Abstract
Diversity of spider groups have received less research attention and there are limited published references for spiders from Peninsular Malaysia. The current survey was conducted to locate and identify foliage-dwelling spiders (Arachnida, Araneae) at five different sites in Peninsular Malaysia. Spider specimens were collected using manual search and sweep-netting between September 2012 and November 2012. A total of 92 morpho-species from 65 genera that belong to 15 families have been successfully recorded and identified. The greatest proportion of specimens captured (40%) were Foliage-runners (Clubionidae, Miturgidae, Oxyopidae, Pisauridae, Salticidae, Scytodidae, Thomisidae), followed by orb-weavers (Araniedae, Nephilidae, Tetragnathidae, Uloboridae) (36.5%), space-weavers (Pholcidae, Psechridae Theridiidae) (21.5%) and ground-dwellers (Sparassidae) (2.0%). Cluster analysis has revealed that the same habitat types share a more similar diversity composition compared to different habitat types, which indicates that spider assemblage composition was partly co-dependent on vegetation structure. However, no significant difference in spider assemblage composition was found between all the five sites which follows that these diurnal group of spiders are actually adaptable to various habitat types.
Highlights
Spiders are an abundant and diverse group of invertebrates comprising at least 45,000 species (World Spider Catalog 2015) that occupy a wide array of spatial niches, across which they can be collected
Spider diversity inventories of peninsula Malaysia have been compiled from studies done in the mangroves (Norma-Rashid et al 2009), botanical gardens (Dzulhelmi & Norma-Rashid 2014), secondary forests (Noraina 1999) and oil palm plantation areas (Wan-Azizi 2008)
We found that spider species occurrence and distribution were strongly influenced by habitat structure and vegetation parameters (Hore & Uniyal 2008)
Summary
Spiders are an abundant and diverse group of invertebrates comprising at least 45,000 species (World Spider Catalog 2015) that occupy a wide array of spatial niches, across which they can be collected. Recent spider checklists of Peninsular Malaysia (Norma-Rashid & Li 2009; Dzulhelmi et al 2014) revealed that further study of spiders of the region is critically needed. Spider diversity inventories of peninsula Malaysia have been compiled from studies done in the mangroves (Norma-Rashid et al 2009), botanical gardens (Dzulhelmi & Norma-Rashid 2014), secondary forests (Noraina 1999) and oil palm plantation areas (Wan-Azizi 2008). These inventories have provided basic information on the spider diversity and distribution in some habitats but other major habitats and agricultural ecosystems in Peninsular Malaysia have been neglected
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