wjpls, 2021, Vol. 7, Issue 2, 129 - 139 Research Article ISSN 2454-2229 Singh. World Journal of Pharmaceutical and Life Science World Journal of Pharmaceutical and Life Sciences WJPLS www.wjpls.org SJIF Impact Factor: 6.129 UPDATED CHECKLIST OF PHILODROMIDAE (ARANEAE: ARACHNIDA) FROM INDIA 1*Rajendra Singh and 2Garima Singh 1Department of Zoology, Deendayal Upadhyay University of Gorakhpur-273009, U.P., India. 2Department of Zoology, University of Rajasthan, Jaipur-302004, Rajasthan, India. Corresponding Author: Prof. Rajendra Singh Department of Zoology, Deendayal Upadhyay University of Gorakhpur-273009, U.P., India. Article Received on 05/12/2020 Article Revised on 25/12/2020 Article Accepted on 15/01/2021 ABSTRACT The present article deals with the faunal diversity of one of the spider family Philodromidae (Araneae: Arachnida), commonly known as philodromid crab spiders or running crab spiders or house crab spiders in different Indian states and union territories and provides an update checklist based on the literature published up to January 15, 2021. It includes 53 species of spiders described under 10 genera in 18 states and 4 union territories, out of which 39 species are endemic. In India, Philodromus Thorell, 1870 is the largest genus consisting of 24 species followed by Thanatus Thorell, 1870 (13 species) and Tibellus Thorell, 1870 (8 species). The records demonstrated that only 2 species of these spiders are distributed widely: Tibellus elongatus Tikader, 1960 (in 9 states) and Philodromus assamensis Tikader, 1962 (in 8 states). Maximum 29 species of these spiders were recorded in Maharashtra followed by 19 species in Madhya Pradesh and 12 species each in Chhattisgarh and Gujarat. Strangely, no philodromid spider is recorded in Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Mizoram, Nagaland, Odisha, Punjab, Sikkim, Telangana, and Tripura and need extensive research work in these states. Despite their role as insect predators and being crucial to the health of terrestrial ecosystems, none of the species recorded in India is listed in IUCN Red List. KEYWORDS: Philodromidae, philodromid crab spiders, running crab spiders, house crab spiders, faunal diversity, checklist. INTRODUCTION Philodromidae (Araneomorphae: Araneae: Arachnida) is one of the family of spiders commonly called as false Spiders are chelicerate arthropods (order Araneae: class crab spiders, philodromid crab spiders, running crab Arachnida) being highly diverse and abundant terrestrial spiders, house crab spiders etc. Most of these spiders are predators. The order Araneae ranks seventh in global flat bodied and small (upto 16 mm) in size. They may diversity (49,089 species, 4205 genera, 128 families).[1] either be brown, gray, yellowish or mottled with leaf-like after the five largest insect orders (Coleoptera – ca. cardiac mark on the anterior dorsal abdomen. The second 4,00,000 species, Lepidoptera – ca. 1,80,000 species, pair of legs of these spiders is usually longer than the Hymenoptera – ca. 1,50,000 species, Diptera – ca. others. The philodromid spiders have 8 eyes arranged in 1,25,000 species, Hemiptera – ca. 50,000 species) and two recurved rows. The legs have 2 tarsal claws and are one arachnid order (Acari – over 50,000 species) in laterigrade so that the morphologically dorsal surface is terms of species diversity.[2] Out of them, only 1855 rotated about one quarter of a turn to a posterior position. species belonging to 477 genera in 61 families are Most species live in the foliage, branches, stems of reported in India.[3] However, there exist many species in bushes and trees and even found running about at ground wild and museums that still await description and level. They often found on vertical surfaces and can classification. It is estimated that only 20-30% of the move very rapidly when disturbed and are difficult to existing species have been described. Despite recent capture. They do not construct webs but use silk for research works on the diversity and distribution of draglines which is used to drop from their perch and spiders in India, their number is insufficient as compared hang in the air. However, these spiders build wooly egg to other parts of the world. Recently, the species sacs across a leaf, under bark etc. They are widely distribution of 26 families of spiders was updated in [13] [4-12] distributed from tundra environment to desert. India. www.wjpls.org │ Vol 7, Issue 2, 2021. │ ISO 9001:2015 Certified Journal │ 129 Singh. World Journal of Pharmaceutical and Life Science Philodromidae comprizes 536 species described under 31 most likely absent in India but enlisted in genera throughout the world.[1] Though, spiders, being catalogs.[1,3,18,19] are marked with (). mostly entomophagous, are among the most abundant biocontrol agents in many agroecosystems, their role in RESULTS AND DISCUSSION biological control is still argumented because they not In India, O. Pickard-Cambridge.[20] appeared the first to only consume pest populations but also the biocontrol describe a philodromid spider, Thanatus albescens agents (predators/parasitoids) and thus may hamper the collected from Sind Valley (Jammu & Kashmir) and biocontrol of the pests caused by those bioagents. Murree (Pakistan) on August 5, 1873. In the same year, Moreover, the philodromid crab spiders have been found Simon,[21] described another species Thanatus indicus to possess potential to control small- to medium sized from Wagra-Karoor, Bellary district, Karnataka. Later soft bodied agricultural pests.[14] Despite their role as on, after more than a decade, five more species were insect predators and being crucial to the health of described by him: Philodromus frontosus Simon, terrestrial ecosystems, only three species, Philodromus 1897,[22] Thanatus prolixus Simon, 1897,[23] Gephyrota insulanus Kulczyński, 1905 (in Madeira Island, least pudica (Simon, 1906),[24] Gephyrota virescens (Simon, concern),[15] Philodromus simillimus Denis, 1962 (in 1906),[24] and Tibellus vitilis Simon, 1906. After 3 Madeira Island, data deficient) [16] and Rhysodromus decades, Caporiacco,[25] (1935) described another signatus (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1870 in St. Helena species, Thanatus balestrerii. In seventh to eighth decade Island, least concern) [17] are listed in IUCN Red List. of the last century, among the Indian authors, However, none of the species recorded in India is in this Tikader,[26,37] was first to describe several species of list. Philodromidae from different states of the country. In the last decade, Bhandari and Gajbe [38], Gajbe & Gajbe,[39-43] Our knowledge on Indian Philodromidae is inadequate and Gajbe,[44-46] described 11 more species of and highly inconsistent primarily due to the unexplored Philodromidae. During the last 12 years, no new species diversity of these spiders and extensive surveys were was described from India. At present, 53 species were done only in a few states. There are several species of described or recorded under 10 genera in 18 Indian states these spiders yet to be described and several species and 4 union territories (Andaman & Nicobar Islands, recorded from India have also been misidentified as Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh and Puducherry) and about many species reported from India are said to be three-fourth (73.6%) of the species (39 species) are identified by using existing old literature without a re- strictly endemic. However, Caleb and Sankaran,[3] examination of the corresponding types and without enlisted only 45 species of Philodromidae described consulting any spider taxonomist.[2] Hence, these reports under 8 genera. Indian record is 9.9% of the world need re-examination. At present, a moderate amount of philodromid fauna (31 genera and 536 species),[1] and knowledge of Philodromidae is available in India but the most of the species are described or reported during 1960 pieces of literature are all scattered and so far no to 2008. consolidated account is available regarding their distribution pattern across the country. Therefore, this In India, Philodromus Thorell, 1870 is the largest genus present work was undertaken to provide up–to–date consisting of 24 species followed by Thanatus Thorell, information of this family in the light of modern 1870 (13 species) and Tibellus Thorell, 1870 (8 species). taxonomic information. Maximum 29 species of these spiders were recorded in Maharashtra followed by 19 species in Madhya Pradesh, MATERIALS AND METHODS 12 species each in Chhattisgarh and Gujarat, 9 species in This checklist is based on the literature published in Kerala, 7 species each in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu and recent past books, journals and few authentic theses, so on. Strangely, no philodromid spider is recorded in websites, and World Species Catalog up to 15 January following states of India: Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, 2021. In most of the literature, published earlier, several Jharkhand, Mizoram, Nagaland, Odisha, Punjab, Sikkim, errors crept in their scientific names even in the recent Telangana, and Tripura and need extensive research ones. It happened because such contents become work. Further, two species, Rhysodromus lepidus outdated quickly and, due to their perceived (Blackwall, 1870) and Thanatus simplicipalpis Simon, comprehensiveness, readers sometimes overlook newer 1882 are listed to occur in India,[1,3,18,19] without sources of data. Additionally, the researches on spider mentioning any reference of locality, it is most likely that taxonomy are continued with the description of new taxa, these species may not be present in India. their modified status, and the publication of other nomenclatural decisions.[12] If a spider species is Following is the detailed list of these spiders distributed identified only up to the generic level, it was considered in Indian states and union territories and elsewhere. as species if no other species of that genus is reported within the state. In the present checklist, attempts have I. Specieswise check-list and distribution of been made to correct the errors in the scientific names of philodromid spiders in India the spiders following World Spider Catalog. Only those 1. Apollophanes bangalores Tikader, 1963* synonymies were mentioned that were reported in India.