New data on the spider fauna (Araneae) of Navarre, Spain: results from the 7th EDGG Field Workshop

Abstract

Multi-taxon investigations are of great importance in biodiversity research. We sampled spiders during the 7th EDGG Field Workshop aimed at studying dry grassland diversity in Navarre, Spain. A total of 99 spider species from 15 families were recorded from 14 localities. Of these, 47 species were new to Navarre. To date, the list of spiders of Navarre accounts for 322 species. During this first dry grassland-specific study of spiders in Spain, 78 species were recorded for the first time in this type of habitat in Navarre, and for 69 species it is a newly recorded habitat in the Iberian Peninsula. The grasslands growing in the submediterranean humid and supramediterranean upper dry territories, belonging to Festuco-Brometea and Festuco-Ononidetea phytosociological classes, were the richest in terms of inhabiting spiders (26 and 23 species respectively) while the communities of mesomediterranean semi-arid area (Lygeo-Stipetea and Salicornietea fruticosae classes) were the poorest (four species each).

Keywords

• dry grassland
• fauna inventory
• habitat distribution
• Iberian Peninsula
• spiders