Survey of epigeic spiders (Arachnida: Araneae) in a litchi orchard in Mpumalanga, South Africa
Koedoe - African Protected Area Conservation and Science
| Field | Value | |
| Title | Survey of epigeic spiders (Arachnida: Araneae) in a litchi orchard in Mpumalanga, South Africa | |
| Creator | Yekwayo, Inam Mwabvu, Tarombera Dippenaar-Schoeman, Anna S. | |
| Description | Spiders were sampled using pitfall traps over two 21-day periods in July 2020 and November 2020 at five sites within a litchi orchard in Hazyview, located in the Mpumalanga Lowveld of South Africa. In total, 407 specimens representing 16 families, 25 genera and 30 species were recorded. The Corinnidae (n = 229) represented 56.3% of all spiders collected, followed by the Salticidae (n = 56, 13.8%), Lycosidae (n = 40, 9.8%) and Gallieniellidae (n = 24, 6.0%). The families with the highest number of species were Salticidae (n = 7) and Lycosidae (n = 4). Wandering spiders made up 93.3% of the total specimens collected, while web-building spiders accounted for only 6.7%.Conservation implications: Although this study focused on epigeic spiders rather than foliage spiders, some ground-dwelling species can help reduce pest populations through their vertical movement within the orchard. Therefore, understanding the assemblages and dominant patterns of spiders found on the floor of the litchi orchard can inform our advocacy for reducing chemical use and increasing the reliance on spiders for biological pest control. Additionally, recognising these dominant patterns is essential for maintaining suitable habitat conditions, ensuring the sustainability of biological control programmes and the conservation of predator species. | |
| Publisher | AOSIS | |
| Date | 2025-07-18 | |
| Identifier | 10.4102/koedoe.v67i1.1851 | |
| Source | Koedoe; Vol 67, No 1 (2025); 5 pages 2071-0771 0075-6458 | |
| Language | eng | |
| Relation |
The following web links (URLs) may trigger a file download or direct you to an alternative webpage to gain access to a publication file format of the published article:
https://koedoe.co.za/index.php/koedoe/article/view/1851/3480
https://koedoe.co.za/index.php/koedoe/article/view/1851/3481
https://koedoe.co.za/index.php/koedoe/article/view/1851/3482
https://koedoe.co.za/index.php/koedoe/article/view/1851/3483
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