MATERIALS TO THE SPIDER FAUNA (ARANEI) OF THE BYKOVA SHEYA SITE OF THE “GALICH’YA GORA” NATURE RESERVE (LIPETSK REGION, RUSSIA)

Abstract

<p>A total of 73 spider species from 15 families were recorded from the Bykova Sheya site of the “Galich’ya Gora” Nature Reserve (Lipetsk Region, Russia) in April – August 2011–2012. The material was collected thorough pitfall-trapping and sweep-netting. Four habitats were investigated: abandoned field on the upper interfluves (31 spider species), stony slope with the typical vegetation of calcareous grasslands (28 species), slope with shrub and fob-bunchgrass vegetation (35 species), and a floodplain meadow (38 species). Hand collecting in a forest shelterbelt and on the riverbank added eight species to the list. Two families, Gnaphosidae (15 species) and Lycosidae (13 species) were the most species-rich. Four registered species are regionally rare (<em>Gnaphosa taurica</em>, <em>Berlandina cinerea,</em> <em>Eresus kollari </em>and<em> Alopecosa solitaria</em>); the latter two can be considered as specific species of the ‘Bykova Sheya’ site. An annotated checklist and a brief description of the spider assemblages of different habitats are given.</p>