Contribution to the knowledge of Araneae (Arachnida) in Skopje valley, North Macedonia

Abstract

A total of 71 species belonging to 14 families (Araneidae -1; Dysderidae -3; Gnaphosidae -21; Linyphiidae -6; Liocranidae -2; Lycosidae -19; Philodromidae -2; Pisauridae -1; Salticidae -3; Tetragnathidae -2; Theridiidae -1; Thomisidae -4; Titanoecidae -3; Zodariidae -2) were registered from three sites in Skopje valley, North Macedonia. Of the registered species, 3 are new for the Macedonian fauna: Hypsosinga sanguinea (C. L. Koch, 1844), Marinarozelotes adriaticus (Caporiaco, 1951) and Zelotes harmeron Levy, 2009. They haven't been recorded before due to the lack of faunistic research of spiders in R. North Macedonia. The araneofauna is classified into 17 zoogeographic categories combined in 4 chorological complexes (widely distributed, European, Mediterranean and endemics). Widely distributed species are dominant (60,56%), followed by European (21,13%), Mediterranean (11,27%) and endemics (7,04%).

The first record of Diplocephalus graecus (Araneae: Linyphiidae) in Germany with comments on its range expansion

“…In Central Europe, males of this genus can be easily distinguished based on distinct modifications of their head regions (Roberts 1987) which are presumed to have effects on mating processes by producing secretions (Kunz et al 2012, Meijer 1976, Uhl & Maelfait 2008). Diplocephalus graecus (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1873) is widespread in the Mediterranean region, occurring in various habitats like grazed meadows, deciduous forests (Ijland et al 2012), xerophyte low grass pasture (Komnenov 2014), limestone grassland (Breitling 2020), river beds (Ijland & Helsdingen 2014, Pantini & Isaia 2008) including anthropogenic ones like olive groves (Picchi 2020, Russell-Smith 2014), citrus groves, hazelnut- and cherry-orchards (Pantini et al 2013), abandoned rural construction sites (Matevski et al 2022) or arable land (Blick et al 2000). A comprehensive overview can also be found in Bosmans (1996).…”