Dataset Information

Spiders (Arachnida: Araneae) in the semideciduous Atlantic Forest: An ecological and morphological trait dataset for functional studies.

ABSTRACT: Background:The semideciduous Atlantic Forest is one of the most diverse ecosystems in the world with a great diversity of spiders. Most spider-related studies in this ecosystem focused on species richness and composition; however, little is known about their trait diversity (including morphological, ecological and/or physiological traits). Two main datasets were compiled to generate a complete record of spider traits for this ecosystem. New information:Here, we present two datasets about 259 species of spiders from the semideciduous Atlantic Forest of Argentina. The trait data set compiled information of morphological and ecological traits such as body size, femur length, ocular distance, foraging strategy, prey range, circadian activity and stratum preference; traits were assessed by species considering sexual dimorphism. The second dataset included information about phenology (season when spiders were collected), number of individuals assessed by species and presence/absence of spiders in the different sample sites. This dataset has high potential to help researchers in recording the state of a component of biodiversity (functional) and contributes with the study of ecosystem services and species conservation.

SUBMITTER: Munevar A

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7082367 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Spiders (Arachnida: Araneae) in the semideciduous Atlantic Forest: An ecological and morphological trait dataset for functional studies.

Munévar Ana A Cardoso Pedro P Piñanez Espejo Yolanda M G YMG Zurita Gustavo Andres GA

Biodiversity data journal 20200312

<h4>Background</h4>The semideciduous Atlantic Forest is one of the most diverse ecosystems in the world with a great diversity of spiders. Most spider-related studies in this ecosystem focused on species richness and composition; however, little is known about their trait diversity (including morphological, ecological and/or physiological traits). Two main datasets were compiled to generate a complete record of spider traits for this ecosystem.<h4>New information</h4>Here, we present two dataset ...[more]

PMID: 32210672

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Project description:BackgroundSicariidae is a small family of cryptic and recluse spiders, with 178 species grouped into three genera: Hexophtalma, Loxosceles and Sicarius. Only the last two occur in Brazil, where 29 species are recorded, with a greater number of records in the Southeast and South regions. To date, there is no regionalized study of the distribution of these spiders in the Northeast of Brazil. We presented more than four decades of data on the distribution of sicariid spiders in the state of Bahia. Our research aimed to identify and evaluate the distribution of sicariid species in this region, characterizing them in their biomes and phytophysiognomies.MethodsData covers a period from 1983 to 2024, obtained from articles describing species recorded in Bahia and from three scientific collections from Brazilian institutions: Universidade Federal da Bahia (MHNBA); Instituto Butantan (IBSP); Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG). Maps were produced using the QGIS 3.34.1 software, based on geographic coordinates obtained from the original literature, when provided. Species without information on geographic coordinates were georeferenced using the SpeciesLink (geoLoc tool) for the municipalities. Biomes were consulted on the georeference Brazilian institute website and the phytophysiognomies were ignored when not specified in the data of collections or original literature.ResultsWe confirmed 14 species of sicariid spiders in the state of Bahia, eight from the genus Loxosceles (i) and six from Sicarius. The species were recorded in 48 municipalities, located mainly in the Caatinga biome. We recorded a distribution expansion of seven species: Loxosceles amazonica, L. chapadensis, L. karstica, L. similis, Sicarius cariri, S. ornatus and S. tropicus. There is a difference in species composition in the two regions separated by the São Francisco River, an important geographic barrier especially for small invertebrates. More than 75% of the species were registered in the east side and about 20% exclusively in the west side: L. boqueirao, L. cardosoi, L. carinhanha. This suggests the need for future studies to evaluate additional variables that determine community structure, especially considering their low vagility and reclusive behavior. Although Sicarius are found almost exclusively in the Caatinga, there are isolated records from Restinga and dry forest enclaves in the Cerrado domain and Atlantic Forest areas. This reinforces the possibility of them being able to adapt to slightly wetter environments erase colonize and survive in seasonally dry rainforest areas. Unlike Sicarius (i), Loxosceles (i) occupy a wide variety of habitats in natural, urban and domiciliary situations. Many of the records here such as for Loxosceles boqueirao, L. cardosoi, L. carinhanha, L. chapadensis, L. karstica and L. troglobia were obtained at caves or nearby areas, which appear to be attractive habitats for these nocturnal spiders.

Dataset Information

Spiders (Arachnida: Araneae) in the semideciduous Atlantic Forest: An ecological and morphological trait dataset for functional studies.

Publications

Spiders (Arachnida: Araneae) in the semideciduous Atlantic Forest: An ecological and morphological trait dataset for functional studies.

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