taxonomy is the alpha taxonomy of the spiders, members of the Araneae order of the Arthropod class Arachnidae with about 40,000 describe species. However, there are likely many species that have escaped the human eye to this day and many. The current global list of spider fauna is approximately 42,055 families. The spider fauna of India is represented by 1520 spider species belonging to 377 genera and sixty families. (Chetia and Kalita 2012) describes the identification of the spider assemblages with respect to their diversity and distribution in the semi evergreen forest, Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary, Assam, India. According to survey the first approach to prepare checklist of GWS. 120 species representing 49 genera under 16 families, 16 specimens were identified till genera. Families indicating excessive member of species are Thomisidae (24 species under 9 genus) followed by Araneidae (22 species under 8 genus), while family Gnaphosidae indicates highest number of genera (10 genera). (Kujur R. and Ekka A. 2016).

 (Gajbe 2016) The spider fauna of Karhandla is being reported for the first time. During some faunal surveys of invertebrates carried out in this region from November 2014 to October 2015, some species of spiders were observed and identified. These spiders are mainly of two types, hunting spiders and web-making spiders.

Family Thomisidae: –

This is large family with more than 3000 known species. 62 are found in this region. They are not active hunters and make more use of camouflage techniques than other spiders. Crab spiders can be found on flowers or leaves of plants. Because they sit on easily spotted places they are also easily to catch by the predator. There eye sight is excellent develop. They have normally to big front eye.

All spiders use their fangs to inject venom; the fangs of many more than 3,500 spider species in the United States are incapable of penetrating human skin. Spiders are rarely aggressive towards humans they bite only in self defense. Spider silk is the strongest fiber in nature, five times stronger than steel, yet so times thinner than human hair. A unique anatomical feature of spider is pedipalps. The two of these appendages positioned just outside the fangs. The male spiders use its pedipalps as miniature boxing gloves, in courtship dance.

Material and Methods: –

The following study of crab spider family Thomisidae is based on morphological characters of crab spider and also phylogenetic analysis of spiders. Through this project and attempt has been made to focus on study of crab spider in.

Study area: –

The Sakri forest is situated about 55Km West of Dhule city at a latitude of 20-59’-28”N and longitude 74⁰-18’.36’’ E. Longitude and covers an area of the forest is fulfilling with diversity of different insects, animals and plant species. Sakri forest faces extreme variation in climatic condition with hot summer and very cold winter as well as average rainfall. The annual average rainfall in the forest ranges between 514.1mm to 525mm and temperature ranges between 16⁰C to 31⁰C.

Collection and identification of crab spider species of family Thomisidae: –

            A number of methods are available for collection of spiders from a wide variety of environments. The type of vegetation determines the kinds of spider crab spider (Thomisidae) were collected from the above gardens. The capture and collected spider species kept into dry container or directly transfer into absolute alcohol. Method suggested by Koh (1989) was namely referred for the collection and preservation of crab spider

Result and discussion: –

Thomisus species: –

            Reddish brown, as wide as long, lateral projection present at ocular region. Lateral side darker that median portion. Fumer, tibia and metatarsi of leg I and II darker, Patella lighter. Sternum heart shape, yellowish, anterior margin concave, widest at coxa II, is tapering towards III and IV. Maxillae longer than wide, brownish, outer margin concave slightly projected at the lower end. Labium brownish, longer and wide, reaching more than half the length of maxillae. Typical pentagonal shaped, yellowish brown, five spots present on dorsum. Behind posterior sigilla of blackish transverse patch. Anterior half is brownish, posterior half paler, bounded by darker lateral patch. Book lungs are darker, spinnerets are darker.

Xysticus minutes: –

Cephalothorax is light brown, legs greenish abdomen light brown. Total length 2.20 mm. Carapace 1.00mm long, 1.00mm wide; abdomen 1.30 mm. long 1.20mm wide. Eyes black round ring with dirty white tubercle; ocular quad slightly wider than long, space of the anterior median eyes a little wider than that of posterior; lateral eyes larger; posterior median eyes smaller than anterior median. Legs spined, with brown transverse bands, tibiae I and II with two pairs of ventral spines. Oval dorsum spine, slightly overlapping the posterior regain of cephalothoraxes, dorsal surface with dentate bands beautifully colored with admixture of white, dark brown and red.

Thomisus projectus: –

Nearly pentagonal in shape with a transverse yellow band on the ocular area; narrowing slightly in front, maximum width slightly less than length anterior median eyes slightly smaller than the anterior lateral eyes. Clypeus long, sub rectangular. Legs are long and stout, I and II longer than IV. I pair of legs with three spins above on femur, II legs with a small spot on patella and a black spot sub apically on tibia in front; metatarsi I and II with six pairs of ventral spines; III and IV pair without spot and spines. Pentagonal, slightly overlapping the posterior region in front, broadest at the middle this portion tuberculating laterally with a black spot on the top of tubercle and yellow spot just on inner side of black spot.  

Philodromus Bhagriathai: –

Depressed but cephalic region a little high, wider than long, narrow in front, lateral margins with faint pigmented patches, Clypeus narrow, margin provided with long spine like hairs. Eyes round and black provided with tubercles. Eyes are almost equal in size. Posterior medians separated from each other than from the adjacent laterals. Legs are relatively long, II leg slightly longer than I. Longer than wide, depressed, clothed with fine pubescence, irregular brown dots on the dorsum and lateral sides of the caudal end of the abdomen provided with long contiguous brown patches.

Thomisus pooneus: –

Antero-lateral sides with conspicuous longitudinal black bars. Eyes round, black, anterior row strongly re-curved, anterior median eye slightly larger than posterior medians; ocular area chalk-white. Clypeus long, sub rectangular, margin provided with spine like hairs. Legs are long and stout, I and II longer than III and IV legs, with black or dark brown spots apically bellow on femur and tibiae. Tibiae of I apically with two pairs and metatarsi with six pairs of ventral spines. Round, slightly overlapping the posterior region of cephalothoraxes in front, broadest just behind the middle, laterally n broadest position with muscular tubercles and from this region the posterior portion of abdomen abruptly bent down up the spinnerets. Dorsum on the base with a triangular deep brown marking and similar incomplete transverse bands present on the spinnerets.

Synaema decorata: – 

As long as wide, eyes four pairs, lateral eyes larger, posterior median eye smaller than the anterior median except the posterior median eyes all ringed with chalk-white. Clypeus narrow, margin of clypeus bearing slender spines legs I and II pairs longer than III and IV, tibiae of legs with four pairs of ventral spines, base black, the first pair of spines shortest. Four pairs of circular black spots on the dorsum near the lateral margin, the posterior pair largest.

Tmarus kotigeharus: –

Longer than wide, cephalic region high, clothed with spine; clypeus moderately high, its margin with seven spines directed forward but the middle one is directed upward; sides with broad longitudinal dark brown patches. Eyes round, black both rows re-curved but posterior row longer than anterior, the lateral eyes larger than the others and ringed with brown tubercles; anterior median eyes smaller than posterior medians. Leg I and II much longer than III and IV, clothed hairs and spines; tibiae I and II with three pairs of ventral spines. High and pointed behind, broadest behind the middle, clothed with spines. On the posterior half transversely banded by two dark, incomplete bands.

Tbeilus Simon: – 

Spider is appreciably longer than wide. The change in position of the eyes have gone further than in the genus Thanatus, and eyes of the anterior row, with the posterior median pair, from a small compact hexagonal group of which the posterior laterals conspicuously removed. Abdomen is long and cylindrical or cigar-shaped. Legs relatively long, bearing scapulae on both tarsi and metatarsi. These spiders are found in grass and on bushes; when at rest the legs are stretched out longitudinally, two pairs forward and two pairs backward.

Genus Synaema: –

Greenish in color, as long as wide, cephalic region high, lateral margin encircled by a deep brown line. Eyes black ringed with chalk white tubercles, lateral tubercles contiguous, ocular quad slightly longer than wide, space anterior median eye a little smaller than posterior medians; both rows strongly recurred. Legs are not very strong, I and II pair longer than III and IV, tibia I and II with two pairs of ventral spines. Abdomen light brown, oval, scattered chalk with patches on the dorsum, four pairs of or regular black patches on the posterior half of abdomen arrange in a longitudinal row, the anterior pair larger and posterior pairs smaller, the anterior half provided with black dots; lateral sides with the deep brown patches, ventral surface uniform pale.

Thomisus species	Xysticus minutes
Thomisus projectus	Philodromus Bhagriathai
Thomisus pooneus	Synaema decorata

Tmarus kotigeharus	Tbeilus Simon
Genus Synaema

Conclusion: –

            Though good work has been done in India by Sudhirkumar 2005, a pioneering study was conducted to reveal the spider diversity in Mannavan shola Forest in Kerala state, India. Mannavan shola, the largest Shola patch in Asia, exists in “Western Ghats”, one of the biodiversity hot spots of the world. A total of 72 species of spiders belonging to 57 genera of 20 families were collected from this area during this five-day study. But majority of this work is focused traditional taxonomy of the spiders using morphological characters with little or no emphasis on evolutionary or phylogenetic perspectives. Apart from three volumes of ‘fauna of Indian spider’ and spider of India, no other authoritative books exist on Indian spider. The published literature on Indian spider is poor and not easily available in laboratories. Moreover, most of the literature available on internet does not have open access. Most of the keys for identification are poor and fails to identify immature spider. Hence, it is very much difficult to identify the correct spider species.

             The evolutionary study of the crab spider as not yet attempt in India. The modern trends in systematic such as DNA fingerprinting; sequencing has also not yet tested on the spider from India. The present focus of project on the genetic diversity and evolutionary relationship among intra and inter population of crab spider from Sakri region of Sakri, Dhule District.

References: –

1. Ambalaparambil V. Sudhikumar, Mundackatharappel J. Mathew, Enathayil Sunish, Shourimuthu Murugesan, Pothalil A. Sebastian (2005): Preliminary studies on the spider fauna in Mannavan shoalforest, Kerala, India (Araneae)., Acta zoologica bulgarica, Suppl. No. 1: pp. 319-327.           
2. Koh, L. P. and Wilcove, D. S. (2008): Is oil palm agriculture really destroying tropical

            biodiversity?’, Conservation Letters, 1. pp. 27-33

3. Kujur R and Ekka A (2016): Exploring the Spider fauna of Gomarda Wildlife Sanctuary, Chhattisgarh, India., International Research Journal of Biological Sciences., Vol. 5(6), pp. 31-36.
4. Pawan U. Gajbe (2016): Record of Some Spiders (Arachnida: Araneae) from Karhandla in Nagpur District, Maharashtra., Journal on New Biological Reports., 5(3),  pp.133 – 138.
5. Phalgun Chetia and Dilip Kumar Kalita (2012): Diversity and distribution of spiders from Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary, Assam, India., Asian Journal of Conservation Biology, Vol. 1 No. 1, pp.5-15.