Spider Faunal Diversity of Adjoining Areas of Tadoba-Andheri Tiger Reserve and Nagzira-Navegaon National Park, Maharashtra, India
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WSN 169 (2022) 55-96 EISSN 2392-2192
Spider Faunal Diversity of Adjoining Areas of
Tadoba-Andheri Tiger Reserve and Nagzira-
Navegaon National Park, Maharashtra, India
Sumana Saha1,* and Dinendra Raychaudhuri2,**
1Post Graduate Department of Zoology, Barasat Government College,
10, K.N.C. Road, Barasat, Kolkata – 7000124, India
2IRDM Faculty Centre, Dept. of Agricultural Biotechnology, Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda
Educational and Research Institute, Narendrapur, Kolkata – 700103, India
*,**E-mail address: sahasumana2010@gmail.com , dinendrarccu@gmail.com
ABSTRACT
The present study is on the spider fauna of adjoining areas of Tadoba Tiger Reserve, Nagzira
Wildlife Sanctuary and Navegaon National Park situated in the state of Maharashtra, India. A total of
39 species and 318 individuals belonging to 30 genera and 14 families are sampled during the months
of February & May, 2018 and again in February, 2019. These include 4 species namely Araneus
panchganiensis Tikader & Bal (Araneidae), Olios kiranae Sethi & Tikader (Sparassidae), Nihonhimea
indica (Tikader) (Theridiidae) and Tmarus kotigeharus Tikader (Thomisidae) endemic to India and 17
species new report from the state of Maharashtra. The dominant guild is constituted by the Orb web
weavers (35.90%). The most abundant species is Guizygiella indica (Tikader & Bal) (42.45%). Analysis
of their zoogeographical distribution reveals that the fauna apart from being Oriental also includes some
Palaearctic (35.90%), Australian (17.95%), Ethiopian (12.82%), Nearctic (7.69%) and Neotropical
(5.13%) elements. Sex ratio (♀ : ♂) is about 17 : 1.This short-term survey is to provide an update of
our knowledge as well as baseline data on the diversity of spiders in the adjoining protected areas of
Maharashtra useful for planning future management plan.
Keywords: Spider, diversity, Protected areas, Maharashtra, India
( Received 07 April 2022; Accepted 30 April 2022; Date of Publication 02 May 2022 )
World Scientific News 169 (2022) 55-96
1. INTRODUCTION
Data on relative abundance, distribution and richness of any taxa provide base-line
information in ecological studies and a crucial background for conservation planning
(Magurran, 1988, 2004; May, 1988; Raven & Wilson, 1992; Humphries et al., 1995;
Blackmore, 1996). As knowing the exact number and identity of each species in the area of
interest is close to impossible, evaluations of biodiversity are commonly based on estimation
of species richness of a selected group of organisms.
Spiders are a key component of forest ecosystems, occupying a unique position in food
webs which rapidly colonize available habitats and exploit various niches (Coddington & Levi,
1991; Wise, 1993; Marc et al., 1999; Entling et al. 2007; Sen et al., 2010a,b; Oxbrough &
Ziesche, 2013; Samu et al., 2014; Sereda, et al., 2014; Dhali et al., 2010a,b, 2011, 2015a,b). As
predators, they are important in the regulation of invertebrate populations including pest
species, and as prey they provide food for other invertebrates and birds. Spiders are influenced
by changing environmental conditions and can be used as indicators of habitat quality
(Greenstone, 1984; Riechert& Bishop, 1990;Coddingtonet al., 1991; Uetz, 1991; Wise, 1993;
Platnick, 1999; Buddle et al., 2000; Wheater et al., 2000; De Souza & Martins, 2004; Petillon
& Garbutt, 2008; Michalko et al., 2018).
Therefore, knowledge on species richness and functional diversity (Schuldt et al., 2011)
will lead us closer to understanding spiders’ roles in different forested habitats. Spiders are
generalist predators, accepting as prey most taxa of arthropods encountered (Riechert & Luczak
1982; Nentwig, 1988).
Significant control of prey populations by assemblages of spider species, however, is
suggested for natural ecosystems (Clarke & Grant, 1968). On this background, our aim with
this present work is to provide an update of our knowledge as well as baseline data through
short-term survey on the diversity of spiders in the adjoining protected areas of Maharashtra
useful for planning future management plan.
Study Area (Fig. 1)
Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve (20°16' N latitude and 79°24' E longitude; 625.4 sq. kms
(116.55 sq.kms of Tadoba National Park and 508.85 sq.kms of Andhari Wildlife Sanctuary) is
situated in Chandrapur district, Nagzira Wildlife Sanctuary lies in Bhandara-Gondia district
(21°14'38" N latitude and 79°59'09"E longitude; 152.81 sq. kms) and Navegaon National Park
(20°56' N latitude and 80°10' E longitude; 133.88 sq.kms) located in Gondia district of
Maharashtra state in central India.
The forests are under biogeographic zone 6-Deccan Peninsula and Biotic Province 6B –
Central Deccan. The diversity of vegetation ranging from dry mixed deciduous forest with
dense woodlands to mixed forest ecoregion. These three southern tropical dry forests enriched
with varied wildlife are important conservation units in central India. These tropical areas are
with monsoon as the hallmark (from early June to mid September) receiving an average rainfall
of 1579-2000 mm.
The weather remains dry during the winter and humid during summer (March to early
June) (avg. temp.: 40 °C). A cool and dry winter ranges from mid November to mid February
(avg. temp.: 10 °C) (For details see Paliwal & Bhandarkar, 2019).
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Figure 1. Study Area
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2. MATERIALS AND METHODS
Surveys were conducted in the months of February & May, 2018 and again in February,
2019 during our excursion days in and around our place of stay and adjoining areas of the said
forests (Fig. 2) within different guilds (Fig. 4). Sampling was done by hand picking, bush
beating, sweeping & using inverted umbrella and pitfall trap (Fig. 3). Samples were killed and
preserved in 70% alcohol as per recomendations of Tikader (1987) and Barrion & Litsinger
(1995). The materials were then brought to the laboratory and later stored in Audman’s fluid.
The samples were studied using Stereo Zoom Binocular Microscope, model Olympus SZX-
16. The measurements are in millimeters, made with an eye piece graticule. Materials are in the
deposition of Post Graduate Department of Zoology, Barasat Government College, Barasat,
Kolkata.
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Figure 2. Study Sites
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Figure 3. Collection from different sites
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Diversity Indices:
Structural association (% abundance) are also analysed from pooled data and finally
enumerating spider faunal diversity by applying biodiversity indices (Brower et al., 1998).
Araneus mitificus spinning web
Figure 4. Various spider guilds
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Table 1. Distribution of the recorded spider taxa.
Distribution
Taxa Forest Zoogeo
India Seasonal
Graphical
Tadoba Navegaon
A.Suborder:
Mygalomorphae
I.Family : Theraposidae + - India : Maharashtra OR PrM
1.Idiops sp.
B. Suborder :
Araneomorphae
+ + Andhra Pradesh, Assam, AS, OR PrM
II.Family: Araneidae
Chhattisgarh, Karnataka,
Kerala, Madhya Pradesh ,
2.Araneus mitificus
Maharashtra, Manipur, West
(Simon)
Bengal
3.▲Araneus + - India : Maharashtra, West OR PrM
panchganiensis Tikader Bengal
& Bal
4. Argiope pulchella + - India : Andaman & OR, PL PrM
Thorell Lakshadweep Islands, Assam,
Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra,
Orissa, Tamil Nadu, West
5.♣Allocyclosa bifurca + + India : Maharashtra, Sikkim NE, OR PrM
(McCook)
6.Cyclosa hexatuberculata + + India : Assam, Kerala, OR PrM
Tikader Maharashtra, West Bengal
7. Cyrtophora cicatrosa + - India : Andaman & Nicobar AS, OR PrM
(Stoliczka) Island, Assam, Gujarat,
Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya
Pradesh, Maharashtra, Punjab,
Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh,
West Bengal
8.Larinia chloris + - India : Maharashtra ET, OR, PL PrM
(Audouin)
9.♣Neoscona bengalensis - + India : Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, OR PrM
Tikader & Bal Maharashtra, Manipur, West
Bengal
10. Neoscona mukerjei + + India: Andhra Pradesh, OR PrM
Tikader Arunachal Pradesh, Kerala,
Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra,
Manipur, West Bengal
11.Neoscona punctigera + + Assam, Gujarat, Maharashtra, AS, OR, PL PrM
(Doleschall) West Bengal
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12.Neoscona vigilans + - Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, AS, ET, OR PrM
(Blackwall) Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra,
Orissa, Tamil Nadu, West
Bengal
III.Family : Clubionidae
13. Clubiona sp. + - India : Maharashtra OR PrM
IV. Family : Hersilidae
+ - India : Gujarat, Karnataka, OR PrM
14.Hersilia savignyi Kerala, Maharashtra, West
(Lucas) Bengal
V. Family : Linyphiidae
15. Linyphia sp. + - India : Maharashtra OR PrM
VI. Family : Lycosidae
16.Lycosa phipsoni + - India : Assam, Maharashtra, OR, PL PrM
Pocock Orissa,West Bengal
17. ♣Pardosa kupupa + India : Maharashtra, Sikkim, OR, PL PrM
(Tikader) West Bengal
18.♣Pardosa sumatrana + + India: Andhra Pradesh, OR, PL PrM
(Thorell) Arunachal Pradesh, Bihar,
Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh,
Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya
Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur,
Meghalaya, Rajasthan, Tamil
Nadu, Tripura, West Bengal
VII. Family : Oxyopidae India : Arunachal Pradesh, OR. PL PrM
19. ♣Oxyopes shweta + + Kerala, Maharashtra, Manipur,
(Tikader) Meghalaya, Sikkim, Tripura,
West Bengal
VIII.Family :
Philodromidae - + India: Andhra Pradesh, OR PrM
20.Philodromus Maharashtra, West Bengal
betrabatai Tikader
21.Tibellus elongatus - + India : Maharashtra, West OR PrM
Tikader Bengal
IX.Family : Pisauridae
22.♣Polyboea zonaformis + - India: Maharashtra, West OR, PL PrM
(Wang) Bengal
X.Family : Salticidae
23.♣Hyllus semicupreus + - India: Assam, Maharashtra, OR PrM
(Simon) West Bengal
24.♣Myrmarachne + + India : Andaman Islands, OR PrM
orientales Tikader Assam, Kerala, Maharashtra,
West Bengal
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25.♣Phintella vittata + - India: Maharashtra, Nicobar OR, PL PrM
(C.L.Koch) Islands, West Bengal
26.♣Plexippus paykulli + - India : Andhra Pradesh, AS,ET,NE, PrM
(Audouin) Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, NT, OR, PL
Kerala, Maharashtra, Manipur,
Orissa, West Bengal
27.Siler sp. 1 - + India : Maharashtra. OR PrM
28. Siler sp. 2 - + India : Maharashtra OR PrM
29.Telamonia dimidiata + + India : Assam, Gujarat, OR PrM
(Simon) Maharashtra, Kerala, West
Bengal
30.♣Thiana bhamoensis + + India : Andaman &Nicobar OR, PL PrM
Thorell Islands, Assam, Kerala,
Maharashtra, West Bengal
XI.Family : Sparassidae
31. Heteropoda venatoria Cosmopolitan AS,ET,NE, PrM
(Linnaeus) + - NT, OR, PL
32. ▲♣Olios kiranae + - Assam, Gujarat, OR PrM
Sethi & Tikader Mahatrashtra,West Bengal
XII.Family : India : Maharashtra OR PrM
Tetragnathidae + +
33.Guizygiella indica
(Tikader & Bal)
34.♣Tetragnatha + - India : Kerala, Maharashtra, AS, ET, OR, PrM
ceylonica O.P.Cambridge West Bengal PL
35.♣Tetragnatha hasselti - + India : Assam, Maharashtra, OR, PL PrM
Thorell West Bengal
XIII.Family : Theridiidae
36. ▲♣Nihonhimea + - India : Andaman Island, OR PrM
indica (Tikader) Maharashtra, West Bengal
XIV. Family :
Thomisidae + - India : Maharashtra, Meghalaya OR PrM
37.♣Thomisus
cherapunjeus Tikader
38.♣Thomisus
sikkimemsis Tikader - + India : Maharashtra, Sikkim OR PrM
39. ▲Tmarus kotigeharus + + India: Karnataka, Maharashtra, OR PrM
Tikader Meghalaya, West Bengal
Legends :▲ : Endemic to India; ♣ : New record from State; AS : Australian, ET : Ethiopian; NE : Nearctic, NT
: Neotropical; OR : Oriental; PL : Palaearctic; PrM : Premonsoon
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Figure 5. Encountered spider taxa
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TAXONOMY
Order: Araneae
Diagnosis: Body divisible into cephalothorax and abdomen, joined by narrow, stalk like
pedicel. Eyes 6-8, simple. Legs 4 pairs, jointed. Book lungs 1-2 pairs.Spinnerets 2-3 pairs.
Key to Infraorders
Cheliceral fangs paraxial i.e. parallel to each other; book lungs 2 pairs; spinnerets usually 2
pairs, anteromedians absent; sternum often with sigilla; cribellum or colulus absent; sternum
often with sigilla ……..…..……….. Mygalomorphae
Cheliceral fangs diaxial i.e. opposing each other; book lungs 1 pair; spinnerets 3 pairs; sternum
devoid of any sigilla; cribellum or colulus usually present; sternum without any sigillae
………………….…. Araneomorphae
Infraorder: Mygalomorphae
Family : Idiopidae
[Armored Trapdoor Spiders]
Recorded species
Genus : Idiops Perty
Idiops Perty, 1833, Arachn.Brasil.:197.
1. Idiops sp.
Material examined: 1♂(imm), Tadoba NP, 4.2.2019, coll. S. Saha.
Distribution in world: India : Maharashtra.
Infraorder: Araneomorphae
Key to families:
1.Posterior spinnerets enormously long, longer than or as long as abdomen
……………………............Hersiliidae Thorell
-Posterior spinnerets short and thick, always shorter than abdomen...........................................2
2.Eyes arranged in 3 rows............................................................................................................3
-Eyes arranged in 2 rows............................................................................................................4
3.Eye diameter AME > ALE ≥ PLE > PME, eyes occupying entire cephalic area; tarsal claw 2
with claw tuft .....................................................................................Salticidae Blackwall
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-Eye diameter PME ≥ PLE > AME = ALE, eyes never occupying entire cephalic area;
tarsal claw 3, without claw tuft ………..............................................Lycosidae Sundevall
4.Tarsi with 2 claws and claw tuft; at least legs I and II laterigrade ….....................................5
- Tarsi with 3 claws and without claw tuft; all legs prograde .............................................. 7
5.Large spiders; metatarsal apex with soft trilobite membrane; retromargin of chelicerae
toothed; epigynal lateral lobes distinct ……..................................... Sparassidae Bertkau
-Small to medium size spiders; metatarsal apex devoid of any such membrane; retromargin
of chelicerae usually devoid of any tooth; epigynum otherwise ...............................................6
6.Colulus present; tarsi I and II never scopulate ............................... Thomisidae Sundevall
- Colulus absent; tarsi I and II scopulate .......................................... Philodromidae Thorell
7.Eyes forming a hexagon, by strongly recurved anterior row and procurved posterior row
…………………...............Oxyopidae Thorell
-Eyes never forming hexagon .................................................................................................8
8.Anterior spinnerets short, conical not more sclerotized than others, close together, posterior
spinnerets 2 segmented, with apical segment short ……………………. Clubionidae Wagner
-Posterior spinnerets short and thick ...........…………………….………….…………….…9
9.Tarsus IV with a distinct comb, consisting of a row of strong, curved, serrated bristles
...................................Theridiidae Sundevall
-Tarsus IV devoid of any such comb ......................................................................................10
10.Trochanter ventrally with a curved notch ...............................................Pisauridae Simon
-Trochanter never notched …..…………………………………………………………......11
11.Eyes heterogenous, anteromedians dark; tibiae with few dorsal setae; clypeus usually as
high as or higher than median ocular area ……..…………..….……Linyphiidae Blackwall
-Eyes homogenous; tibiae devoid of any such setae; clypeus lower than the height of median
ocular area ………………………………………………………………….……………..12
12.Chelicerae usually long, with numerous teeth, devoid of boss; maxillae and labium long;
spinnerets similar; epigynum usually indistinct ………………….…Tetragnathidae Menge
-Chelicerae, maxillae and labium small; cheliceral boss distinct; spinnerets dissimilar;
epigynum distinct ……………………………..…………………...… Araneidae Clerck
Family: Hersiliidae
[Two Tailed Spiders]
Genus : HersiliaAudouin
Hersilia Audouin, 1826, Sav. Descr. Egypte, Arachn. : 114.
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Recorded Species
2. Hersilia savignyi (Lucas)
Hersilia savignyi Lucas, 1836, Mag. Zool. Guérin, 6(8): 1-11.
Material examined: 1♀ (imm), Tadoba NP, 9.2.2018, coll. S. Saha.
Distribution in World:India : Gujarat, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, West Bengal;
Bangladesh, Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines, Sri Lanka (Sen et al., 2010; Raychaudhuri & Saha,
2014; Raychaudhuri et al., 2015; Biswas & Raychaudhuri, 2019; WSC, 2022)
Family: Salticidae
[Jumping Spiders]
Key to Genera
1.Retromargin of chelicerae with one tooth ………………………………………….2
-Retromargin of chelicerae with more than one tooth; ant like spiders; cephalic - thoracic region
distinctly marked by a constriction; pedicel long, conspicuous, visible from above
……………………….Myrmarachne MacLeay
2.Cephalothorax flattened; abdomen metallic, slender, ovoid, with flat setae
………………………………………..Thiania C. L. Koch
-Cephalothorax not flattened ………………………………………………………….….3
3.Cephalothorax circular or U shaped; eye field not darker; 1st pair of legs in male robust, with
tibia flat, fringed with stiff hairs alongside dorsal and ventral face
……………………………...Siler Simon
-Cephalothorax neither circular nor U shaped ……………………………………….…4
4.Cephalothorax swollen or spherical, with horn like tuft of long, stiff, slightly curved bristles
laterad to anterolateral eyes ………………………………………………….... 5
-.Cephalothorax otherwise, without any hornlike tuft of long, stiff, curved bristles
…………………………………………... 6
5.Abdomen of female pale with a pair of longitudinal dark lines, male slender with mid dorsal
white band on abdomen ………………………………...Telamonia Thorell
-Abdomen with different pattern; embolus long, often with pars pendula; tibial apophysis
sometimes with a few spur like projection at the flat tip…………………... Hyllus C. L. Koch
6.Cephalothoracic length always more than 1.2 x its width; cephalothorax convex with cephalic
margins nearly parallel; abdomen of female pale with series of chevron marks and white bands,
in male such bands extending throughout the body …..……………… .. Plexippus C. L. Koch
-Cephalothoracic length never more than 1.2 x its width; chelicerae slender, with fangs long,
sometimes longer than chelicerae, curved at tip; abdomen often with grey, indistinct, linear
pattern ………………………………………… Phintella Strand
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Recorded species
Genus : Myrmarachne Macleay
Myrmarachne Macleay, 1839, Ann. Mag. nat. Hist., 2: 10.
3. Myrmarachne melanocephala MacLeay
Myrmarachne melanocephala MacLeay, 1839, Ann. Nat. Hist. 2(7) : 11.
Material examined: 1♀/1♀, Tadoba NP, 9.2.2018/10.2.2018, coll. S. Saha; 1♀, Navegaon NP,
3.2.2019, coll. S.Saha.
Distribution in world: India : Andaman Islands,Assam, Kerala, Maharashtra, West Bengal;
Indonesia, Pakistan, (Tikader & Biswas, 1981; Biswas & Biswas, 1992; Majumder, 2005, 2007;
Prószyn'ski, 2007, 2018; Sebastian & Peter, 2009; Dhali et al., 2010a; Saha & Raychaudhuri,
2015; Sen, et al. 2015; Roy et al., 2016; Metzner, 2022; WSC, 2022).
Genus : Thiana C.L.Koch
Thiania C.L.Koch, 1846, Die Arachniden: 171.
4. Thiana bhamoensis Thorell
Thiania bhamoensis Thorell, 1887, Ann. Mus. Civ. Stor. Nat. Genova, 25: 357.
Material examined :1♀ (imm), Navegaon NP, 3.2.2019, coll. S.Saha; 1♀ (imm), Tadoba NP,
3.5.2019.
Distribution in World: India : Andaman &Nicobar Islands, Assam, Kerala, Maharashtra, West
Bengal; China, Indonesia, Krakatau, Laos, Malacca, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand,
Vietnam (Prószyn'ski, 2007; Sebastian & Peter, 2009; Dhali et al., 2010a; Raychaudhuri et al.,
2015; Saha & Raychaudhuri, 2015; Sen et al., 2015; Roy et al., 2016; Dhali et al., 2017;
Prószyński, 2017b; Metzner, 2022; WSC, 2022)
Genus : Siler Simon
Siler Simon, 1889. Ann. Soc. Ent. France, 8 (6): 248-252.
5. Siler sp. 1
Material examined: 1♀ (imm), Navegaon NP, 3.2.2019, coll. S.Saha.
Distribution in World: India : Maharashtra.
6. Siler sp. 2
Material examined: 1♀ (imm), Navegaon NP, 3.2.2019, coll. S.Saha.
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Distribution in World: India : Maharashtra.
Genus : Telamonia Thorell
Telamonia Thorell, 1887, Ann. Mus. civ. stor. nat. Genova, 25: 386.
7. Telamonia dimidiata (Simon)
Viciria dimidiata Simon, 1899, Ann. Soc. Ent. Belg.,43: 118.
Telamonia dimidiata (Simon) Prószyński, 1984, Annls. Zool. Warsz.,37: 428.
Material examined: 4♀,8♀(imm), Tadoba NP, 9.2.2018, coll. S. Saha; 2♀/2♀(imm),
Navegaon NP, 3.2.2019/4.2.2019, coll. S.Saha.
Distribution in World: India : Assam, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Kerala, West Bengal, Bhutan,
Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore (Prószyński, 2007, 2016; Sebastian & Peter, 2009; Dhali et al.,
2010a; Raychaudhuri et al., 2015; Saha & Raychaudhuri, 2015; Sen et al., 2015; Roy et al.,
2016; Metzner, 2022; WSC, 2022).
Genus : Hyllus C. L. Koch
Hyllus C. L. Koch, 1846, Die Arachniden, 13: 161.
8. Hyllus semicupreus (Simon)
Thyene semicuprea Simon, 1885, Bull. Soc. Zool. Fr.,10: 4.
Hyllus semicupreus (Simon) Prószyński, 1990, Catalogue of Salticidae (Araneae): Synthesis of
Quotations in the World Literature since 1940, with Basic Taxonomic Data since 1758: 177.
Material examined :1♀, Tadoba NP, 4.2.2019, coll. S. Saha.
Distribution in World: India: Assam, Maharashtra, West Bengal; Sri Lanka (Prószyski, 2007;
Sebastian & Peter, 2009; Dhali et al., 2010a; Saha & Raychaudhuri, 2015; Roy et al. 2016;
Prószyński, 2016, 2017b; Metzner, 2022; WSC, 2022).
Genus: Plexippus C.L.Koch
Plexippus C.L.Koch, 1846, Die Arachniden, 13: 107.
9. Plexippus paykulli (Audouin)
Attus paykullii Audouin, 1826, Description de l'Egypte, 22: 172.
Plexippus paykulli (Audouin), Koch, 1850, Ueb. Ar. Syst., 5: 51.
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Material examined: 1♂,2♀/1♀,1♀(imm), Tadoba NP, 9.2.2018/5.2.2019, coll. S.Saha;
2♀,3♀(imm), Navegaon NP, 3.2.2019, coll. S.Saha; 1♀, Tadoba NP, 3.5.2019, coll.S.Saha.
Distribution in World: India : Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Kerala,
Maharashtra, Manipur, Orissa, West Bengal; Afghanistan, Africa, Algeria, America, Australia,
Bermuda, Brazil, Canary Island, Celebes, China, Costarica, Crete, Cuba, Egypt, Europe, Fiji,
France, Galapagos Island, Gambia, Greece, Hawaii, Hispaniola Island, Indochina, Iran, Italy,
Japan, Java, Kenya, Krakatau, Lao, Libya, Malaysia, Malta, Marquesas Island, Myanmar,
Nepal, New Hebrides, Palmyra Atoll, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Pacific Island, Paraguay,
Philippines, Samoa, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Singapore, Society Island, South Korea, SriLanka,
Sudan, Suriname, Taiwan, Thailand, Tonga, Trinidad, Tuamotu Island, Tunisia, United Arab
Emirates, USA, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen (Sen et al., 2010; Raychaudhuri & Saha, 2014;
Raychaudhuri et al., 2015; Roy et al., 2016; Dhali et al., 2017; Prószyn'ski, 2016, 2017b;
Metzner, 2022; WSC, 2022).
Genus : Phintella Strand
Phintella Strand, 1906. Abh.Naturh.Ges. Nürnberg 16: 139-152.
10. Phintella vittata (C.L.Koch)
Plexippus vittatus C. L. Koch, 1846, Die Arachniden, Nürnberg: 125.
Phintella vittata (C.L. Koch) Zabka, 1985, Annls Zool. Warsz.,39: 429.
Material examined: 1♀/5♀/2♀(imm), Tadoba NP, 9.2.2018/10.2.2018/5.2.2019, coll. S.Saha.
Distribution in world: India : Maharashtra, Nicobar Islands, West Bengal; China, Indonesia,
Malaysia, Penang Island, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Vietnam (Prószyński, 2007, 2016;
Sebastian & Peter, 2009; Dhali et al., 2010a; Sen et al., 2015; Roy et al., 2016; Metzner, 2022;
WSC, 2022).
Family: Lycosidae
[Wolf Spiders]
Key to genera:
1.Metatarsi IV usually as long as to longer than patella plus tibia together; epigynal cavity
discretely divided into 2 cavities by the median septum; subpaleal sclerite of male palp without
any process; tegular apophysis with usual base, neither bearing any projection nor protrusion
………………………………………………………….…Pardosa C. L. Koch
- Metatarsi IV usually shorter than patella plus tibia together; epigynum with 2 hoods; tibia I
and II armed with 3 pairs of ventral spines; cymbium with cluster of thick setae; tegular lobe
not ear-like ……..…………………………… Lycosa Latreille
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Genus : Pardosa C. L. Koch
Pardosa C. L. Koch, 1847, Die Arachniden, 14: 100.
Key to species:
1.Sternum marked posteriorly; dorsum with 3 pairs of sigilla; cheliceral outer margin with three
teeth; spermathecae flat, leaf like; copulatory ducts long and curved
……….…………..……..kupupa (Tikader)
-Sternum unmarked; cheliceral outer margin with two teeth; epigynal median septum inverted
T shaped; spermathecae comma shaped …….…………..………………...….sumatrana Thorell
Recorded Species
11. Pardosa kupupa (Tikader)
Lycosa kupupa Tikader, 1970, Rec. Zool. Surv. India, 64(1-4) : 66
Pardosa kupupa (Tikader), Tikader & Malhotra, 1980, Fauna India (Araneae) 1 : 333,
171-175.
Material examined: 1♀, 4♀ (imm)/4♀(imm)/2♀(imm), 1♂(imm), Tadoba NP,
9.2.2018/3.2.2019/4.2.2019, coll. S.Saha.
Distribution in World: India : Maharashtra,,Sikkim, West Bengal; China (Tikader, 1970;
Tikader & Malhotra, 1980; Sebastian & Peter, 2009; Dhali et. al., 2012, 2017; Sen et al., 2015;
WSC, 2022).
12. Pardosa sumatrana (Thorell)
Lycosa sumatrana Thorell, 1890, Ann. Mus. stor.nat. Genova, 30: 136.
Pardosa sumatrana (Thorell), Hogg, 1919, Jour. Fed. Malay St. Mus., 8(3): 100.
Material examined: 3♀ (imm) /1♀ (imm), Tadoba NP, 9.2.2018/4.2.2019, coll. S.Saha; 1♀
(imm), Navegaon NP, 4.2.2019, coll. S. Saha.
Distribution in World: India: Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Himachal
Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Rajasthan,
Tamil Nadu, Tripura, West Bengal; Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, Indonesia, Myanmar, Nepal,
Philippines, Sri Lanka (Gravely, 1924; Tikader & Malhotra, 1980; Tikader & Biswas, 1981;
Biswas & Biswas, 1992,’04,’06; Barrion & Litsinger, 1995; Biswas & Raychaudhuri, 2003;
Majumder, 2007; Gajbe, 2007; Sen et al., 2015; Dhali, et al., 2017; WSC, 2022)
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Genus: Lycosa Latreille
Lycosa Latreille, 1804, Nouv. Dist. d’Hist. Nat. 24: 135.
13. Lycosa phipsoni Pocock
Lycosa phipsoni Pocock, 1899, J. Bombay nat. Hist. Soc., 12 : 751.
Material examined: 2♀, Tadoba NP, 4.2.2019, coll. S.Saha;
Distribution in World: India : Assam, Maharashtra, Orissa, West Bengal; Bhutan, China,
Myanmar, Nepal, Taiwan (Tikader & Malhotra, 1980; Sen et al., 2015; Dhali et al., 2016, 2017;
WSC, 2022).
Family: Sparassidae
[Giant Crab Spiders]
Key to genera :
1.ALE larger than AME, PLE larger and prominent, posterior row of eyes recurved; anterior
tibia with 3 pairs of ventral spines; clypeus longer than the diameter of an AME
……………....……………………....Heteropoda Latreille
2.ALE smaller than AME, AME largest, posterior row of eyes slightly procurved,
posterolaterals sessile; anterior tibia with 2 pairs of ventral spines; clypeus shorter than the
diameter of an AME ………………………….…… Olios Walckenaer
Recorded Species
Genus : Heteropoda Latreille
Heteropoda Latreille, 1804, Nouv. Dic. Hist. Nat., 24: 135.
14. Heteropoda venatoria (Linnaeus)
Aranea venatoria Linnaeus, 1767, Syst. Nat., 12: 1035.
Heteropoda venatoria (Linnaeus), Latreille, 1804, Nouv. Dic. Hist. Nat., 24: 135.
Material examined: 1♀,Tadoba NP, 9.2.2018, coll. S.Saha.
Distribution in World: Cosmopolitan (Sen et al., 2010a; Raychaudhuri & Saha, 2014;
Raychaudhuri et al., 2015; Dhali et al., 2017; WSC, 2022).
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Genus: Olios Walckenaer
Olios Walckenaer, 1837, Hist. nat. Ins. Apt., 1: 202.
15. Olios kiranae Sethi & Tikader
Olios kirane Sethi & Tikader, 1988, Rec. Zool. Surv. India Misc. Publ. Occ. Pap., 93: 38.
Material examined: 1♀, Tadoba NP, 9.2.2018, coll. S. Saha.
Distribution in World: India : Assam, Gujarat, Mahatrashtra, West Bengal (Sethi & Tikader,
1988; Saha & Raychaudhuri, 2015; WSC, 2022).
Family: Thomisidae
[Crab Spiders]
Key to genera :
1.Lateral eyes on strong conical protuberance; abdomen nearly pentagonal, anteriorly narrow
and truncate, posteriorly much broad with lateral, blunt, conical protuberance
…….…..…………..……....Thomisus Walckenaer
-Lateral eyes never on conical protuberance; abdomen longer than wide, elevated and
pointed behind …………………..………….. Tmarus Simon
Recorded species
Genus : Tmarus Simon
Tmarus Simon, 1875, Les arachnides de France. Paris, 2: 259.
16. Tmarus kotigeharus Tikader
Tmarus kotigeharus Tikader, 1963, Proc. Indian Acad. Sci., Bangalore, 58(5): 250.
Material examined: 2♀, Tadoba NP, 9.2.2018, coll. S. Saha.
Distribution in World: India: Karnataka, Maharashtra, Meghalaya, West Bengal (Tikader,
1980; WSC, 2022).
Genus : Thomisus Walckenaer
Thomisus Walckenaer, 1805, Tableau des aranéides, Paris: 28.
Key to species:
1.Abdomen nearly elliptical, longer than wide; dorsum with five deep brown or black sigilla,
laterally with three or four longitudinal deep brown thin lines, all joined respectively
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posteriorly; cephalothorax mid-dorsally provided with a narrow longitudinal chalk-white line
extending from ocular area to base; legs without any black spot
………………………………..….cherapunjeus Tikader
-Abdomen pentagonal, wider than long with a black transverse incomplete line on the broadest
region and two spots just in front of the transverse line, subapically with broad black patch;
cephalothorax without such line; first pair of legs with conspicuous black spots
……………..…………….……..sikkimensis Tikader
17. Thomisus cherapunjeus Tikader
Thomisus cherapunjeus Tikader, Proc. Indian Acad., Sci., Bangalore, 64(1) : 82-83.
Material examined: 1♀, Tadoba NP, 9.2.2018, coll. S.Saha.
Distribution in World: India : Maharashtra, Meghalaya (Tikader, 1980)
18. Thomisus sikkimemsis Tikader
Thomisus sikkimensis Tikader, 1962, J. Linn. Soc., London, 44(300) : 569.
Material examined: 1♀, Navegaon NP, 3.2.2019, coll. S.Saha.
Distribution in World: India : Maharashtra, Sikkim (Tikader, 1980; WSC, 2022)
Family: Philodromidae
[Elongated Crab Spiders]
Key to Genera:
1.Eyes in a smaller crescent-shaped group with anterior row shortest, posterior strongly
recurved, antero lateral eyes nearer to antero medians than to postero medians; cephalothorax
broader than long, relatively narrow in front; abdomen usually oval
…………………....…...…....Philodromus Walckenaer
- Eyes of anterior row with posterior median pair forming a small compact hexagonal group
from which posterior laterals conspicuously removed, antero lateral eyes nearer to postero
medians than to antero medians; cephalothorax longer than wide;; abdomen long, cylindrical
or cigar-shaped …………………………………….....Tibellus Simon
Genus : Philodromus Walckenaer
Philodromus Walckenaer, 1826, Ent. Fr. Ar.: 86.
19. Philodromus betrabatai Tikader
Philodromus betrabatai Tikader, 1966, Proc. Linn. Soc. London, 177(1): 35.
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Material examined: 2♀, 1♀, Navegaon NP, 3.2.2019, coll. S.Saha.
Distribution in World: India: Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, West Bengal (Tikader, 1980;
Rao et. al., 2005; WSC, 2022).
Genus :Tibellus
Tibellus Simon, 1875, Ar. Fr., 2 : 307.
20. Tibellus elongatus Tikader
Tibellus elongates Tikader, 1960, J. Bombay nat. Hist. Soc., 57(1): 177.
Material examined: 1♀, Navegaon NP, 3.2.2019, coll. S. Saha.
Distribution in World: India : Maharashtra, West Bengal (Tikader, 1980; WSC, 2022)
Family: Oxyopidae
[Lynx Spiders]
Recorded Species
Genus : Oxyopes Latreille
Oxyopes Latreille, 1804, Nouv. Dict. d'Hist. Nat. Paris, 24: 135.
21. Oxyopes shweta (Tikader)
Oxyopes shweta Tikader, 1970, Rec. Zool. Surv. India, 64: 78.
Material examined: 3♀, Tadoba NP, 8.2.2019, coll. S. Saha; 3♀, Navegaon NP, 3.2.2019,
coll. S. Saha; 1♂, 1♀, Tadoba NP, 2.5.2019, coll. S. Saha.
Distribution in World: India : Arunachal Pradesh, Kerala, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya,
Sikkim, Tripura, West Bengal; China, Pakistan (Sen et al., 2010a; Raychaudhuri & Saha, 2014;
Raychaudhuri et al., 2015; WSC, 2022).
Family: Clubionidae
[Sac Spiders]
Recorded Species
Genus : Clubiona Latreille
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22. Clubiona sp.
Material examined :2♀(imm), Tadoba NP, 8.2.2018, coll. S.Saha
Distribution in World : India : Maharashtra.
Family: Linyphiidae
[Sheet Web builders]
Recorded Species
Genus : Linyphia Latreille
Linyphia Latreille, 1804, Nouv. Dict. d'Hist. Nat., Paris, 24: 134.
23. Linyphia sp.
Material examined: 1♀, Tadoba NP, 3.2.2019, coll. S.Saha.
Distribution in World: India : Maharashtra.
Family: Pisauridae
[Nursery Web Spiders]
Recorded species
Genus : PolyboeaThorell
Polyboea Thorell, 1895, Descriptive catalogue of the spiders of Burma, London: 229.
24. Polyboea zonaformis (Wang)
Pisaura zonaformis Wang 1993, Acta zootaxon. sin.,18: 157.
Polyboea zonaformis (Wang); Zhang, J. X. & C. Zhang, 2003, Acta arachnol. sin. 12: 15.
Polyboea zonaformis (Wang), Sen, Saha & Raychaudhuri, 2010, Mun. Ent. Zool., 5(1) :
227-229.
Material examined: 1♀, Tadoba NP, 8.2.2018, coll. S.Saha.
Distribution in World: India: Maharashtra, West Bengal; China, Laos (Zhang et. al., 2004;
Sen et. al., 2010a; WSC, 2022).
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Family: Theridiidae
[Comb Footed Cobweb Spiders]
Recorded Species
Genus : Nihonhimea Yoshida
Nihonhimea Yoshida, 2016, Bull. Yamagata Prefectural Museum, 34 : 21-22.
25. Nihonhimea indica (Tikader)
Theridion indicum Tikader, 1977, Rec. zool. Surv. India, 72: 168
Nihonhimea indica (Tikader), Prasad et al., 2019, Ecologica Montenegrina : 115, f.7-13
Material examined: 1♀/1♂, Tadoba NP, 8.2.2019/9.2.2018, coll. S. Saha.
Distribution in World: India : Andaman Island, Maharashtra, West Bengal (Tikader, 1977;
Biswas & Biswas, 1992; Majumder, 2007; WSC, 2022).
Family: Tetragnathidae
[Long-jawed Orb Weavers]
Key to genera:
1.Chelicerae very long especially in male, each margin with more than 4 teeth; lateral eyes
never contiguous; femora IV without trichobothria; abdomen long, narrow, dorsum with or
without dull silvery markings, sometimes produced into a pointed tail beyond spinnerets
………………………. Tetragnatha Latreille
-Chelicerae nearly as long as wide or little longer, each margin at most with 4 teeth; lateral eyes
contiguous; femora IV with 2 rows of trichobothria; dorsum usually with silvery decorations;
chephalic region darker; abdominal dorsum with distinct folium
Guizygeilla Zhu, Kim & Song
Recorded Species
Genus :Tetragnatha Latreille
Tetragnatha Latreille, 1804, Nouv. Dict. d'Hist. Nat.Paris,24: 135.
Key to species:
1.Posterior row of eyes evidently narrower than anterior row; abdomen nearly parallel sided;
genital fold broadly V shaped; female cheliceral promargin with 11 and retromargin with 9
teeth; sternum posteriorly produced; abdomen more or less parallel-sided……..hasselti Thorell
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-Posterior row of eyes wider than anterior row; genital fold broadly U shaped; each of female
cheliceral margins with 7 teeth; sternum not so produced; abdomen transversely raised at the
middle …….……………… ceylonica O. P.-Cambridge
26. Tetragnatha hasselti Thorell
Tetragnatha hasselti Thorell, 1890, Ann. Mus. civ. stor. nat. Genova, 28: 217.
Material examined: 1♀, 1♂, Navegaon NP, 3.2.2019, coll. S.Saha.
Distribution in World: India : Assam, Maharashtra, West Bengal; Bangladesh, Celebes,
China, Indonesia, Myanmar, Thailand (Okuma, 1988b; Raychaudhuri & Saha, 2015; Dhali et
al, 2016; WSC, 2022).
27. Tetragnatha ceylonica O.P.Cambridge
Tetragnatha ceylonica O.P.Cambridge, 1869, J. Linn. Soc. Zool., 10: 394.
Material examined: 1♀, 1♀(imm), Tadoba NP, 4.2.2019, Tadoba NP, Coll. S.Saha.
Distribution in World: India : Kerala, Maharashtra, West Bengal; Japan, New Britain, New
Guinea, Philippines, South Africa, Seychelles, Taiwan, Thailand (Okuma, 1988a; Barrion &
Litsinger, 1995; Sebastian & Peter, 2009; WSC, 2022).
Genus : Guizygiella Zhu, Kim & Song
Guizygiella Zhu, Kim & Song, 1997, Korean Arachnol., 13(2) : 3-4.
28. Guizygiella indica (Tikader & Bal)
Zygeilla indica Tikader & Bal, 1980, Proc. Indian Acad. Sci., 89(3) : 243-246.
Guizygiella indica Jägar & Praxaysombath, 2009, Acta Arachnologica, 58 :33.
Material examined: 21♀, 2♀(imm), 3♂, Navegaon NP, 3.2.2019, coll. S. Saha; 68♀,
18♀(imm), 8♂, 4♂(imm), Tadoba NP, 4.2.2019/5.2.2019, coll. S. Saha; 10♀, 1♂, Tadoba NP,
2.5.2019/3.5.2019, coll. S. Saha.
Distribution in World: India : Maharashtra (WSC, 2022).
Family: Araneidae
[True Orb Weavers]
Key to genera :
1.Posterior row of eyes strongly procurved, anterolaterals smaller than posterolaterals; eyes of
anterior row not evenly spaced or medians closer to each other than to laterals; tibia I of male
straight and without macrosetae …………………………………….. Argiope Audouin
-Posterior row of eyes nearly straight or recurved, laterals subequal…………..………..…..2
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2.Abdomen with tubercles or humps ………………………………………………….…….. 3
-Abdomen without tubercles or humps ……………………….……………………….…... 5
3.Posteromedian eyes very close, almost touching each other; cephalic region distinctly
separated from thoracic region by an ‘U’ shaped groove; abdomen dorsally with both paired
and median unpaired humps ……………………………………………..………. 4
-Posteromedian eyes not very close, cephalothorax anteriorly narrow, devoid of any ‘U’ shaped
groove, cephalic region not highly convex; abdomen posteriorly narrow, anteriorly very high,
with paired tubercles, sometimes with additional pairs
……………………………..…… Cyrtophora Simon
4.Abdomen very short, nearly globular; epigyne with thin narrow scape; one pair of less
prominent tubercles present anteriorly; two median caudal tubercles arranged vertically
…………………..…………..…… Allocyclosa Levi
-Abdomen rather elongate; epigyne with scape, without constriction, narrow tip slightly bent;
two pairs of distinct tubercles, one at the middle of abdomen, other at the base of the middle of
abdomen, other at the base of the caudal tubercle ………………………………Cyclosa Menge
5.Abdomen more than twice longer than wide, little pointed midlongitudinally over the
cephalothorax …………………….……….…………………… Larinia Simon
-Abdomen less than twice longer than wide, never pointed midlongitudinally over the
cephalothorax …………… ………………………………………...6
6.Thoracic fovea transverse in female; epigynal scape often wrinkled, without any lateral lobes
……………....…………..…………………………………………………..…. Araneus Clerck
-Thoracic fovea longitudinal in female; epigynal scape never wrinkled, with 1 or 2 pairs of
lateral lobes …………..………………..…….. Neoscona Simon
Recorded Species
Genus : Argiope Thorell
Argiope pulchella Thorell, 1881, Ann. Mus. Civ. Stor. Nat. Genova,17: 74.
29. Argiope pulchella Thorell
Argiope pulchella Thorell, 1881, Ann. Mus. Civ. Stor. Nat. Genova,17: 74.
Material examined: 1♀, Tadoba NP, 5.2.2019, coll. S.Saha.
Distribution in World: India : Andaman & Lakshadweep Islands, Assam, Madhya Pradesh,
Maharashtra, Orissa, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal; China, Indonesia, Malaya Peninsula,
Myanmar, Pegu Moulmein (Tikader, 1982; Biswas & Biswas, 1992; Kundu & Raychaudhuri,
1997; Hazarika & Chakraborti, 1998; Saha & Raychaudhuri, 2004; Majumder, 2007; Roy et
al., 2009, 2010b; Sebastian & Peter, 2009; Sen et al., 2009; Raychaudhuri et al., 2015, 2016;
Saha & Raychaudhuri, 2015; Roy et al., 2017; WSC, 2022).
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Genus : Cyrtophora Simon
Cyrtophora Simon, 1864, Hist. Nat. des Araign. (aranéides)Paris, 1: 261.
30. Cyrtophora cicatrosa (Stoliczka)
Epeira cicatrosa Stoliczka, 1869, J. Asiat. Soc. Bengal, 38: 242.
Cyrtophora cicatrosa (Stoliczka) Chrysanthus, 1960, Nova Guinea (N.S.), 10: 28.
Material examined: 6♀, Tadoba NP, 9.2.2018, coll. S.Saha.
Distribution in World: India : Andaman & Nicobar Island, Assam, Gujarat, Karnataka,
Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal;
Australia, Austro-.Malaysia, Malaysia, Myanmar, New Guinea, Pakistan (Tikader, 1982;
Biswas & Biswas, 1992; Gajbe, 2004a; Majumder, 2007; Roy et al., 2009, 2010; Sebastian &
Peter, 2009; Sen et al., 2009; Raychaudhuri et al., 2015; Saha & Raychaudhuri, 2015; , Roy et
al., 2017;WSC, 2022).
Genus : Allocyclosa Levi
Allocyclosa Levi,1999. Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool. 155 (7) : 304.
31. Allocyclosa bifurca (McCook)
Cyrtophora bifurca McCook, 1887, Proc. Acad, Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, : 342.
Cyclosa fissicauda O. P. Cambridge, 1889, Biol. Centr. Amer., Arachn. Aran., 49, pl. 8, f, 7.
Cyclosa bifurca, McCook, 1894, Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, 1 : 128, 2 : 189, 372,376, 3:
227, pl. 17, f. 9-10.
Allocyclosa bifurca Levi, 1999, Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool. : 304, f. 3-22.
Material examined: 1♀, Navegaon NP, 3.2.2018, coll. S. Saha; 1♀, 1♂ Tadoba NP, 4.2.2019,
coll. S. Saha
Distribution in World: India :Maharashtra, Sikkim Cuba, Hispaniola, Panama, USA (Tikader,
1982; WSC, 2022)
Genus : Cyclosa Menge
Cyclosa Menge, 1866, Schrift. Nat. Ges. Danzig (N.F.), 1: 73.
32. Cyclosa hexatuberculata Tikader
Cyclosa hexatuberculata Tikader, 1982, Fauna of India (Araneae), 2: 197.
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Material examined: 1♀, Navegaon NP, 3.2.2019, coll. S. Saha; 1♀, Tadoba NP, 4.2.2019,
coll. S. Saha.
Distribution in World: India : Assam, Kerala, Maharashtra, West Bengal; Pakistan (Tikader,
1982; Biswas & Biswas, 1992; Kundu & Raychaudhuri, 1997; Roy et al., 2009, 2010; Sebastian
& Peter, 2009; Sen et al., 2009; Raychaudhuri et al., 2015; Saha & Raychaudhuri, 2015; Roy
et al., 2017; WSC, 2022).
Genus : Larinia Simon
Larinia Simon. 1874, Ar. Fr., 1 : 115.
33. Larinia chloris (Audouin)
Epeira chloris Audodin, 1825, Descr. De I’Egrpte, 22 : 347.
Larinia chloris (Audodin) Simon, 1906, S. B. Ak.Wiss.Wien., 115(1) : 1163.
Material examined: 1♀, Tadoba NP, 2.5.2019, coll. S. Saha.
Distribution in World: India : Maharashtra; Bangladesh, North to East Africa, Egypt, Iran,
Israel, Libiya, SriLanka, Syria, Turkey, Uganda (Tikader, 1982; WSC, 2022).
Genus : Araneaus Clerck
Araneus Clerck, 1757, Argn. Suec. : 15.
Key to species :
1.Abdomen with a pair of shoulder humps, very prominent and high; abdomen nearly sub-
triangular, slightly longer than wide; epigyne with long wrinkled triangular scape with narrow
tips and with one pair of pointed horn like projections at the openings
…………………….………panchganiensis Tikader & Bal
-Abdomen not provided with any shoulder hump; abdomen nearly globular but slightly
narrower anteriorly than posteriorly, wider than long with a pair of wing shaped large median
black patch and two lateral black patches, two pairs of small black tubercles at the posterior
end; epigynal scape short but unwrinkled and thick ………………………......mitifica (Simon)
34. Araneus panchganiensis Tikader &Bal
Araneus panchgaiiensis Tikader &Bal, 1981, Rec. zool., Surv. India. Occ. Pap., 24 : 48.
Material examined: 1♀, Tadoba NP, 5.2.2019, coll. S. Saha.
Distribution in World: India : Maharashtra, West Bengal (Tikader, 1982; Dhali et al., 2016;
WSC, 2022).
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35. Araneus mitificus (Simon)
Epeira mitifica Simon, 1886, Act. Soc. Linn. Bord.,40: 150.
Araneus mitificus (Simon) Simon, 1909, Bull. Sci. Fr. Belg.,42: 109.
Material examined: 1♀, Navegaon NP, coll. S. Saha; 1♀/1♀, Tadoba NP, 4.2.2019/5.2.2019,
coll. S. Saha.
Distribution in World: India : Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Kerala,
Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, West Bengal; Bangladesh, Hongkong, Japan,
Malaysia, Myanmar, New Guinea, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam
(Tikader, 1982; Biswas & Biswas, 1992; Barrion & Litsinger, 1995; Kundu & Raychaudhuri,
1997; Hazarika & Chakraborti, 1998; Gajbe, 2004; Majumder, 2007; Roy et al., 2009, 2010;
Sebastian & Peter, 2009; Sen et al., 2009, 2010; Raychaudhuri et al., 2015; Saha &
Raychaudhuri, 2015; Saha et al., 2016; Roy et al., 2017; WSC, 2022).
Genus : Neoscona Simon
Neoscona Simon, 1864, Histoire naturelle des araignées (aranéides), Paris: 261.
Key to species:
1. Epigynal scape without constriction at the bending point, at right angle to the base, lateral
lobes inconspicuous; sternum with a midlongitudinal band ………. bengalensis Tikader & Bal
-Epigynal scape with constriction either at the bending point or at the middle of scape
……………….……………….…2
2.Promargin of chelicerae with 3 teeth; sternum apically notched ….…………………...……3
- Promargin of chelicerae with 4 teeth; sternum apically without notch; epigynal scape
without deep constriction, lateral lobes very distinct ..………….... vigilans (Blackwall)
3.Epigynal scape moderately long, basally deeply constricted, lateral lobes indistinct;
abdominal dorsum with five pairs of sigilla mid-longitudinally; cephalic region with
conspicuous ‘V’ shaped dark brown patches; abdominal dorsum with a club shaped greyish
white patch arranged longitudinally ……………………………. mukerjei Tikader
-Epigynal scape short, slightly constricted at the middle, apically blunt; abdominal dorsum
with three pairs of sigilla mid-longitudinally; cephalic region without any patch; abdominal
dorsum not so ……….…………..…punctigera (Doleschall)
36. Neoscona bengalensis Tikader &Bal
Neoscona bengalensis Tikader &Bal, 1981, Rec. Zool. Surv. India, Occ. Pap., 24: 15.
Material examined: 1♀, Navegaon NP, 3.2.2019, coll. S. Saha.
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Distribution in World: India : Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Kerala, Maharashtra, Manipur, West
Bengal; Bangladesh, Pakistan (Sen et al., 2010; Raychaudhuri & Saha, 2014; Raychaudhuri et
al., 2015, 2016; Basu et al. 2017; Roy et al., 2017; WSC, 2022).
37. Neoscona mukerjei Tikader
Neoscona mukerjei Tikader, 1980, Proc. Indian. Acad. Sci., 89(3): 247.
Material examined: 3♀(imm), Navegaon NP, 3.2.2019, coll. S. Saha; 1♀, 9♀(imm), 1♂,
Tadoba NP, 4.2.2019/5.2.2019, coll. S. Saha.
Distribution in World: India: Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh,
Maharashtra, Manipur, West Bengal; Bangladesh; Pakistan (Tikader, 1982; Biswas &Biswas,
1992,’04,’06; Gajbe, 2004; Rao. et. al., 2005; Saha & Raychaudhuri, 2004; Majumder, 2007;
Sebastian & Peter, 2009; Sen et. al., 2009; WSC, 2022).
38. Neoscona punctigera (Doleschall)
Epeira punctigera Doleschall, 1857, Nat. Tijdschr. Neder.-Ind., 13: 420.
Neoscona punctigera (Doleschall) Roberts, 1983, Zool. J. Linn. Soc., 77: 275.
Material examined: 1♀(imm), Navegaon NP, 3.2.2019, coll. S. Saha; 4♀, 2♀(imm), Tadoba
NP, 5.2.2019, coll. S. Saha
Distribution in World: India: Assam, Gujarat, Maharashtra, West Bengal; Australia, China,
Malaysia, Myanmar, China, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Philippines, Reunion, South New Guinea
(Tikader, 1982; Roy et al., 2010; Saha & Raychaudhuri, 2015; Basu et al. 2017; Roy et al.,
2017; WSC, 2022).
39. Neoscona vigilans (Blackwall)
Epeira vigilans Blackwall, 1865, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. (3) 16 : 336-352.
Araneus rumpfi Thorell, 1887, Ann. Mus. civ. stor.nat. Genova, 25: 296.
Araneus rumpfi Tikader, 1982, Fauna of India, 2 : 1-533.
Material examined: 3♀, Tadoba NP, 4.2.2019, coll. S. Saha.
Distribution in World: India: Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra,
Orissa, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal; Africa, Australia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Pakistan,
Philippines, Sri Lanka (Tikader, 1982; Biswas & Biswas, 1992; Gajbe, 2004; Saha &
Raychaudhuri, 2004; Rao. et. al., 2005; Majumder, 2007; Dhali & Sureshan, 2016; Basu et al.,
2017; WSC, 2022).
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3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS
Present work unfolds the taxonomy of spiders of adjoining areas of Tadoba, Nagzira and
Navegaon National Parks situated in the state of Maharashtra, India. A total of 39 species
belonging to 30 genera and 14 families are sampled during the survey months, February & May,
2018 and again in February, 2019 (Table 1, Fig. 4).
These include 4 species namely Araneus panchganiensis Tikader & Bal (Araneidae),
Olios kiranae Sethi & Tikader (Sparassidae), Nihonhimea indica (Tikader) (Theridiidae) and
Tmarus kotigeharus Tikader (Thomisidae) endemic to India and17 species new report from the
state of Maharashtra.The dominant guild is constituted by the Orb web weavers (35.90%)
followed by Stalkers (23.08%),Ground runners and Ambushers (12.82% each), Foliage hunters
(10.26%), Sheet web builders and Space web builders (2.56 % each) (Table 2, Fig. 5).
Among the encountered species, members of the family Araneidae is the highest (14).
Analysis of their zoogeographical distribution reveals that the fauna apart from being Oriental
also includes some Palaearctic (35.90%), Australian (17.95%), Ethiopian (12.82%), Nearctic
(7.69%) and Neotropical (5.13%) elements.Ranking sequence of most abundant five species in
descending orderare : Guizygiella indica (Tikader & Bal) (42.45%) > Pardosa sumatrana
(Thorell) (7.23%) > Neoscona mukerjei Tikader (5.97%) > Plexippus paykullii (5.35%) >
Telamonia dimidiata (Simon) (4.72%).Sex ratio (♀ : ♂) is around 17 : 1. Availability of
food/season and/or cannibalism may be the factors for female dominated society (Saha et al.,
2016). Table 3 depicts the site specific biodiversity indices of the recorded spider fauna.
Figure 6. Spider taxa recorded from study area
Above study also exploits the terrestrial arthropod diversity as a rich data source useful
for conservation planning and management. It also provides a step towards a credible
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