Diversity of Mygalomorph Spiders (Aranae: Opisthothelae) in India

A checklist of mygalomorph spiders recorded upto August, 2020 from different states and union territories of India was prepared. A total of 118 species under 31 genera belonging to 8 families are observed to be distributed in 23 states and 4 union territories of India. These primitive spiders are yet to be discovered in Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Nagaland, Rajasthan, Delhi, Ladakh, Lakshdweep, Daman and Diu. Maximum diversity of these primitive spiders was reported in Tamil Nadu followed by Maharashtra, Kerala and West Bengal. More than 80% of the species of mygalomorph spiders recorded in India were reported from coastal states and union territories. Among the families, more than half (55.5%) of the species diversity can be seen in Theraphosidae (65 species in 13 genera) which were recorded from 23 states and 3 union territories followed by Idiopidae which is distributed in 13 states. More than 90% of known mygalomorph spiders from India are endemic.