Diversity of Spider Fauna from Bamnoli region of Koyna Wildlife Sanctuary

The Western Ghats area is divided into major, minor, sub, mini and micro watershed Landslides. Western Ghats area of India is considered as an important biodiversity hot spot. The importance of the Western Ghats as hot spot of diversity is very well documented. Western Ghats are among the ecologically richest regions of India. The Sanctuary covers an area of 423.55 Sq. Kms. and comprises geographical area of 50 villages. The Sanctuary areas are in the catchments of the river Konya. Konya Wildlife Sanctuary is one of the important Protected Areas of the Maharashtra State, located in the Western Ghats. The Sanctuary area is home to several species rich endemic flora and harbors different species of fauna. Spiders are one of the most ubiquitous groups of predators in the animal kingdom commonly found in all terrestrial and many aquatic ecosystems The maximum temperature of summer ranges between 380 to 400 Celsius and minimum in winter ranges between 120 to 20 Celsius. Spiders have a very significant role to play in ecology by being exclusively predatory and thereby maintaining ecological equilibrium. Many terrestrial and particularly aquatic insects have been utilized as food. Swarming insects, locusts, grasshoppers, beetle grubs, some lepidopterist larvae and pupae and honey bees are consumed by spiders. The spiders from Family araneidae, thomisidae, oxyopidae, lycosidae, salticidae, nephilidae are the characterstic families at Bamnoli region of Koyna Wildlife Sanctuary.