Taxonomic revision of the wolf spider genus Artoria (Araneae, Lycosidae, Artoriinae) from Northern Territory and Queensland, with additions to the fauna of New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory

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  Taxonomic revision of the wolf spider genus Artoria (Araneae, Lycosidae, Artoriinae) from Northern Territory and Queensland, with additions to the fauna of New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory Abstract Artoria Thorell, 1877 is revised for the Northern Territory and Queensland. Three species are recorded from the Northern Territory: A. parvula Thorell, 1877 (♂♀, type species), A. superelliptica sp. (♀) and A. vectis sp. Nov. (♂♀). Twenty-seven species (including 18 new ones) are recorded from Queensland: A. albopilata (Urquhart, 1893) (♂♀), A. berenice (L. Koch, 1877) (♂♀), A. bicornuta sp. nov. (♂), A. catinata sp. nov. (♂♀), A. coclearia sp. nov. (♂♀), A. cunicularia sp. nov. (♂♀), A. geniculata sp. ( ♂♀), A. globula sp. nov. (♂♀), A. grahammilledgei Framenau & Baehr, 2018 (♂♀), A . halterata sp. nov. (♀), A. hamifera sp. ( ♂♀), A. laciniata sp. nov. (♀), A. lineata (L. Koch, 1877) (♂♀), A. lingulata sp. nov. (♂♀), A. mckayi Framenau, 2002 (♂♀), A. nasuta sp....

The Distribution Pattern of Poecilotheria Spiders (Mygalomorphae: Theraphosidae) along the Foothills of the Western Ghats of Tamil Nadu, India with a Note on the Local Ecological Knowledge (LEK) on Large-Bodied Spiders

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The Distribution Pattern of Poecilotheria Spiders (Mygalomorphae: Theraphosidae) along the Foothills of the Western Ghats of Tamil Nadu, India with a Note on the Local Ecological Knowledge (LEK) on Large-Bodied Spiders

Abstract

This present study investigates the distribution pattern of Poecilotheria spiders along the foothills of the Western Ghats of Tamil Nadu, focusing on habitat preference, altitudinal variations, and the merit of Local Ecological Knowledge (LEK) to identifying species presence. Data collection involved exclusive field visits and questionnaire surveys with 749 respondents, revealing a significant gap in Poecilotheria distribution studies. The questionnaire survey revealed a widespread distribution of Poecilotheria spiders across the study area. The spiders were found to inhabit a diverse range of host trees and habitats, from low-lying areas to higher altitudes suggesting their adaptability to different habitats.  Statistical analysis demonstrated significant correlations between species sightings and demographic variables, such as age, gender, and occupation. The study underscores the importance of local people's knowledge in identifying the species distribution. Also, the  study highlights the urgent need for species conservation from various threats to the species and habitat.

ASHIK, M. MOHAMED, N. EZHILARASI, and L. ISAIARASU. 2025. “The Distribution Pattern of Poecilotheria Spiders (Mygalomorphae: Theraphosidae) Along the Foothills of the Western Ghats of Tamil Nadu, India With a Note on the Local Ecological Knowledge (LEK) on Large-Bodied Spiders”. UTTAR PRADESH JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY 46 (8):141-51.

https://doi.org/10.56557/upjoz/2025/v46i84901.