Spider assemblages (Araneae) of the halophytic habitats of the Bilosaraiska Spit (Ukraine): new data and biodiversity assessment
Abstract
Halophytic habitats are sites of conservation concern due to their rich flora and fauna. Spiders are a diverse and abundant group of salt marsh arthropods that can serve as bioindicators of a habitat’s preservation and conservation value. From March to November 2020, we studied ground-dwelling spiders on the salt marsh and on the bay shore of the Bilosaraiska Spit in the Sea of Azov, within the Meotyda National Park. A total of 57 spider species were recorded, with 48 found on the bay shore and 41 on the salt marsh. The two habitats had similar species compositions, but varied in assemblage structure and individual abundance due to different eudominants: Gnaphosa ukrainica on the salt marsh and Zodarion rubidium on the bay shore. The former had its maximum abundance in October, while the latter was most numerous in mid-June and early August. By the end of 2020, a total of 92 spider species had been recorded in the halophytic habitats of the Bilosaraiska Spit, including the regionally rare species Zelotes prishutovi, Nurscia albomaculata, Gnaphosa cumensis, G. saurica, Marinarozelotes adriaticus, and M. cumensis. The spider assemblages were well preserved and demonstrated local specificity compared to other coastal halophytic habitats in Left -Bank Ukraine. Thus, the study habitats support a high spider diversity.
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