Journal of Entomology and Zoology Studies 2018; 6(5): 2209-2214 E-ISSN: 2320-7078 P-ISSN: 2349-6800 A checklist of spiders (Arachnidae: Araneae) of JEZS 2018; 6(5): 2209-2214 © 2018 JEZS Manipur, India with some first records and a new Received: 15-07-2018 Accepted: 20-08-2018 species Conothele khunthokhanbi (Family: Kananbala A Ctenizidae) P.G. Department of Zoology, D.M. College of Science, Imphal Manipur, India Kananbala A, Bhubaneshwari M and Siliwal M Bhubaneshwari M P.G. Department of Zoology, Abstract D.M. College of Science, Imphal A checklist of spiders of Manipur state, north east India is provided here based on the spider study Manipur, India carried out from February 2011 to January 2014 [UGC MRP No. F.No. 39-589/2010 (SR) dt. 10.01.2011] to assess the spider diversity of the study area. A total of 152 species belonging to 87 genera Siliwal M Wildlife Information Liason and 26 families were recorded with Salticidae, Lycosidae, Araneae, Tetragnathidae, Thomisidae being Development Society, 9A, Lal the dominant families among all the reported families during the study. During the study, 3 species, Bahadur Colony, Peelamedu, Myrmarachne kiboschensis Lassert, 1925, Latrodectus elegans Thorell 1898, Epocilla praetextata Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India Thorell 1887 were recorded for the first time in India. And in addition to these, a new species to the trapedoor spider Genus: Conothele Thorell, 1878 was also recorded. Keywords: Spider, Manipur, Myrmarachne kiboschensis, Latrodectus elegans, Epocilla praetextata, Conothele & Khunthokhanbi (new species) Introduction Spiders (Arachnidae: Araneae) are one of the diverse and functionally important predators regulating the terrestrial arthropod populations [1]. They are one of the most important biological agents in nature which help in keeping the insect population in check. Though the comprehensive account of spiders, which are potential bio-control agent has not been available in India so far, but the spiders are included as important bio-control agents in the Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategies. India is rich in spider fauna, being represented by 1686 species and 438 genera of 65 families [2]. Major study on spider had been concentrated in Southern, eastern, central and north-eastern part [3]. In India, Pocock [4] and Tikader [5-9] Majumder [10] and others recorded many spider fauna from different parts of the country, Manipur was excluded. ZSI (Zoological Survey of India) for the first time recorded some of [11] the spider fauna of Manipur in State Fauna Series No. 10 . Kananabala et al. [12] (2012) recorded & studied the Burmese widow spider Latrodectus elegans Thorell 1898 from Manipur which is the first record of India. A new record of an Ant- like spider Myrmarachne kiboschensis Lassert, 1925 [12]. They studied the edible spiders of the genus: Nephila of Manipur (2013) and some newly recorded species of Salticidae (2014) in the [13] Departmental Proceedings. A new species of the genus: Conothele khunthokhanbi sp. nov. was also recorded. The present work, carried out to prepare a checklist of the spiders of Manipur state (Total area 1,848 sq. km), Northeast India, it shares border with Myanmar (lies between 23083'N – 25068'; 93003'E – 94078'E). It is felt that documentation of the spiders from this state will help the students who are interested in the field of spiders. 2. Materials and Methods The spider study was carried out from 1st Feb. 2011 to 31st Jan. 2014 during the survey work of the UGC sponsored MRP Ref. No. F.No. 39-589/2010 (SR) dt. 10.01.2011 in different regions of 9 districts of Manipur, 4 in the valley and 5 in the hills. Correspondence Kananbala A The present checklist is presented in a taxonomic order; family, genus and species. The P.G. Department of Zoology, classification of Araneae follows Platnick (2012). It is also prepared by referring documents, D.M. College of Science, Imphal Manipur, India ~ 2209 ~ Journal of Entomology and Zoology Studies consulting published books and journals. Unpublished b. Genus: Selenocosmia Ausserer, 1871. accepted thesis was also consulted. For every species in the 1. Sp. I (Sub-adult female is known) checklist (genera with unidentified species), name of the 2. Sp.II (sub-adult male is known) species, author and sex of the species respectively is given. From Araneomorphae, Manipur represents 24 families 83 The list includes both Mygalomorpha and Araneomorphs genera and 147 species (including unidentified ones). spiders. 3. Family Agelenidae C.L. Koch, 1837. 3. Results and Discussion Genera: 1 and species 2. A total of 152 species belonging to 87 genera under 26 a. Genus: Agelena Walkenaer,1805 families were recorded from the work area. Except the list of 1. satmila Tikader,1970 (female is known) the taxa published by ZSI (Zoological Survey of India) in 2. Species I (female is known) State Fauna Series -10, all the species are new records for Manipur. Some of the species like Latrodectus elegans 4. Family: Amourobidae Thorell, 1870 Thorell, 1898, Myrmarachne kiboschensis Lassert, 1925, Genera: 1 and species 1. Epocilla praetextata Thorell, 1887 are the first report of India a. Genus: Amaurobius CL Koch, 1837. (Manipur). The largest number of species represented here is 1. Species (female is known). in the Salticidae followed by Lycosidae, Araneidae, Tetragnathidae, Thomisidae etc. The number of genera and 5. Family: Araneidae Clerck, 1757. species representing each family are given in the Table I and a Genera:8 and Species 17. checklist of Manipur Spiders are given below. a. Genus: Araneus Clerck,1757 b. Genus: Argiope Auduin,1826 Table I: Number of families, genera and species of Spiders recorded c. Genus: Cyclosa Menge,1866 from Manipur during (February 2011 to December 2013) d. Genus: Cyrtophora Simon,1864 Number of Number e. Genus: Eriovixia Archer,1951 Sl. Families genera of Species f. Genus: Gasteracantha Sundevall,1833 No. Sub-order Mygalomorphae g. Genus: Neoscona Simon,1864 1 Ctenizidae Thorell 1887 1 1 h. Genus: Parawaxia F.O.P. -Cambridge, 1904. 2 Theraphosidae Thorell 1870 2 3 [Transferred to other families: Nephila Leach, 1815 – see Sub-order: Araenomorphae Nephilidae]. 3 Agelenidae CL Koch 1837 1 2 a. Genus: Araneus Clerck, 1757 4 Amaurobidae Thorell 1870 1 1 transferred to other genera: 5 Araneidae Simon 1895 8 17 A. achine Simon, 1906 – see Neoscona 6 Clubionidae Wagner 1887 1 5 A. dehaani (Doleschall, 1859) – see Parawaxia 7 Ctenidae Key Serling 1877 1 1 A. laglaizei (Simon, 1877) – see Eriovixia 8 Gnaphosidae Pocock 1898 4 4 A. nauticus (L. Koch, 1875) – see Neoscona 9 Hersilidae Thorell 1870 1 2 A. theisi (Walkenaer, 1841) – see Neoscona. 10 Linyphidae Blackwall 1859 5 5 1. mitificus Simon,1886. (female is known) 11 Lycosidae Sundevall 1833 5 20 12 Miturgidae Simon 1885 1 1 13 Nephilidae Simon 1894 1 2 b. Genus: Argiopie Audouin, 1826. 14 Oxyopidae Thorell 1870 2 9 1. aemula Walkenaer,1841 (female is known) 15 Philodromidae Thorell 1870 1 1 2. minuta Karsch,1879 (female is known) 16 Pholcidae CL Koch 1851 3 3 3. pulchella Thorell,1881 (female is known) 17 Pisauridae Simon 1890 1 1 18 Psechridae Simon 1890 1 1 c. Genus: Cyclosa Menge, 1866 19 Salticidae Blackwall 1841 20 29 1. spirifera Simon,1669 (female is known) 20 Scytodidae Blackwall 1864 1 1 2. bifida Doleschall,1859 (female is known) 21 Sicariidae Key Serling 1880 1 1 3. Genus: Cyrtophora Simon,1864 22 Sparassidae Bertkau 1872 4 9 1. cicatrosa Stoliczka,1869 (female is known) 23 Tetragnathidae Menge 1866 4 12 2. citricola Forsskal,1775 (female is known) 24 Theridiidae Sundevall 1833 5 6 25 Thomisidae Sundevall 1833 10 13 e. Genus: Eriovixia Archer, 1951 26 Uloboridae Thorell 1869 2 2 1. Laglaizei Simon, 1877. (female is known) Total 87 152 Checklist of Spiders of Manipur (Arachnida: Araneae) (2014). From Mygalomorphae, Manipur represents 2 families, 3 genera and 4 f. Genus: Gasteracantha Sundevall, 1833. species (including unidentified). 1. kuhlii CL Koch,1837. (female is known) 1. Family: Ctenizidae Thorell, 1887 g. Genus: Neoscona Simon, 1864 Genera 1 and Species 1. 1. achine Simon,1906 (female is known) a. Genus: Conothele Thorell, 1878 2. nautica CL Koch,1875 (female is known) 1. khunthokhanbi sp. de. novo. (female is known) 3. mukerjei Tikader,1980 (female is known) 4. rumpfi Thorell,1878 (female is known) 2. Family: Theraphosidae Thorell, 1870 5. bengalensis Tikader & Bal,1981 (male and female are Genera 2, Species 3. known) a. Genus: Lyrognathus Pocock, 1895. 6. theisi Walkenaer,1887 (female is known) ~ 2210 ~ Journal of Entomology and Zoology Studies h. Genus: Parawaxia F.O.P. – Cambridge, 1904 b. Genus Pardosa CL Koch, 1847 1. dehaani Doleschall,1859 (female is known) c. Genus Lycosa Latreille, 1804 d. Genus Margonia Hippa and Lehtinen, 1983 6. Family: Clubionidae Wagner, 1887 e. Genus Draposa Krocestedt, 2010 Genera: 1 and species 5. a. Genus Hippasa Simon, 1885 a. Genus Clubiona Latreille, 1804 1. Pisaurina Pocock, 1900 (Male and female are known). [Transferred to other family. The genus Chiracanthium is 2. greenallinae Blackwall, 1867 (female is known). transferred to the Family: Miturgidae] 3. Partita (OP Cambridge, 1876) (female is known). 1. analis Thorell,1895 (female is known) 4. Lycosina Pocock, 1900 (both male and female are known). 2. drassodes O.P. Cambridge,1874 (female is known) b. Genus Pardosa CL Koch,1847 transferred to other genera 3. felicata O.P. Cambridge,1874 (female is known) Pardosa atropalpis (Gravely,1924) – see Draposa 4. pallidula Clerck,1757 (female is known) Krocestedt,2010. 5. Unidentified species. (Female is known). 1. sumatrana (Thorell, 1990) (both male and female are known). 7. Family: Ctenidae Keyserling, 1877. 2. birmanica Simon, 1884 (both male and female are known). Genera 1 and species 1. 3. minuta Tikader & Malhotra,1976 (female is known). Genus: Ctenus Walkenaer, 1805 4.