Volume 25, Issue 75, January - June, 2024

A Preliminary Checklist of Spiders in Ecopark Area, Near East Kolkata Wetland, West Bengal

Abhik Rong^1,2♦, Arindam Das^1,2, Tarak Samanta^2,3, Souvik Mazumdar^1,2, Nivedita Sengupta⁴, Lina Chatterjee^2,4, Arjan Basu Roy², Bulganin Mitra¹

¹Department of Zoology, Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda Centenary College (Autonomous), Chowdhary Para, Rahara, Khardaha, West Bengal – 700118, India
²Nature Mates-Nature Club, 6/7 Bijoygarh, Kolkata – 700032, West Bengal, India
³Department of Environmental Science, University of Calcutta, 35, Ballygunge Circular Rd, Kolkata, West Bengal – 700019, India
⁴Department of Environmental Science, Indira Gandhi National Open University, College Rd, Ravenshaw University Campus, Cuttack, Odisha - 753003, India

^♦Corresponding author
Department of Zoology, Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda Centenary College (Autonomous), Chowdhary Para, Rahara, Khardaha, West Bengal – 700118, India

ABSTRACT

Examining spiders, despite their frequently unsettling reputation, is a quest that produces a plethora of valuable understandings about the intricate interconnectedness of life on our planet. For millions of years, these arachnids with eight legs, classified as Arachnida, have been deeply integrating themselves into ecosystems, demonstrating extraordinary adaptability and ecological importance. From their fascinating silk-spinning abilities to their diverse hunting strategies, spiders play a crucial role in maintaining the delicate balance of various ecosystems. As scientists delve into the world of spiders, they unearth many secrets of these enigmatic creatures, helping to gain a deeper understanding of biodiversity, evolution, and the interaction among the species in the natural world. In this exploration, researchers discover that the study of spiders goes far beyond mere arachnology; it is a key to unlocking broader mysteries in ecology, behavior, and even potential applications in fields such as medicine and materials science. This study conducted in Ecopark, an expansive urban park in Kolkata, West Bengal, aimed to document the diversity of spider species. A total of 33 spider species, belonging to nine families, were identified. The results contribute valuable baseline data for future spider research in Kolkata, shedding light on the ecological significance of urban parks in preserving diverse ecosystems. This study emphasises the importance of urban parks for ecosystem conservation while also addressing a gap in spider research in the region.

Keywords: Ecopark, Guild structure, Araneae, Spiders

Species, 2024, 25(75), e6s1628

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.54905/disssi.v25i75.e6s1628

Published: 24 February 2024