Species Composition and Quantitative Analysis of Tetragnathid Spiders, Tetragnathidae (Araneae) in Rice Fields

Abstract

A survey was conducted to bring out the species composition and abundance of family Tetragnathidae during different stages of crop growth in rice ecosystem. The study resulted in documenting eleven species of tetragnatha spiders, out of which the dominant one was Tetragnatha mandibulata Walckenaer, followed by Tetragnatha maxillosa Thorell and Tetragnatha javana Thorell and the least represented species was Dyschiriognatha sp. The weekly survey resulted in collecting the highest population during the sixth week of both Kharif (4.30 spiders) and Rabi (5.00 spiders) seasons. With respect to the different growth phases of the crop, the reproductive phase yielded the maximum population during Kharif and Rabi seasons, which recorded a mean number of 16.19 and 19.90 spiders respectively. Tetragnathid spiders were abundant and found throughout the crop season in the paddy fields.