POPULATION DYNAMICS OF THE ARANEID FAUNA FROM DISTRICT GUJRANWALA, PAKISTAN

The density of spiders throughout the growth period of rice and sugarcane was investigated using two types of sampling methods (pitfall traps and hand picking) every week from March to October, 2010. A total of 178 araneid fauna belonged to seven families, 10 genera and 22 species were recorded. The Lycosidae (111) was the most common family whereas specimens holding Oxyopidae (2) family found least common among all the families. The Lycosidae was represented by nine species where as Oxyopidae by one. Maximum specimens were gathered in the month of June (37) when relative humidity (%) and rain fall were 61.4±3.25 and 40±6.01mm respectively followed by April (34) and May (33).  Ecological parameters i.e. species richness (R), Shannon diversity index (H), Pielous’s Evenness Index (E) and  Simpson Diversity Index (D) were 28.14, 2.67, 0.92 and 0.93 at Locality-I and  29.43, 2.69, 0.91, and 0.93 at Locality-II, respectively. Proportional Index of Community Similarity (PS) for both Localities was 64.05%.