Abstract
One of the aims of South African National Survey of Arachnida (SANSA) is to survey protected areas to obtain species-specific information and compile inventories to determine species distribution patterns and evaluate their conservation status for Red Data assessments. The aim of this study, the first in a series of surveys of the Diamond Route Reserves, was to compile the first checklist of the spider species in the Northern Cape at the Tswalu Kalahari Reserve. Spiders were collected during three survey periods (2005−2013) using different collecting methods to sample both the ground and field layers. In total, 32 families represented by 108 genera and 136 species have been collected so far. The most species-rich families are the Salticidae (20 spp.) and Thomisidae (18 spp.), followed by the Gnaphosidae and Araneidae (11 spp. each), while nine families are represented by singletons. The free-living wandering spiders represent 97 spp., while 39 spp. are web-builders. Information on spider guilds, endemicity value and conservation status are provided. The Tswalu Kalahari Reserve protects approximately 6.1% of the total South African spider fauna, while 24.3% of the species found in the reserve are South African endemics, of which 5.9% are Northern Cape endemics. Approximately 6.0% of the species sampled are possibly new to science or represent new records for South Africa.Conservation implications: The Tswalu Kalahari Reserve falls within the Savanna Biome in the Northern Cape province. Only one spider species was previously known from the reserve; a further 135 spp. are reported for the first time, with 5.9% of the species being Northern Cape endemics and 24.3% South African endemics. Approximately 6.0% of the species may be new to science or represent new records for South Africa.
Highlights
The South African National Survey of Arachnida (SANSA) was initiated in 1997, with the main aim of making inventories of the arachnid fauna of South Africa (Dippenaar-Schoeman & Haddad 2006; Dippenaar-Schoeman et al 2015)
This study presents the results of SANSA sampling in the Tswalu Kalahari Reserve (TKR), falling within the arid parts of the Savanna Biome (Foord, Dippenaar-Schoeman & Haddad 2011a)
Oppenheimer & Son property situated in the Northern Cape (Lyle & Dippenaar-Schoeman 2013). This is the first survey of the arachnid fauna of protected areas in the Northern Cape province and the first spider checklist for the TKR
Summary
The South African National Survey of Arachnida (SANSA) was initiated in 1997, with the main aim of making inventories of the arachnid fauna of South Africa (Dippenaar-Schoeman & Haddad 2006; Dippenaar-Schoeman et al 2015). Species distribution data are an essential information resource needed for the conservation assessments used to compile a Red Data List of the Arachnida of South Africa (Lyle & Dippenaar-Schoeman 2015). Surveys are needed to obtain species-specific information, and yield new, rare and/or endemic species and resources for these existing protected areas. The publication of these species distribution records formed the basis of the first spider atlas and national species list (Dippenaar-Schoeman et al 2010; DippenaarSchoeman 2013). Oppenheimer & Son property situated in the Northern Cape (Lyle & Dippenaar-Schoeman 2013) This is the first survey of the arachnid fauna of protected areas in the Northern Cape province and the first spider checklist for the TKR. Checklists for several of the protected areas in South Africa have been published but http://www.koedoe.co.za
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