Faunistic diversity of spiders (Araneae) in Peechi-Vazhani Wildlife Sanctuary, Kerala, India

The study describes the identification of the spider assemblages with respect to their diversity within the Peechi-Vazhani wildlife sanctuary. A total of 106 species, from 24 families were recorded from the area,which forms baseline information of spiders of the sanctuary. Families showed varying degrees of habitat fidelity with some being abundant while others rare. Amongst these, Salticidae, Araneidae, Oxyopidae and Lycosidae were to have mor especies in the area. However, analyses of functional groups, e.g., ground runners (29%) showed the positive influence of structural complexity of the habitat.The presence of different species in all habitats highlights the importance of conserving a wide array of representative habitats within ecosystems.