Abstract

The article deals with the faunal diversity of the crab spiders (Thomisidae: Araneomorphae: Araneae: Arachnida) in different states of India and the union territories. A total of 210 species belonging to 44 genera of Thomisidae was recorded in all states and the union territories of India except for Nagaland and Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu, out of which 143 species (68.4%) were strictly endemic. However, among them, 6 species seem to be the case of erroneous report or misidentification. Two genera of crab spiders are highly speciose, e.g. Thomisus Walckenaer, 1805 (53 species) and Xysticus C.L. Koch, 1835 (25 species). A maximum of 74 species of these crab spiders was recorded from Maharashtra followed by 55 species from Madhya Pradesh, 52 species from West Bengal, 40 species from Kerala, 34 species each from Gujarat and Tamil Nadu, 33 species from Karnataka, 32 species from Chhattisgarh and Uttarakhand, 23 species from Meghalaya, 21 species each from Jammu & Kashmir and Uttar Pradesh, 17 species from Assam, 14 species from Rajasthan, 12 species each from Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Goa and Manipur, 11 species from Odisha and less than 10 species were recorded from other states. Seven species are considerably widely distributed, viz. Camaricus formosus Thorell, 1887 (17 states, 2 union territories), Indoxysticus minutus (Tikader, 1960) (16 states), Runcinia insecta (L. Koch, 1875) (15 states, 2 union territories), Thomisus projectus Tikader, 1960 (14 states, 1 union territories), Thomisus pugilis Stoliczka, 1869 (13 states, 2 union territories), Amyciaea forticeps (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1873) (12 states, 1 union territory) and Thomisus lobosus Tikader, 1965 (12 states, 1 union territories). Several species of Thomisidae reported from India are recorded only from one state or from the type locality. Hence, intensive and extensive faunistic surveys for these spiders are required throughout the country.

Keywords

Thomisidae, Checklist, Faunal distribution, Crab spiders, India.

Received on 19/05/2021, Accepted on 20/06/2021, Published on 30/06/2021