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Arthropods, 2016, 5(1): 1-10
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Article

A contribution key for the first recorded spider (Arachnidae: Aranae) fauna from Sheringal, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

Farzana Khan Perveen, Numan Khan
Department of Zoology, Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University (SBBU), Main Campus, Dir Upper (DU), Sheringal, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Pakistan

Received 28 August 2015;Accepted 5 October 2015;Published online 1 March 2016
IAEES

Abstract
The spiders (Arthropoda: Arachnida) have a hard cephalothorax and soft abdomen. They are environmental indicators and play an important role in biological control of pests and vectors. The present study was conducted to prepare the key for the first recorded spider fauna during June 2013-July 2014 in 6 quadrates of Sheringal, i.e., Daramdala, Doki, Guryaal, Samang, Shahoor and Sia-Sheringal, Dir Upper (DU), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Pakistan. During the present research, 10 species belong to 7 families, and 10 genera were recorded. The family Sparassidae was the largest among collected families (nSparassidae=19), its body was larger than others, abdomen was narrow at posterior, cephalothorax region was broad and brown, chelicearae were forwarded, legs were strong, body have hairs grey to brown and they were harmless and speedy. Gnphosidae family was the smallest among collected families (nGnphosidae=3), their eyes were heterogeneous, their inner margin of chelicerae were with a wide serrated lamina, posterior row of eyes were much longer than anterior, with lateral rounded maxillae. While the family Hersiliidae was the unique in collected families (nHersiliidae=6), as they are known as two-tail spiders, they have enlarged spinnerets, their male grow up to 8 mm and female up to 10 mm, they have 2 tails and are mimic with host plants. It was concluded that the majority of the collected species belong to the family Sparassidae. It is recommended that further research may be conducted on arboreal and aquatic species of spiders in Sheringal, KP, Pakistan.

Keywords Arachnida;cephalothorax;Sheringal;Sparassidae;spider fauna.


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