Arthropods (Mar 2012)
Checklist of spider fauna of FR Peshawar, FATA, Pakistan
Abstract
The spiders are known as poisonous arthropods, but they also act as the predator or biological pests control agent. Their 23 species belonging to 15 genera and 09 families were reported during 2009-2010 from FR Peshawar, FATA, Pakistan. The reported families Clubionidae, Scytodidae and Sprassidae covered each 4%, Araneidae, Gnaphosidae, Pholicidae and Salticidae each 9%, Thomisidae 13% and Lycosidae 43% biodiversity of spiders of FATA. However, the largest spider collected was huntsman, Isopoda tuhodnigra (Barrion) with total body length 15.80+-0.83 mm. Moreover, the smallest spider was wolf spider, Pardosa birmanica (Simon) with total body length 4.20+-1.30 mm. Further, the crab spiders, Thomisus pugilis (Stoliczka), T. spectabilis (Doleschall) and Diaea evanida (Thorell) were the most colorful species belonging to family Thomisidae. A detail study is required for further exploration of spider fauna of FATA.
