Volume 24, Issue 74, July - December, 2023

First study on spider diversity in three distinct habitats in Federal University Wukari, Taraba State, Nigeria

Emmanuel Okrikata^♦, Jane I Otabor, Titus Tanko

Department of Biological Sciences, Federal University Wukari, PMB 1020, Katsina Ala Road, Wukari, Taraba State, Nigeria

^♦Corresponding author
Department of Biological Sciences, Federal University Wukari, PMB 1020, Katsina Ala Road, Wukari, Taraba State, Nigeria

ABSTRACT

Spiders are vital biological control agents and environmental change indicators in the ecosystem. Therefore, it is imperative to conduct studies on spider biodiversity, monitor their ecological activities, and work towards preserving them to prevent extinction. This research aimed to assess the diversity of spider families present at Federal University Wukari, Taraba State, Nigeria. Using handpicking, beating trays, and pitfall traps, we collected spiders from three habitats, namely, grasslands, trees, and residential buildings. A total of 164 spiders were collected, representing nine families: Araneidae, Salticidae, Lycosidae, Nephilidae, Thomisidae, Gnaphosidae, Pholcidae, Theridiidae, and Tetraghanthidae. Among these families, Araneidae exhibited the highest frequency of occurrence (100%) as they were present across the three (3) sampling sites. Pholcidae had the highest abundance in residential buildings, while Thomisidae, which was a rare family represented by a single spider taxa, was found only in the grassland habitat. The grassland habitat had the highest Shannon diversity index with a value of 1.332. On the other hand, the tree habitat had the highest species evenness of 0.998, while residential buildings had the highest species richness and lowest evenness values of 1.327 and 0.478, respectively. The Jaccard’s similarity index shows low similarity (< 0.5) among the three sites studied. This study indicates that spider families have varying levels of loyalty to their habitats. While some were widespread, others were restricted to specific areas/habitats. Each habitat has its species, and spiders' diversity, evenness, and richness vary depending on the habitat type.

Keywords: Araneidae, beneficial arthropods, Shannon diversity index, Theridiidae, Wolf spiders

Species, 2023, 24(74), e78s1586

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.54905/disssi.v24i74.e78s1586

Published: 19 September 2023