Diversity and Status of Spiders (Arachnida: Araneae) in Ballarpur Forest, District Chandrapur, Maharashtra, India

Spiders are the most unique and functionally significant predators maintaining the terrestrial arthropod population, which makes them efficient biological control agents in the environment. Tropical dry deciduous forests encircle the majority of the Ballarpur forest. The impact of the variety pattern of spider species is evident in the hot, dry summer months, which also see a lot of rainfall and a humid atmosphere. Research on the species composition and distribution patterns in the study area is desperately needed. The research work is carried out for 12 months. A survey of sampling sites for the collection of Spider species was done from January 2024 to December 2024. Study was conducted in the Ballarpur forest. Spiders from 32 genera and 14 families were identified during the investigation. The most prevalent family in the Ballarpur region was found to be Araneidae and Salticidae, Pholcidae, and Lycocidae. The population density in the various habitats varied significantly in the current study, although not concerning species diversity and richness.