08 Ara 2024 Pazar
Spider diversity of garden ecosystem in department of biosciences, Sardar Patel University, Gujarat, India
Abstract : A short-term study was carried out from September 2018 to February 2019 (6 months) concerning spider diversity, species composition & feeding guild structure in the premises of the Department of Biosciences, Sardar Patel University, Gujarat, India. As we have known the garden for almost a decade, it is gradually developing into a rich floral and faunal diversity, it also offers various suitable microhabitats to several spider species. To find maximum spider diversity, we intensively surveyed the entire campus in two different photoperiods and at three different height layers. We found 71 species of spiders belonging to 59 genera and 21 families. Further, the Salticidae family represents a maximum of 21 species followed by 14 Species of Araneidae and 1-1 species each of Agelenidae, Clubionidae, Corinnidae, Eresidae, Filistatidae, Hersiliidae, Miturgidae, Oecobiidae, Pholcidae, Pisauridae, Uloboridae. Guild structure based on foraging tactics revealed 7 feeding guilds namely (i) Stalkers, (ii) Ambushers, (iii) Foliage hunters, (iv) Ground runners, (v) Orb weavers, (vi) Space-web builders, and (vii) Sheet web builders. Stalkers and Orb web builders were the most dominant feeding guild representing 36% and 24% respectively. In addition, two uncommon species Pellenes sp. and Modunda staintoni (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1872) of the Salticidae family have been recorded.