This is a very first attempt to compile a checklist of spiders from Gujarat. It is a result of primary data as well as based on published literature. The spider diversity of Gujarat consists of 415 species under 169 genera and 40 families. Out of these, 29 genera and 17 families are endemic to Gujarat. Overall, high spider diversity was recorded from zone III with 33 families, 132 genera and 278 species. Whereas, the zone with the least spider records was zone VI with only 16 families, 39 genera and 70 species. This is an under estimated number and many new records as well as new species are expected as a result of more systematic studies on spiders in this region.
The original description of Storena gujaratensis by Tikader & Patel in 1975 based on a male specimen was wrongly identified in the genus; here we transfer it to the genus Suffasia based on presence of dorsal cymbial flange, large tegulum, long embolus and short bifurcated RTA. We provide a more detailed taxonomic description of the male.
Studies relating to spiders in Gujarat have been sporadic and most of the spider documentation have been done from agriculture fields, wetlands and few from protected areas. One such undocumented area was Jambughoda Wildlife Sanctuary, Panchmahal District, Gujarat. Therefore, a study to document the spider diversity was carried out in Jambughoda Wildlife Sanctuary from July 2012 to October 2015. A combination of four sampling methods namely, belt transect along with hand-pick method, pitfall sampling, vegetation beating and leaf litter extraction were used for collection of spiders from different strata. During the study, a total of 138 species belonging to 90 genera and 29 families were recorded from the study area. Of which, 21 species and 17 genera were recorded for the first time from Gujarat State. The theridiid genus Cephalobares O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1870 was recorded for the first time from India. The families Araneidae, Salticidae, Theridiidae and Oxyopidae were found to be dominant in the area. We recognized seven feeding guilds namely ambushers, foliage runners, ground runners, orb weavers, sheet web-builders, space web-builders and stalkers. Amongst these, orb-weavers, stalkers and ground runners were dominant. This documentation, however, forms the baseline information for spiders of Jambughoda WLS, suggesting the great diversity of the spider fauna in this protected area, which can be further explored.
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