Faunal diversity of order Araneae species from District Dir Lower of Malakand division, Pakistan

Spiders are ancient invertebrate belonging to class Arachnida, Order Araneae in Phylum Arthropoda. It is a diverse group of organisms that play a vital role in biological control. Present study was conducted in different areas of Dir Lower to find out the biodiversity of order Araneae. Spiders were collected from April 2018 to July 2019 by using different methods including Aerial hand collection, Ground hand beating, Hand picking, Pitfall traps and by Beat sheet method. Spiders were then preserved in 80% ethanol for morphological study and were identified to specie level by using available literature. Identified families are (Salticidae, Araneidae, Sparassidae, Scytodidae, Erisidae, Thomisidae), genera are (Plexippus, Hasarius, Araneus, Olios, Scytodes, Stegodyphus and Thomisus) and species are (Plexippus paykulli, Hasarius adonsoni, Araneus mitificus, Olios stimulator, Scytodes thoracica, Stegodyphus sarasinorum, Thomisus zaheeri Crossopriza lyoni). Most dominant family was Salticidae. The diversity of spiders in Dir lower is not explored yet and very little information’s are there about the systematics, ecology and diversity. Most of the species are recorded for the first time from the area while Hasarius adonsoni, Olios stimulator, Stegodyphus sarasinorum and Scytodes thoracica are recorded for the 1 time from Pakistan. This study will serve as a base for further exploration of the fauna of spiders in Dir Lower and Pakistan.


Introduction
Spiders belong to one of the largest and most diverse class of animals called Arachnida with 120 families, 4153 genera and 48393 species [1]. Pakistan has diverse habitat and rich in spider but no solid account of spiders still exists [2]. Make all citation in blue color or follow journal formate The various Localities occupied by the spider are soil, houses, forests, meadows, woodlands, croplands, and the petals of flowers and even they may have adopted amphibious life [3]. Spiders are carnivorous and have the ability of devouring large quantity of food [4]. Latitude of Pakistan is 24º and 37º North and longitude is 62º and 75º East. It is an agricultural country, and has an important role in its economy and topography. It lies between semi-arid to subtropical climate [5]. It consist of a wide variety of niches which is home of diverse group of organisms and specially Arthropods. Among spiders some are web forming that is big source of food and is used for capturing prey. Some other species don't forming webs and they capture prey actively. They occupy wide varieties of niches and are biological indicator for environmental changes [6]. About forty Spider species are venomous and potentially deadly to human beings. They are rapacious predators and carnivorous [7]. To avoid the harmful effects on dairy and live stock in Pakistan pesticides are seldom used for controlling insect pests on fodder and crops. For this purpose biological control is done where spiders and other organisms are used to control insects without pollution causing and the product is also increased [8]. Spiders are found in various colors and sizes. They are found mostly in terrestrial ecosystem as a predator. They are found in various habitats like ground, under stones, underground tunnel systems, and near waters, but most likely they are in moist places. Their metamorphosis takes place through ecdysis (molting The specimens that trapped in the medium were extracted after seven days. The data was then used for specie identification [9]. Rims of the containers were parallel at the ground level [10]. Each trap was covered with a plastic rain cover supported with three nails which was helpful in prevention of flooding during rain [10]. Cryptic searching Spiders that are living in cryptic habitats like in litter, holes of the trees or logs that is fallen, bark cracks, under logs, stones and moss, within rotting trees and under logs were collected through hand collection. Sampling was done directly or by sifting the litter [11]. Ground hand collection Spiders from ground to knee level that are visible were collected through ground hand collection. By looking down, kneeling and crawling samples on leaf litter, logs and on the ground surface were collected [11].

Aerial hand collection
For collection of spiders above knee level to as high that one can reach this method was used. Web forming spiders, spiders living on branches and leaves or on tree trunks and on high herbs were accessed through this method [11]. Vegetation beating This method was used to accesses spiders present in vegetation (high herbs, shrub, small trees, bushes and branches) below knee level. By shaking the vegetation the spiders fall into the container below and were collected [11]. Preservation Spiders collected from different localities were washed with alcohol. The washed spiders were stored in a mixture of 80% alcohol with proper labeling of locality, date of collection and other notes of importance. Some important specimens were also preserved in 100% alcohol for molecular work.

Spider identification
Identification was done by using stereo microscope to study different organs of the spiders in laboratory at the Department of Zoology Islamia College University Peshawar. The collected specimens were identified with help of available keys [12-15]. Abbreviations ALE. Anterior lateral eyes, AME. Anterior median eyes, PME. Posterior median eyes, PLE. Posterior lateral eyes, AL. abdomen length, BL. Body length, AW. Abdomen width, CL. Cephalothorax length, CW. Cephalothorax width.

Results
Present study was conducted at District Dir Lower, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan to find out the diversity of spiders in various habitats. The study resulted in identification of 6 families, 7 genera and 7 species of the order Araneae. All the species are recorded for the first time from study area while Hasarius adonsoni, Olios stimulator, Stegodyphus sarasinorum and Scytodes thoracicaare for the first time from Pakistan.

Remarks
This species has no previous record from Pakistan. Present study confirmed its existence from Northern most area of the country (Fig. 3). Habitat They form webs, come out at night and rest on these webs to capture prey, while hide under leaves or form a tent like web where hide during day time.

Male description
Male is smaller in size then female, with body length 5-6mm.

Distribution only recorded from India and now reported from Pakistan [1]. Habitat
Mostly found at night on the walls. In Venter mostly observed under stones and crevices.

Remarks
This species is previously recorded from India with only male specimen and now recorded from Pakistan after 38 years (Fig.  5). It is also called as spitting spiders. They are found mostly in crevices and come out at night. Also live under stones.

Color:
Brown color with black spots on their body form transverse lines.

Remarks
The species is previously not published from any part of the country. Present study confirms its distribution from Pakistan (Fig.  6). It is a social spider and forms a dense and big web some time cover a whole plant. Male are smaller in size than females. In early stages of life, it take part in all social activities like repair of web, snare construction, capturing of prey, feeding, nest building etc. but after maturity it take no part in these activities except in reproduction. Sub adults can be seen in web from November while mature ones from December to March. They die early then female's only one male is captured in this study while females were more common and higher in number. Male is smaller than female. Stegdyphus are also known as velvet spiders. Color White in color, sometime yellowish and brown also. The male specimen is dark in color then female. The color varies in this collection from specimen to specimen (Fig.  7A, B, C).

Remarks
This species is recorded for the first time from Pakistan with no previous record from the WSC [1]. Figure 7. Stegodyphus sarasinorum (Karsch, 1891) (Fig. 8).

Remarks
The species was early reported from Punjab Pakistan in 2008 [17] now reported for the 1 st time from study area.

Habitat
They are also known as cellar spiders. They live inside human structures mostly under the roof. They catch insects in their web and are insectivores. They are non toxic spiders.

Distribution
Africa. Introduced to USA, Venezuela, Germany, China, Japan, Korea, tropical Asia, Australia and now reported from Pakistan [1].

Remarks
The present study reported this species for the 1 st time from Pakistan there was no record of the species earlier from the country (Fig. 9).  entitled "the biodiversity and predatory efficacy of the spiders in rice field in central Punjab Pakistan" a total of 44 species of spider were recorded from 28000 collected specimens. Which show different biodiversity than that of present study. Also 23 species, 17 genera and 9 families were recorded from FR Peshawar in a total of 107 collected specimens [22]. Present study was comprehensive study and more than 1500 specimens were collected and all were (except some) identified to family level. A total of 18 families more in number were identified than the study of [22]