Naslov
Diversity and distribution of cave dwelling spiders of the families Nesticidae and Agelenidae (Araneae) in Croatia

Autori
Ćukušić, Anđela ; Pavlek, Martina ; Ozimec, Roman

Vrsta, podvrsta i kategorija rada
Sažeci sa skupova, sažetak, ostalo

Izvornik
21st International Conference on Subterranean Biology, Abstract book / Kovač, Lubomir ; Uhrin, Marcel ; Mock, Andrej ; Luptačik, Peter - Košice, 2012, 39-40

Skup
21st International Conference on Subterranean Biology

Mjesto i datum
Košice, Slovačka, 02.09.2012. - 07.09.2012

Vrsta sudjelovanja
Poster

Vrsta recenzije
Međunarodna recenzija

Ključne riječi
Agelenidae; Nesticidae; caves

Sažetak
Croatian caves are characterized by a remarkable species richness of cave dwelling invertebrates, and spiders are one of the most abundant groups. So far known, 10 families with cave dwelling species are recorded from Croatian caves with Agelenidae and Nesticidae making up a significant part, especially at cave entrances. Agelenidae are represented by six genera (number of species in brackets): Hadites (1), Histopona (7), Inermocoelotes (2), Malthonica (3), Tegenaria (2) and Textrix (1), altogether with 16 species showing different levels of adaptation to the cave environment. The most interesting is the monotypic genus Hadites with only one species, Hadites tegenaroides Keyserling, 1862, which is the most troglomorphic species of the family and found only in caves on Island of Hvar. Nine species are endemic to the Dinarids and three to Croatia. Some specimens of the genus Tegenaria could not be determinated to the species level, suggesting that the species number could even be greater. The family Nesticidae is represented by the genus Nesticus, which is widespread and abundant in most Croatian caves. Both species, Nesticus cellulanus (Clerck, 1757) and N. eremita Simon, 1879, are troglophiles with Holarctic and European distributions, respectively. They inhabit cave entrances but also can be found deeper in caves. A very interesting finding is a potential new species of the same genus, so far found only on Biokovo Mountain and with more trogomorphic features then two known species. Field work and analyses of these families have been performed using all available references, lists and systematic taxonomical survey in the Croatian Biospeleological Society collection. Spiders of the two families have been collected from around 400 speleological sites throughout of the Croatian Karst. This study gives the first comprehensive insight into the distribution and diversity of cave dwelling spiders of families Agelenidae and Nesticidae in cave habitats of Croatia.

Izvorni jezik
Engleski

Znanstvena područja
Biologija

POVEZANOST RADA