Refining the establishment of guilds in Neotropical spiders (Arachnida: Araneae)

• Published in: Journal of natural history 2010-01, Vol.44 (3-4), p.219-239
• Main Authors: Dias, Sidclay Calaça, Carvalho, Leonardo Sousa, Bonaldo, Alexandre Bragio, Brescovit, Antonio Domingos
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Amazonia; Arachnida; Araneae; assemblage guilds; Atlantic Forest; Cerrado; Corinnidae; Ctenidae; guild establishment; Lycosidae; Pisauridae; Salticidae; Theraphosidae
• ISSN: 0022-2933; 1464-5262
• DOI: 10.1080/00222930903383503

We present a refinement in the establishment of guilds in Neotropical spiders based on information assessed by assigning different levels of taxa identification, which allowed better descriptions of spiders' ecological diversities. The analyzed data were compiled from three inventories carried out in the States of Amazonas, Piauí and Paraíba, Brazil, representing three Neotropical biomes, Amazonia, Cerrado and Atlantic Forest. The natural history data were summarized in three dendrograms and 11 guilds are proposed. Owing to the great diversity of lifestyles among species into Corinnidae, Ctenidae, Miturgidae, Salticidae, Sicariidae and Theraphosidae, these families were divided into subgroups for the first time. The identification to sub-family level solved most of the problems in the guild establishment for Theraphosidae, Dipluridae, Miturgidae and Sicariidae. Owing to poor taxonomic and ecological knowledge, Salticidae was divided based on collecting method and taxonomic information, whereas Corinnidae, Ctenidae, Lycosidae and Pisauridae required identification to genus for more refined breakdowns.