DIVERSITY OF PREDATORY SPIDER AND THEIR SPECIES COMPOSITION IN RICE ECOSYSTEM IN KOLASIB DISTRICT OF MIZORAM

Abstract

Spider is one of the most abundant beneficial arthropods in rice ecosystem of Mizoram. Most of them are polyphagous predators in rice ecosystem, able to feed on various insect pests of rice ecosystem. In this context, ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Mizoram centre has taken an initiative to describe the diversity of spider communities in the rice growing area of Kolasib, Mizoram. About 8336 specimens were collected from different rice ecosystems of Mizoram and conserved for further characterization and evaluation. A total of 10 family, 20 genera and 31 species were collected from different rice productive areas of Kolasib, Mizoram. The most dominant species were Lycosa pseudoannulata (Boosenbery & Stard) followed by Oxyopes Lineatipes (C.L. Koch), Oxyopes javanus Thorell, Tetragnathus maxillosa Thorell, Thomisus pugilis and Phidippus audax. The collective contribution of these six species was 70.52%. Lycosidae was the most dominant family in the ground sample while Tetragnathidae was the most dominant in the foliage sample.