A diversity of spiders (Arachnida: Araneae) from a cashew ecosystem in Kerala, India
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Abstract
An exhaustive study was conducted to document spider fauna in cashew orchards of the Cashew Research Station, Madakkathara, Kerala, India from January 2015 to July 2017. A total of 63 species of spiders under 52 genera belonging to 14 families were recorded. The most species-rich families were Salticidae and Araneidae representing 33 and 27 per cent, respectively, of the total spider fauna. A guild structure analysis revealed six feeding guilds, viz.: stalkers, orb-web builders, foliage runners, scattered line weavers, ground runners, and ambushers. The occurrence of spiders was at a maximum during the monsoon with 59 species, followed by 26 during winter, 16 species during summer, and eight species being present all-round the year.
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