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

Zaki, Ayman Y.

doi:10.21608/eajbsa.2019.65487

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

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Ayman Y. Zaki

Vegetable and Aromatic Plant Mites Department, Plant Protection Research Institute, Agricultural Research Centre, Dokii, Giza, Egyp

10.21608/eajbsa.2019.65487

Abstract

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 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 of 399 spiders grouped in 11 families belonging to 21 genera and more than 22 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.

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