New Locality and Distributional Records of Three Spider Species (Arachnida: Araneae) in Chhattisgarh Region, India

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  New Locality and Distributional Records of Three Spider Species (Arachnida: Araneae) in Chhattisgarh Region, India Abstract Spiders contribute to terrestrial biodiversity, but locality-level information on their distribution in Chhattisgarh remains incomplete. This study documents three spider species from the forest region of Gariaband district that were not reported from the state in the distributional sources consulted: Chorizopes bengalensis (Tikader, 1975), Hamadruas sikkimensis (Tikader, 1966) and Thanatus elongatus (Tikader, 1960). Three adult female specimens were collected by hand on 20 April 2026 from leaves of Shorea robusta beside the Raipur–Deobhog National Highway (NH 130). Live specimens were photographed at the collection site, and the specimens were subsequently preserved in 70% ethanol. Identification was based on external morphology, body colouration, eye arrangement and female genital characters, examined using a stereozoom microscope and compared with publish...

Microclimate of cemetery habitats and nest site selection of Eresus kollari (Araneae: Eresidae) in South Korea

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Microclimate of cemetery habitats and nest site selection of Eresus kollari (Araneae: Eresidae) in South Korea

Abstract

Nest site selection and construction are important life history events for many animals. These decisions are largely governed by abiotic factors such as temperature, humidity, and solar radiation. Eresus kollari—a burrowing spider that excavates its own nest and rears its offspring within—likewise faces important decisions when choosing where to build. In South Korea, the species often occupies sun-exposed, dome-shaped burial mounds. To understand the behavioral decision-making that leads the species to occupy mound habitats, we conducted field surveys and laboratory experiments. Field surveys showed that 75.6% of all E. kollari nests were found on mound surfaces, with the highest density near the mound center (3.98 nests/m2). Across the hemispherical mound, nests were concentrated on the eastern, central, and western sectors and displayed a slight overall bias toward the south. Mean soil temperature was ~19°C and did not differ between the mound and adjacent ground. In contrast, the mound surface was markedly drier (soil moisture = 4.7%) than the surrounding soil (7.5%). These spiders formed highly localized clusters within their habitats; this clustering pattern resembled a parent–offspring aggregation and also suggested that individuals exhibit preferences for specific environmental conditions. Laboratory selection tests corroborated the field patterns: Spiders preferentially moved away from moist substrates and displayed a strong attraction to illuminated directions. Collectively, these results suggest that E. kollari prefers sunny, dry mound surfaces as nesting sites and settles there to construct nests.

Choi, J. H., Oh, D., Kim, N. H., Lee, J. K., & Kim, K. W. (2026). Microclimate of cemetery habitats and nest site selection of Eresus kollari (Araneae: Eresidae) in South Korea. Ecosphere, 17(7), e70708. https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.70708