Preliminary Study of Araneofauna (Arachnida: Araneae) Inhabiting Quinoa Plants at Fayoum Governorate, Egypt

Abstract

Entomology Journal publishes original research papers and reviews from any entomological discipline or from directly allied fields in ecology, behavioral biology, A survey of spider community composition and diversity associated with quinoa plants was carried out at Fayoum governorate, Ibshway region, Aboksa village from September to April during two successive winter seasons, 2016/2017 and 2017-2018. Pitfall traps were used. Numbers of collected spiders were pooled and analyzed for species diversity using Shannon-Wiener Index, evenness, Simpson Index and Sørensen Quotient of Similarity. A total of399 spiders grouped in 11 families belonging to 23 genera and more than 23 species. First season received 124 individuals belonged to 20 genera, 20 species of 8 families, while second season received 275 individuals belonged to 21 genera, 21 species of 10 families. Four families contained 92.5% of the total collected spiders; they are Lycosidae, Linyphiidae, Theridiidae and Gnaphosidae. Lycosidae was the most abundant family (55.99%) followed by Linyphiidae (25.81%). The other remaining families represented 18.75% of the total catch. Guild structure analysis revealed seven feeding guilds namely, stalker, ground runner, ambusher, space weaver, wandering sheet spiders, sensing and space web. Guild structure varied, in the first season, Wandering sheet and ground running representing 12.53 and 12.78 % of the total spiders while the second season, wandering sheet and ground running representing 12.28 and 48.12% of the total spiders and had the highest species richness.