Spiders- Araneae

Charles E. Griswold and Darrell Ubick

 

Introduction:

The collection of Bioko spiders comprises more than 5000 specimens, which represent 372 species. Preparation and sorting to morphospecies was completed at the end of March 1999. Complete study of the material will take years. Many species, perhaps one third, are new, and probably more than one half of the species collected are impossible to identify with the current literature. A complete report on the target groups Cyatholipidae, Migidae, Phyxelididae, and Zorocratidae is presented. Certain other families that are under active study have been sent to specialists.

 

Spiders Collected on Bioko

Below is a list of all families collected with comments on their biology and taxonomic status, selected references on the Afrotropical fauna, and a list of morphospecies (and their identifications, when possible) for each family. Families are arranged in phylogenetic order beginning with Mygalomorphae and ending with Dionychan Entelegynae.

 

 

Barychelidae

These spiders may occupy burrows or silken nests on tree trunks: the opening to the nest or burrow is closed by a trap door. There are 10 genera with 55 species recorded from the Afrotropical Region. No comprehensive treatment of the Afrotropical species has been published.Several individuals of Sason were taken from trap door nests at Moca (1300-1400m), Moca (1500m), 5 km W Luba (0-50m), and 3.5 km W Luba (0-50m).

Selected references on the Afrotropical barychelid fauna:

Benoit, P.L.G., 1964. Etude sur les Barychelidae du Centre Africain. La séparation des sous-familles. Rev. Zool. Bot. Afr. (Belgium), 70, 412-416.

Benoit, P.L.G., 1965. Etudes sur les Barychelidae du Centre Africain. II. Leptopelmatinae nouveaux. . ZooRevl. Bot. Afr. (Belgium), 71: 291--303.

Benoit, P.L.G., 1965. Les Barychelidae Diplothelinae africains et malgaches. Rev. Zool. Bot. Afr. (Belgium), 72: 26--40.

Benoit, P.L.G., 1965. Les genres des Barychelidae Leptopelmatinae africains. Rev. Zool. Bot. Afr. (Belgium), 72: 72--78.

Benoit, P.L.G., 1966. Les Barychelidae-Barychelinae africains et malgaches. Rev. Zool. Bot. Afr. (Belgium), 74(3-4): 209--241.

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Migidae

These spiders are often known as ‘tree trap door spiders’ because many make well-camouflaged nests on the trunks and buttresses of trees. The family occurs in Africa, Australia, Madagascar, New Zealand, and southern South America, describing a typical ‘Gondwanan’ distribution. Five genera and 45 species are recorded from the Afrotropical Region: Griswold (1987a, 1987b, 1998b) has revised the African taxa.

Several individuals of Moggridgea anactenidia, which also occurs in Cameroon, were collected on Bioko from one-door trap door nests in tree trunks at Moca (1300-1400m). These represent the first behavioral observations on this species.

Selected references on the Afrotropical migid fauna:

Griswold, C. 1987a. The African members of the trap-door spider family Migidae (Araneae: Mygalomorphae), I: The genus Moggridgea O. P. Cambridge, 1875. Annals of the Natal Museum, 28: 1-118.

Griswold, C. 1987b. The African members of the trap-door spider family Migidae (Araneae: Mygalomorphae), 2: The genus Poecilomigas Simon. Annals of the Natal Museum, 28: 475-497.

Griswold, C. 1998b. The nest and male of the trap-door spider Poecilomigas basilleupi Benoit, 1962 (Araneae, Migidae). Journal of Arachnology 26: 142--148.

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Dipluridae

These are terrestrial or arboreal spiders that construct sheetwebs with a funnel shaped retreat. Their long lateral spinnerets aid in applying broad sheets of silk. Three genera with 12 species are recorded from the Afrotropical Region, but no comprehensive treatment of the Afrotropical species has been published.

Two species were collected on Bioko:

Species 1 - Pico Basilé (1750m)

Species 2 - 3.5 km W Luba (0-50m)

Selected references on the Afrotropical diplurid fauna:

Benoit, P.L.G., 1964. Dipluridae de l’Afrique Centrale. I. Genres Evagrus Ausserer et Thelechoris Karsch. Rev. Zool. Bot. Afr. (Belgium), 70: 417--426.

Benoit, P.L.G., 1965. Dipluridae de l’Afrique Centrale. 2. Genres Latrothele nouv. et Macrothele Auss. Rev. Zool. Bot. Afr. (Belgium), 71: 113--128.

Coyle, F.A., 1984. A revision of the African mygalomorph spider genus Allothele (Araneae, Dipluridae). Amer. Mus. Novitates, 2794: 1--20.

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Theraphosidae

These large, hairy spiders include the ‘tarantulas’ of the Americas and ‘baboon spiders’ of Africa. They are much feared and the African species are aggressive. They live either in silk lined burrows or make silken retreats on rocks or tree trunks. The family is the largest in the Mygalomorphae with 26 genera and 162 species recorded from the Afrotropical Region. The southern and eastern African faunas have been the subjects of recent study: by contrast, the west African fauna remains poorly known.

A species of Hysterocrates was found to be abundant around Moca.

Selected references on the Afrotropical fauna:

De Wet, J. & Dippenaar-Schoeman, A. 1991. A revision of the genus Ceratogyrus Pocock (Araneae: Theraphosidae). Koedoe 34: 69-75.

Smith, A. M. 1990. A revision of the Theraphosidae family from Africa and the Middle East. England, Fitzgerald Publishing, 142 pp.

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Pholcidae

These long legged spiders, which may be known as ‘daddy long legs’ in English speaking countries, occur in dark habitats such as caves, under stones and fallen logs, road cuts and embankments, and abandoned buildings. They construct irregular space webs, which incorporate sticky silk. The eggs are carried in a thin silken bag held in the chelicerae. Individuals often vibrate rapidly if the web is touched. The phylogenetic placement of the family was recently established (Platnick et al 1991). Thirteen genera with 88 species are recorded from the Afrotropical Region, but there is no comprehensive treatment of the African fauna.

Ten species of Pholcidae were collected on Bioko:

Species 1 - Pico Basilé (700m), Moca (1300-1400m), 5 km W Luba (0-50m), Punta Becrof (0-50m)

Species 2 - Pico Basilé (2300m), Pico Basilé (1750m), Moca (1300-1400m), Moca (1500m)

Species 3 - Pico Basilé (700m)

Species 4 - Moca (1300-1400m), Moca (1500m), 5 km W Luba (0-50m)

Species 5 - 3.5 km W Luba (0-50m), Punta Becrof (0-50m)

Species 6 - 5 km W Luba (0-50m), (+Malabo)

Species 7 - Pico Basilé (700m), 3.5 km W Luba (0-50m)

Species 8 - Pico Basilé (1750m)

Species 9 - Pico Basilé (1750m)

Species 10 - Arena Blanca (0-50m)

Selected references on the Afrotropical pholcid fauna:

Benoit, P.L.G., 1977. La faune terrestre de l’Ile de Sainte-Hélène, quatrième partie, 3. Arachnida: 3. Araneae, 5. Fam. Pholcidae. Ann. Mus. roy. Afr. Centr. (Zool.), 220: 48--49.

Brignoli, P.M., 1980. Recherches en Afrique de l’Institut de Zoologie de l’Aquila (Italie), 3. Sur le genre Leptopholcus Simon, 1893 (Araneae, Pholcidae). Revue Zool. Afr. (Belgium), 94(3): 649--655.

Platnick, N. I., J. A. Coddington, R. F. Forster, and C. E. Griswold. 1991. Spinneret evidence and the higher classification of the haplogyne spiders (Araneae, Araneomorphae). American Museum Novitates, 3016: 1-73.

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Scytodidae

Commonly referred to as ‘spitting spiders,’ these squirt glue from a highly modified venom gland to immobilize prey. They may be free running or make irregular webs. The phylogenetic placement of the family was recently established (Platnick et al 1990) There is one genus (Scytodes) worldwide: 56 species have been recorded from the Afrotropical Region. No comprehensive treatment of the Afrotropical species has been published, though there are several regional treatments.

Three species of Scytodes were collected on Bioko:

Species 1 - Pico Basilé (1750m)

Species 2 - Pico Basilé (700m), Arena Blanca (0-50m)

Species 3 - Pico Basilé (1750m), Moca (1300-1400m), Moca (1500m), 5 km W Luba (0-50m), 3.5 km W Luba (0-50m)

Selected references on the Afrotropical scytodid fauna:

Benoit, P.L.G., 1977. La faune terrestre de l’Ile de Sainte-Hélène, quatrième partie, 3. Arachnida: 3. Araneae, 4. Fam. Scytodidae. Ann. Mus. roy. Afr. Centr. (Zool.), 220: 46--48.

Platnick, N. I., J. A. Coddington, R. F. Forster, and C. E. Griswold. 1991. Spinneret evidence and the higher classification of the haplogyne spiders (Araneae, Araneomorphae). American Museum Novitates, 3016: 1-73.

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Telemidae

These small to minute spiders occur in caves and leaf litter. Little is known of their biology, though some are known to weave spacewebs. The phylogenetic placement of the family was recently established (Platnick et al 1991). Three genera and 7 species are recorded from the Afrotropical Region but the family remains poorly known. No comprehensive treatment of the Afrotropical species has been published.

Four recognizable species were collected on Bioko as well as several unplaced females:

Species 1 - Moca (1300-1400m), Moca (1500m)

Species 2 - Pico Basilé (1750m), Pico Basilé (700m)

Species 3 - 5 km W Luba (0-50m)

Species 4 - 5 km W Luba (0-50m) Unsorted females Pico Basilé (1750m), Pico Basilé (700m), Moca (1300-1400m), Moca (1500m), and 5 km W Luba (0-50m).

Selected references on the Afrotropical telmid fauna:

Baert, L, 1985. Telemidae, Mysmenidae, and Ochyroceratidae from Cameroon (Araneae). Scientific report of the Belgian Mount Cameroon expeditions, 1981 and 1983, no. 13. Biol. Jaarb. Dodonaea, 53(0): 44--57.

Brignoli, P.M., 1978. A few notes on a remarkable South African troglobitic spider, Cangoderces lewisi Harington, 1951 (Araneae, Telemidae). Revue Suisse Zool., 85(1): 111-114.

Brignoli, P.M., 1980. Contributions à l’étude de la faune terrestre des îles granitiques de l’archipel des Sechelles (Mission P. L. G. Benoit - J. J. van Mol 1972). Araneae Telemidae et Ochyroceratidae. Revue Zool. Afr. (Belgium), 94(2): 380--386.

Harington, J.S., 1951. A new leptonetid spider, Cangoderces lewisi n. g. n. sp. Ann. Natal Mus., 12: 81--90.

Machado, A. de B. 1956. Captures d’araignees Telemidae au Congo Belge et paleogeographie de cette famille. Folia Scientifique Afrique Centrale 2: 26-27.

Platnick, N. I., J. A. Coddington, R. F. Forster, and C. E. Griswold. 1991. Spinneret evidence and the higher classification of the haplogyne spiders (Araneae, Araneomorphae). American Museum Novitates, 3016: 1-73.

Saaristo, M.I., 1978. Spiders (Arachnida, Araneae) from Seychelles Islands, with notes on taxonomy. Ann. Zool. Fennici, 15(2): 99--126.

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Ochyroceratidae

These small to minute spiders occur in leaf litter were they construct spacewebs. The phylogenetic placement of the family was recently established (Platnick et al 1991). Four genera and 16 species are recorded from the Afrotropical Region but the family remains poorly known. No comprehensive treatment of the Afrotropical species has been published.

Two recognizable species were collected on Bioko as well as several unplaced females:

Species 1 - Moca (1300-1400m), Moca (1500m)

Species 2 - 5 km W Luba (0-50m) Miscellaneous females from Moca (1500m), 5 km W Luba (0-50m), and 3.5 km W Luba (0-50m).

Selected references on the Afrotropical ochyroceratid fauna:

Machado, A. de B. 1951. Ochyroceratidae de l’Angola. Publicacios culturais da Companhia de diamantes de Angola 8: 5-88.

Machado, A. de B. 1964. Ochyroceratidae nouveaux d’Afrique. Annals of the Natal Museum 16: 215-230.

Platnick, N. I., J. A. Coddington, R. F. Forster, and C. E. Griswold. 1991. Spinneret evidence and the higher classification of the haplogyne spiders (Araneae, Araneomorphae). American Museum Novitates, 3016: 1-73.

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Segestriidae

These spiders are highly adapted to their life in tubewebs, which are made in holes in tree trunks and walls, and crevices on rockfaces. They have the first three pairs of legs pointing forward to facilitate rapid movement. Signal threads radiate from the opening of the tubes. Two genera and 31 species are recorded from the Afrotropical Region. No comprehensive treatment of the Afrotropical species has been published.

Several female individuals of one species were collected at Pico Basilé (700m), 3.5 km W Luba (0-50m), Arena Blanca (0-50m), and Punta Becrof (0-50m).

Selected references on the Afrotropical fauna: none.

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Oonopidae

These small to minute spiders are widely distributed in the tropics. They are nocturnal, ground and litter-dwelling predators that actively pursue prey without building webs. They are often armor-plated. Twenty-six genera with 75 species are recorded from the Afrotropical Region. The family is poorly known and no comprehensive treatment of the Afrotropical species has been published, though a generic key is available (Benoit 1977b).

Eight species were collected on Bioko:

Species 1 - Pico Basilé (1750m), Moca (1300-1400m), Moca (1500m), 5 km W Luba (0-50m)

Species 2 - 5 km W Luba (0-50m), 3.5 km W Luba (0-50m)

Species 3 - Moca (1500m), 3.5 km W Luba (0-50m)

Species 4 - Moca (1300-1400m), Moca (1500m), 3.5 km W Luba (0-50m)

Species 5 - Pico Basilé (1750m), Moca (1300-1400m), 3.5 km W Luba (0-50m)

Species 6 - Moca (1300-1400m), Moca (1500m), 3.5 km W Luba (0-50m)

Species 7 - 5 km W Luba (0-50m)

Species 8 - Moca (1300-1400m)

Selected references on the Afrotropical oonopid fauna:

Benoit, P.L.G., 1964. La découverte d’Oonopidae anophthalmes dans les termitières africaines. Rev. Zool. Bot. Afr. (Belgium), 70: 174--197.

Benoit, P.L.G., 1975. Deux nouvelles araignées aveugles du genre Termitoonops Benoit avec une clé des espéces (Araneae, Oonopidae). Rev. Zool. Bot. Afr. (Belgium), 89(4): 940--948.

Benoit, P.L.G., 1976. Un nouveau genre d’Oonopidae, termobie et aveugle, en Afrique centrale. Rev. Zool. Bot. Afr. (Belgium), 90(1): 177--180.

Benoit, P.L.G., 1977a. La faune terrestre de l’Ile de Sainte-Hélène, quatrième partie, 3. Arachnida: 3. Araneae, 2. Fam. Oonopidae et Tetrablemmidae. Ann. Mus. roy. Afr. Centr. (Zool.), 220: 31--44.

Benoit, P.L.G., 1977b. Oonopidae anophthalmes africains nouveaux avec une clé des genres (Araneae). Revue Zool. Afr. (Belgium), 91(1): 243--249.

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Hersiliidae

These fast moving spiders typically live on tree trunks, walls, or rock faces where their flattened bodies allow them to hide in narrow cracks or lie adpressed to the substrate without casting a shadow. The extremely long lateral spinnerets spin sheets of silk used in prey capture: the spider circles rapidly around the prey tying it down with silk. Three genera with 28 species are recorded from the Afrotropical Region. Benoit (1967) revised the Afrotropical species.

Three species were collected on Bioko:

Species 1 - Moca (1300-1400m)

Species 2 - 5 km W Luba (0-50m)

Species 3 - 3.5 km W Luba (0-50m)

Selected references on the Afrotropical hersiliid fauna:

Benoit, P.L.G., 1967. Révision des espèces africaines du genre Hersilia Sav. et Aud. Rev. Zool. Bot. Afr. (Belgium), 76: 1--36.

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Zodariidae

This large, worldwide family comprises mostly fast-moving terrestrial predators that make no web for prey capture. Many are specialized ant predators. Twenty-four genera with 163 species are recorded from the Afrotropical Region.

Three species were collected on Bioko:

Species 1 - Pico Basilé (700m), Moca (1300-1400m), Moca (1500m)

Species 2 - Moca (1300-1400m), Moca (1500m)

Species 3 - 3.5 km W Luba (0-50m), Arena Blanca (0-50m), Punta Becrof (0-50m)

Selected references on the Afrotropical zodariid fauna:

Bosmans, R, & van Hove, M, 1986. A revision of the afrotropical representatives of the genus Langbiana Hogg (Araneae: Zodariidae). Bull. Brit. Arachnol. Soc., 7(1): 17--28.

Bosmans, R, & van Hove, M, 1986. New species and new records of spiders of the genus Langbiana (Araneae; Zodariidae). Scientific report of the Belgian Cameroon expeditions 1981 and 1983 XVI. Revue Suisse Zool., 93(2): 373--392.

Bosmans, R, & van Hove, M, 1986. A revision of the African species of the genus Suffucioides Jézéquel (Araneae, Zodariidae). Bull. Brit. Arachnol. Soc., 7: 17--28. Jocqué, R, 1986. A revision of the genus Hermippus (Araneae: Zodariidae). J. Nat. Hist. (G. B.), 20(1): 7--22.

Jocqué, R, 1987. Descriptions of new genera and species of African Zodariinae with a revision of the genus Heradida (Araneae, Zodariidae). Revue Zool. Afr. (Belgium), 101: 143--163.

Jocqué, R, 1987. An updating of the genus Leprolochus (Araneae, Zodariidae). Stud. Neotrop. Fauna Environ., 23(2): 77-87.

Jocqué, R, 1991. A generic revision of the spider family Zodariidae (Araneae). Bulletin of the American Museum of natural History 201: 1-160.

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Mimetidae

Often called ‘pirate spiders,’ these are vagrant predators on other spiders. They build no webs but may enter the webs of other spiders by mimicking courtship behavior. The first legs have diagonal rows of spines that grip the prey. The family was recently placed in the superfamily Palpimanoidea (Forster & Platnick 1984). Four genera and 10 species are recorded from the Afrotropical Region. No comprehensive treatment of the Afrotropical species has been published.

Four species were collected on Bioko.

Species 1 - Pico Basilé (700m), Moca (1300-1400m), Moca (1500m), 3.5 km W Luba (0-50m), Arena Blanca (0-50m)

Species 2 - 3.5 km W Luba (0-50m), Punta Becrof (0-50m)

Species 3 - Pico Basilé (700m), Moca (1300-1400m), 3.5 km W Luba (0-50m)

Species 4 - Punta Becrof (0-50m)

Selected references on the Afrotropical mimetid fauna:

Forster, R.R., & Platnick, N.I., 1984. A review of the archaeid spiders and their relatives, with notes on the limits of the superfamily Palpimanoidea (Arachnida, Araneae). Bull. Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist., 178(1): 1--106.

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Palpimanidae

These terrestrial and arboreal predators build no webs. Like other members of the Palpimanoidea (Forster & Platnick 1984) they appear to be predators on other spiders. The first legs have modified setae on the inner surface that may aid in holding the prey. Eleven genera with 50 species have been recorded from the Afrotropical Region. No comprehensive treatment of the Afrotropical species has been published.

Two species were collected on Bioko.

Species 1 - Arena Blanca (0-50m)

Species 2 - 5 km W Luba (0-50m), Arena Blanca (0-50m)

Selected references on the Afrotropical palpimanid fauna:

Forster, R.R., Platnick, N.I., 1984. A review of the archaeid spiders and their relatives, with notes on the limits of the superfamily Palpimanoidea (Arachnida, Araneae). Bull. Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist., 178(1): 1--106.

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Deinopidae

These large spiders live on vegetation and hide during the day with their legs stretched fore and aft to resemble sticks. Those with large eyes (Deinopis) are called ‘ogre faced spiders’ and those with hump-backed abdomens (Menneus) are sometimes called ‘camel spiders.’ At night they construct highly modified cribellate orb webs that comprise a small, expandable square that is held in the front 4 legs. The web is cast or pulled over prey. Three genera and 14 species are recorded from the Afrotropical Region. The family is undergoing revision (Opell & Coddington, in prep.). No comprehensive treatment of the Afrotropical species has been published.

One species was collected at Moca (1300-1400m) and Arena Blanca (0-50m).

Selected references on the Afrotropical deinopid fauna:

Coddington, J.A., 1986. Orb webs in non-orb-weaving ogre-faced spiders (Araneae: Dinopidae): a question of genealogy. Cladistics, 2(1): 53--67.

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Uloboridae

This family build cribellate orb webs, some of which are highly modified. Modified webs are often tensed or tugged with the first legs. Uniquely in the spiders, uloborids lack venom glands and rely on wrap attack to subdue prey. Five genera and 20 species are recorded from the Afrotropical Region. A world generic revision is available but no comprehensive treatment of the Afrotropical species has been published.

Seven species were collected on Bioko.

Species 1 - 5 km W Luba (0-50m), 3.5 km W Luba (0-50m), Punta Becrof (0-50m)

Species 2 - Pico Basilé (700m), 5 km W Luba (0-50m)

Species 3 - 5 km W Luba (0-50m), Punta Becrof (0-50m)

Species 4 - Pico Basilé (1750m), Moca (1300-1400m)

Species 5 - Arena Blanca (0-50m), Punta Becrof (0-50m)

Species 6 - 3.5 km W Luba (0-50m)

Species 7 - Pico Basilé (700m)

Selected references on the Afrotropical uloborid fauna:

Opell, B.D., 1979. Revision of the genera and tropical American species of the spider family Uloboridae. Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool., 148(10): 443-549.

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Tetragnathidae

This large, worldwide family contains some of the largest and most conspicuous spiders of the tropics. Most construct orb webs with glue-sticky silk. Nephila and Nephilengys build huge orb webs: those of Nephila are made of yellow or golden silk and are built in vegetation, whereas those of Nephilengys are built against tree trunks, rock faces, and walls. Tetragnatha are common along streams. Tetragnathids may be among the commonest orb builders in forest understory. Twenty-two genera with 162 species are recorded from the Afrotropical Region. A phylogenetic study of the family has been recently completed (Hormiga et al 1995), its conclusions were corroborated (Griswold et al 1998), and several descriptive studies of Afrotropical tetragnathids have been published.

Eighteen species were collected on Bioko:

Species 1 - (Nephila), Pico Basilé (700m), Moca (1300-1400m)

Species 2 - (Nephila) 5 km W Luba (0-50m)

Species 3 - (Nephilengys), Moca (1300-1400m), Moca (1500m), 5 km W Luba (0-50m)

Species 4 - (Tetragnatha), Pico Basilé (700m), 5 km W Luba (0-50m), Punta Becrof (0-50m)

Species 5 - (Tetragnatha) 5 km W Luba (0-50m), 3.5 km W Luba (0-50m), Arena Blanca (0-50m)

Species 6 - (Tetragnatha) Pico Basilé (1750m), Pico Basilé (700m), Moca (1300-1400m), 5 km W Luba (0-50m), 3.5 km W Luba (0-50m)

Species 7 - Pico Basilé (2300m), Pico Basilé (1750m), Pico Basilé (700m), Moca (1300-1400m), Moca (1500m)

Species 8 - (Dolichognatha), Pico Basilé (700m), Moca (1500m), 5 km W Luba (0-50m), Punta Becrof (0-50m)

Species 9 - Pico Basilé (2300m), Pico Basilé (1750m), Moca (1300-1400m)

Species 10 - Moca (1300-1400m)

Species 11 - (Landana), Punta Becrof (0-50m)

Species 12 - Moca (1300-1400m), 5 km W Luba (0-50m), 3.5 km W Luba (0-50m), Punta Becrof (0-50m)

Species 13 - Pico Basilé (1750m), Pico Basilé (700m), Moca (1500m)

Species 14 - Moca (1300-1400m), Moca (1500m)

Species 15 - Moca (1300-1400m), Moca (1500m)

Species 16 - Moca (1300-1400m)

Species 17 - 5 km W Luba (0-50m)

Species 18--20 or 22 - Pico Basilé (2300m), Pico Basilé (1750m), Pico Basilé (700m), Moca (1300-1400m), Moca (1500m), 3.5 km W Luba (0-50m), Arena Blanca (0-50m)

Selected references on the Afrotropical tetragnathid fauna:

Benoit, P.L.G., 1962. Les Araneidae-Nephilinae africains. Rev. Zool. Bot. Afr. (Belgium), 65: 217--231.

Benoit, P.L.G., 1963. Araneidae-Nephilinae africains du Zoologisches Staatsinstitut und Zoologisches Museum Hamburg. Ent. Mitt. zool. Stinst. zool. Mus. Hamburg, 2(41): 367--372.

Benoit, P.L.G., 1964. La distribution géographique des Araneidae-Nephilinae africano-malgaches des genres Nephila et Nephilengys. Rev. Zool. Bot. Afr. (Belgium), 69: 311--326.

Benoit, P.L.G., 1978. Contributions à l’étude de la faune terrestre des îles granitiques de l’archipel des Séchelles (Mission P.L.G. Benoit, J.J. Van Mol, 1972). Tetragnathidae et Araneidae-Nephilinae; Araneae-Cribellatae; Araneae-Sparassidae; Oxyopidae, Zodariidae et Selenopidae. Revue Zool. Afr. (Belgium), 92: 663--699.

Canard, A, 1973. Contribution à la connaissance de la taxonomie, du cycle de développement et de la croissance de la Néphile de Madagascar (Araneida, Argiopidae). report, Thèse, Univ. Paris VI, 1--206.

Canard, A, 1975. Stations africaines d’araignées des genres Nephila Leach et Nephilengys Koch (Araneae, Argiopidae) d’après les collections du Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle. Bull. Mus. Hist. nat. Paris (ser. 3), 306 (Zool. 216): 775--782.

Canard, A, & Dresco, E, 1975. A propos de deux espèces de Néphiles (Araneae, Argiopidae) de la région éthiopienne. Bull. Mus. Hist. nat. Paris (ser. 3), 306(Zool. 216): 789--794.

Griswold, C., J. Coddington, G. Hormiga, and N. Scharff. 1998. Phylogeny of the orb-web building spiders (Araneae, Orbiculariae: Deinopoidea, Araneoidea). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 122: 1--99.

Hormiga, G., Eberhard, B. and Coddingtob, J. 1995. Web-construction behavior in Phonognatha and phylogeny of the nephiline and tetragnathine spiders (Araneae: Tetragnathidae). Australian Journal of Zoology 43: 313-364.

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Araneidae

This large, worldwide family contains some of the largest and most conspicuous spiders of the tropics. Most construct orb webs with glue sticky silk. Some have highly modified webs, including some reduced to a single line with a sticky droplet (i.e., the ‘bolas spiders’). The Gasteracanthinae are heavily armored spiders with spiny bodies that hang in the web during the daytime. Cyrtophora make non-sticky orbs and are often colonial. Most araneids are nocturnal, hiding during the day, building their webs at night, and eating the web before dawn. Sixty-five genera with 269 species are recorded from the Afrotropical Region. The phylogenetic position of the family (Griswold et al 1998) and intrafamilial phylogeny have recently been examined (Scharff & Coddington 1997). Several revisionary studies of the Afrotropical fauna have been published.

At least 37 species were collected on Bioko:

Species 1 - (Cyrtophora), Moca (1300-1400m), Moca (1500m)

Species 2 - (Argiope), Moca (1300-1400m)

Species 3 - (Gasteracantha), Moca (1300-1400m), 5 km W Luba (0-50m), Punta Becrof (0-50m)

Species 4 - (Aranaethra), Pico Basilé (700m)

Species 5 - (Poltys), Moca (1300-1400m)

Species 6 - (Cyrtarachne), 5 km W Luba (0-50m)

Species 7 - (Cyrtarachne) Moca (1300-1400m)

Species 8 - (Cyrtarachne) 3.5 km W Luba (0-50m)

Species 9 - Moca (1300-1400m)

Species 10 - (Neoscona), Moca (1300-1400m), 3.5 km W Luba (0-50m), Punta Becrof (0-50m)

Species 11 - (Neoscona) Pico Basilé (700m), Moca (1300-1400m), 5 km W Luba (0-50m)

Species 12 - Moca (1300-1400m), 5 km W Luba (0-50m), Punta Becrof (0-50m)

Species 13 - 5 km W Luba (0-50m)

Species 14 - 3.5 km W Luba (0-50m)

Species 15 - Pico Basilé (2300m), Pico Basilé (1750m)

Species 16 - Pico Basilé (1750m), Pico Basilé (700m), Moca (1300-1400m), Punta Becrof (0-50m)

Species 17 - Pico Basilé (1750m), Pico Basilé (700m), Moca (1300-1400m), Moca (1500m), 5 km W Luba (0-50m), Punta Becrof (0-50m)

Species 18 - 3.5 km W Luba (0-50m), Arena Blanca (0-50m)

Species 19 - Moca (1300-1400m), 5 km W Luba (0-50m), 3.5 km W Luba (0-50m), Punta Becrof (0-50m)

Species 20 - (Neoscona), Pico Basilé (2300m), Pico Basilé (1750m), Pico Basilé (700m), Moca (1300-1400m), Moca (1500m), 3.5 km W Luba (0-50m)

Species 21 - (Caerostris), Moca (1300-1400m)

Species 22 - Moca (1300-1400m)

Species 23 - Moca (1300-1400m)

Species 24 - Pico Basilé (700m)

Species 25 - Moca (1300-1400m)

Species 26 - 3.5 km W Luba (0-50m)

Species 27 - Pico Basilé (700m)

Species 28 - Arena Blanca (0-50m)

Species 29 - Moca (1300-1400m)

Species 30 - Pico Basilé (700m)

Species 31 - Moca (1300-1400m)

Species 32 - Pico Basilé (1750m)

Species 33 - Pico Basilé (700m)

Species 34 - Moca (1300-1400m)

Species 35 - 5 km W Luba (0-50m)

Species 36 - 5 km W Luba (0-50m)

Species 37--39 - (Cyclosa), Pico Basilé (700m), Moca (1300-1400m), 5 km W Luba (0-50m), 3.5 km W Luba (0-50m), Arena Blanca (0-50m)

Selected references on the Afrotropical araneid fauna:

Benoit, P.L.G., 1962. Monographie des Araneidae-Gasteracanthinae africains. Ann. Mus. roy. Afr. Centr. (Zool.), 112: 7--70.

Benoit, P.L.G., 1962. Addenda à la révision des Araneidae Gasteracanthinae africains. Rev. Zool. Bot. Afr. (Belgium), 66: 370--374.

Benoit, P.L.G., 1964. Nouvelle contribution á la connaissance des Araneidae Gasteracanthinae d’Afrique et de Madagascar. Publçoes cult. Co. Diam. Angola, 69: 41--52.

Emerit, M, 1968. Contribution à l’étude de la biologie et du développement de l’araignée tropicale Gasteracantha versicolor (Walck.) (Argiopidae). Note préliminaire. Bull. Soc. Zool. Fr., 93(1): 49--68.

Emerit, M, 1969. Contribution à l’étude des Gastéracanthes (Araneides, Argiopides) de Madagascar et des îles voisines. report, Thèse, Fac. Sci. Montpelier\ No. AO 2888, 1--434.

Emerit, M, 1969-1970. Contribution à l’étude de la répartition biogéographique des Gastéracanthes de Madagascar. Bull. Mus. Hist. nat. Paris (ser. 2), 41(suppl. 1): 196--200.

Emerit, M, 1973. Contribution à la connaissance des Araneidae Gasteracanthinae du sud-est africain: les Gastéracanthes du Natal Museum. Ann. Natal Mus., 21(3): 675--695.

Emerit, M, 1974. Arachnides, Araignées, Araneidae Gasteracanthinae. Faune de Madagascar (Orstom CNRS Paris), 38: 1--215.

Grasshoff, M, 1968. Morphologische Kriterien als Ausdruck von Artgrenzen bei Radnetzspinnen der Subfamilie Araneinae (Arachnida, Araneae, Araneidae). Abh. Senck. Naturf. Ges., 516: 1--100.

Grasshoff, M, 1980. Contributions à l’étude de la fauna terrestre des îles granitiques de l’archipel des Sechelles (Mission, P. L. G. Benoit - J. J. van Mol 1972). Araneidae - Argiopinae, Araneidae - Araneinae (Araneae). Revue Zool. Afr. (Belgium), 94(2): 387--409.

Grasshoff, M, 1986. Die Radnetzspinnen-Gattung Neoscona in Afrika (Arachnida: Araneae). Ann. Mus. roy. Afr. Centr. (Zool.), 250: 1--123.

Grasshoff, M, & Edmunds, J, 1979. Araneus legonensis n. sp. (Araneidae: Araneae) from Ghana, West Africa, and its free sector web. Bull. Brit. Arachnol. Soc., 4(7): 303--309.

Griswold, C., J. Coddington, G. Hormiga, and N. Scharff. 1998. Phylogeny of the orb-web building spiders (Araneae, Orbiculariae: Deinopoidea, Araneoidea). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 122: 1--99.

Scharff, N., & Coddington, J. 1997. A phylogenetic analysis of the orb-weaving spider family Araneidae (Arachnida, Araneae). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 120: 355-434.

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Theridiosomatidae

These small to minute spiders build modified glue-sticky silk orb webs in dark, moist places. The phylogenetic position of the family has been recently established (Griswold et al 1998) and a phylogeny of the world genera is available (Coddington 1986). Seven species in five genera are recorded from the Afrotropical Region but no comprehensive treatment of the Afrotropical species has been published. There are probably many new species.

Seven species were collected on Bioko:

Species 1 - Pico Basilé (2300m), Pico Basilé (700m), Moca (1300-1400m), 3.5 km W Luba (0-50m)

Species 2 - 3.5 km W Luba (0-50m)

Species 3 - Moca (1500m)

Species 4 - Pico Basilé (1750m), Pico Basilé (700m), Moca (1300-1400m), Moca (1500m), 5 km W Luba (0-50m), 3.5 km W Luba (0-50m)

Species 5 - Moca (1500m)

Species 6 - 5 km W Luba (0-50m)

Species 7 - 3.5 km W Luba (0-50m)

Selected references on the Afrotropical theridiosomatid fauna:

Brignoli, P.M., 1979. Un nuovo Theridiosoma del Kenya. Revue Suisse Zool., 86: 485--489.

Coddington, J.A., 1986. The genera of the spider family Theridiosomatidae. Smithson. Contrib. Zool., 422: 1--96.

Griswold, C., J. Coddington, G. Hormiga, and N. Scharff. 1998. Phylogeny of the orb-web building spiders (Araneae, Orbiculariae: Deinopoidea, Araneoidea). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 122: 1--99.

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Mysmenidae

These minute spiders build highly modified glue-sticky silk orb webs. Some webs comprise 3-dimensional orbs. Most live in dark, moist places and are only collected by spoon-dropping after corn-starch dusting of their webs. At least two Afrotropical genera are kleptoparasites in the webs of other spiders: these are so highly modified that they have lost the capacity to produce glue-sticky silk (Griswold et al 1998). The phylogenetic position of the family has been recently established (Griswold et al 1998). Seven genera with 9 species have been recorded from the Afrotropical Region, but there are certainly many new species.

Eight to ten species were collected on Bioko.

Species 1 - Moca (1300-1400m), 3.5 km W Luba (0-50m)

Species 2 - 5 km W Luba (0-50m), 3.5 km W Luba (0-50m)

Species 3 - Pico Basilé (1750m)

Species 4 - Moca (1300-1400m)

Species 5 - Moca (1300-1400m)

Species 6 - Moca (1500m)

Species 7 - Moca (1500m)

Species 8--9 or 10 - Pico Basilé (1750m), Pico Basilé (700m), Moca (1300-1400m), Moca (1500m), 3.5 km W Luba (0-50m)

Selected references on the Afrotropical mysmenid fauna:

Baert, L, 1985. Telemidae, Mysmenidae, and Ochyroceratidae from Cameroon (Araneae). Scientific report of the Belgian Mount Cameroon expeditions, 1981 and 1983, no. 13. Biol. Jaarb. Dodonaea, 53(0): 44--57.

Baert, L, 1986. Mysmenidae from the Comoro Islands, Mozambique Channel (Araneae). Revue Zool. Afr. (Belgium), 100(2): 264--268.

Baert, L, & Murphy, J.A., 1987. Kilifia inquilina, a new mysmenid spider from Kenya (Araneae, Mysmenidae). Bull. Brit. Arachnol. Soc., 7(6): 194--196.

Forster, R.R., 1974. Symphytognathid spiders from central Africa. Revue Zool. Afr. (Belgium), 88(1): 115--126.

Griswold, C. 1985. Isela okuncana, a new genus and species of kleptoparasitic spider from southern Africa (Araneae: Mysmenidae). Annals of the Natal Museum, 27: 207-217.

Griswold, C., J. Coddington, G. Hormiga, and N. Scharff. 1998. Phylogeny of the orb-web building spiders (Araneae, Orbiculariae: Deinopoidea, Araneoidea). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 122: 1--99.

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Anapidae

These minute, usually armor plated spiders build modified glue-sticky silk orb webs. Most live in dark, moist places and are only collected by spoon-dropping after corn-starch dusting of their webs. The phylogenetic position of the family has been recently established (Griswold et al 1998). The faunas of South America and the Australasian regions have been recently studied (Platnick & Forster 1989), but the Afrotropical fauna remains poorly known. Five genera and 11 species are recorded from the Afrotropical Region, but many new species remain to be described.

Two species were collected on Bioko.

Species 1 - Pico Basilé (2300m), Moca (1300-1400m), Moca (1500m)

Species 2 - Moca (1500m)

Selected references on the Afrotropical anapid fauna:

Brignoli, P.M., 1981. New or interesting Anapidae (Arachnida, Araneae). Revue Suisse Zool., 88(1): 109--134.

Griswold, C., J. Coddington, G. Hormiga, and N. Scharff. 1998. Phylogeny of the orb-web building spiders (Araneae, Orbiculariae: Deinopoidea, Araneoidea). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 122: 1--99.

Platnick, N.I., & Forster, R.R., 1989. A revision of the temperate South American and Australasian spiders of the family Anapidae (Araneae, Araneoidea). Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist., 190: 1--139.

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Symphytognathidae

These minute spiders build horizontal, finely woven glue-sticky silk orb webs. Most live in dark, moist places and are only collected by spoon-dropping after corn-starch dusting of their webs. They include the smallest of spiders, with adults sometimes being less than 0.5 mm in total length. The phylogenetic position of the family has been recently established (Griswold et al 1998). A world review is available (Forster & Platnick 1977) but the Afrotropical fauna remains poorly known. Three genera and 5 species are recorded from the Afrotropical Region, but many new species remain to be described.

One species was collected at Pico Basilé (700m).

Selected references on the Afrotropical symphytognathid fauna:

Forster, R.R., 1974. Symphytognathid spiders from central Africa. Revue Zool. Afr. (Belgium), 88(1): 115--126.

Forster, R.R., 1977. La faune terrestre de l’Ile de Sainte-Hélène, quatrième partie, 3. Arachnida: 3. Araneae, 16. Fam. Symphytognathidae. Ann. Mus. roy. Afr. Centr. (Zool.), 220: 129--131.

Forster, R.R., & Platnick, N.I., 1977. A review of the spider family Symphytognathidae (Arachnida: Araneae). Amer. Mus. Novitates, 2619: 1--29.

Griswold, C. 1987. The spider genus Symphytognatha Hickman (Araneae: Symphytognathidae) newly described from Africa. Annals of the Natal Museum, 28: 133-136.

Griswold, C., J. Coddington, G. Hormiga, and N. Scharff. 1998. Phylogeny of the orb-web building spiders (Araneae, Orbiculariae: Deinopoidea, Araneoidea). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 122: 1--99.

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Nesticidae

These are small, poorly known spiders that occur in dark places, especially caves. They differ from the Theridiidae in retaining a paracymbium on the male palp. Like theridiids they construct a “gumfoot” web consisting of an irregular retreat suspended beneath a covering object, with few to several glue-sticky lines affixed under higher tension between the retreat and lower substrate (there are many exceptions to this rule). Nesticids and theridiids can subdue prey by flinging large globs of sticky silk with the comb on the fourth tarsus. PLS aggregate spigots are modified to enable this behavioral synapomorphy (Coddington, 1989). The phylogenetic position of the family has been recently established (Griswold et al 1998). Two genera and 7 species are recorded from the Afrotropical Region and many more species remain to be described.

At least one species was collected at Pico Basilé (1750m), Moca (1500m), and 5 km W Luba (0-50m).

Selected references on the Afrotropical nesticid fauna:

Coddington, J.A., 1989. Spinneret silk spigot morphology. Evidence for the monophyly of orb-weaving spiders, Cyrtophorinae (Araneidae), and the group Theridiidae-Nesticidae. J. Arachnology, 17(1): 71--95.

Griswold, C., J. Coddington, G. Hormiga, and N. Scharff. 1998. Phylogeny of the orb-web building spiders (Araneae, Orbiculariae: Deinopoidea, Araneoidea). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 122: 1--99.

Hubert, M, 1970. Description de deux espèces nouvelles d’araignées africaines appartenant au genre Nesticus (Araneae, Nesticidae). Rev. Zool. Bot. Afr. (Belgium), 81(3-4): 361--368.

Hubert, M, 1971. Sur un Nesticus nouveau d’Angola: Nesticus machadoi n. sp. (Araneae, Nesticidae). Publ. cult. Co. Diam. Angola (Lisboa), 84: 73--78.

Hubert, M, 1977. La faune terrestre de l’Ile de Sainte-Hélène, quatrième partie, 3. Arachnida: 3. Araneae, 18. Fam. Nesticidae. Ann. Mus. roy. Afr. Centr. (Zool.), 220: 153--158.

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Theridiidae

This cosmopolitan family is one of the largest, with over 2000 species in 55 genera. The last comprehensive treatment of the family was by Levi and Levi (1962), in which familial relimitation and generic synonymy reduced the number of genera from 140 to fewer than 50. In this work genera were diagnosed, and a sketch of theridiid classification was presented. Recently, Forster, et al. (1990) presented a brief discussion of theridiid interrelationships, separating out Synotaxus as the basonym of the Synotaxidae, and arguing for an enlarged Hadrotarsidae as a theridiid subfamily. Theridiids range from minute to large, and typically construct a “gumfoot” web consisting of an irregular retreat suspended beneath a covering object, with few to several glue-sticky lines affixed under higher tension between the retreat and lower substrate (there are many exceptions to this rule). Nesticids and theridiids can subdue prey by flinging large globs of sticky silk with the comb on the fourth tarsus. PLS aggregate gland spigots are modified to enable this behavioral synapomorphy (Coddington, 1989). Some are of medical importance (Latrodectus, the “widow spiders”). The genus Argyrodes includes predators on other spiders and kleptoparasites in the webs of other spiders. Members of the Hadrotarsinae appear to be specialized predators on ants. The phylogenetic position of the family has been recently established (Griswold et al 1998). This family is very rich in species and may be the largest family of spiders. Typically, in collections of tropical spiders, theridiids are the richest fauna. Twenty seven genera and 251 species are recorded from the Afrotropical Region. No comprehensive treatment of the Afrotropical species has been published, and most species cannot even be identified to genus.

Eighty one species were collected on Bioko.

Species 1 - (Argyrodes), Moca (1300-1400m), Moca (1500m)

Species 2 - (Argyrodes) 5 km W Luba (0-50m), Punta Becrof (0-50m)

Species 3 - (Argyrodes) 5 km W Luba (0-50m), Punta Becrof (0-50m)

Species 4 - (Argyrodes) Moca (1300-1400m), Moca (1500m), Punta Becrof (0-50m)

Species 5 - (Argyrodes) Pico Basilé (700m), 5 km W Luba (0-50m), Punta Becrof (0-50m)

Species 6 - (Argyrodes) Pico Basilé (700m)

Species 7 - (Argyrodes) Pico Basilé (700m), Moca (1300-1400m), 5 km W Luba (0-50m), Punta Becrof (0-50m)

Species 8 - (Argyrodes) Moca (1300-1400m), 5 km W Luba (0-50m)

Species 9 - (Argyrodes) Moca (1300-1400m)

Species 10 - (Argyrodes) Moca (1300-1400m)

Species 11 - (Argyrodes) 5 km W Luba (0-50m)

Species 12 - (Argyrodes) Punta Becrof (0-50m)

Species 13 - (Argyrodes) Punta Becrof (0-50m)

Species 14 - (Hadrotarsinae), Pico Basilé (700m), 5 km W Luba (0-50m), 3.5 km W Luba (0-50m), Arena Blanca (0-50m), Punta Becrof (0-50m)

Species 15 - (Hadrotarsinae) Moca (1300-1400m), Moca (1500m), Arena Blanca (0-50m)

Species 16 - (Hadrotarsinae) Moca (1300-1400m)

Species 17 - (Hadrotarsinae) Moca (1300-1400m), Moca (1500m)

Species 18 - (Hadrotarsinae) 3.5 km W Luba (0-50m)

Species 19 - (Hadrotarsinae) Pico Basilé (700m), Punta Becrof (0-50m)

Species 20 - (Hadrotarsinae) Moca (1300-1400m)

Species 21 - (Hadrotarsinae) Moca (1300-1400m)

Species 22 - (Hadrotarsinae) Moca (1500m)

Species 23 - (Hadrotarsinae) 3.5 km W Luba (0-50m)

Species 24 - (Hadrotarsinae) Arena Blanca (0-50m)

Species 25 - (Achaearanea), Pico Basilé (700m), Moca (1300-1400m), 5 km W Luba (0-50m), 3.5 km W Luba (0-50m)

Species 26 - (Achaearanea), Moca (1300-1400m), Moca (1500m)

Species 27 - (Achaearanea), 3.5 km W Luba (0-50m), Punta Becrof (0-50m)

Species 28 - (Achaearanea), Moca (1300-1400m), Moca (1500m)

Species 29 - (Achaearanea), Pico Basilé (700m)

Species 30 - (Achaearanea), Moca (1300-1400m), Moca (1500m)

Species 31 - (Achaearanea), Moca (1300-1400m)

Species 32 - (Phoroncidia), 3.5 km W Luba (0-50m)

Species 33 - Pico Basilé (1750m), Moca (1300-1400m)

Species 34--35 or 36 - (Thwaitesia), Pico Basilé (1750m), Pico Basilé (700m), Moca (1300-1400m), Moca (1500m), 3.5 km W Luba (0-50m), Punta Becrof (0-50m)

Species 37 - Pico Basilé (700m), 3.5 km W Luba (0-50m)

Species 38 - 5 km W Luba (0-50m), Arena Blanca (0-50m)

Species 39--41 - Pico Basilé (2300m), Pico Basilé (1750m), Pico Basilé (700m), Moca (1300-1400m), Moca (1500m)

Species 42 - 3.5 km W Luba (0-50m)

Species 43 - 5 km W Luba (0-50m), 3.5 km W Luba (0-50m)

Species 44 - Moca (1300-1400m)

Species 45 - Pico Basilé (2300m), Pico Basilé (1750m), Pico Basilé (700m), Punta Becrof (0-50m)

Species 46 - Pico Basilé (2300m), Moca (1300-1400m)

Species 47 - Pico Basilé (2300m), Moca (1300-1400m)

Species 48 - 3.5 km W Luba (0-50m)

Species 49 - 3.5 km W Luba (0-50m), Punta Becrof (0-50m)

Species 50 - Pico Basilé (1750m), Moca (1300-1400m)

Species 51 - Pico Basilé (1750m), Moca (1300-1400m), Moca (1500m)

Species 52 - Moca (1500m)

Species 53 - 3.5 km W Luba (0-50m)

Species 54 - Pico Basilé (2300m)

Species 55 - Pico Basilé (1750m)

Species 56 - Pico Basilé (700m)

Species 57 - Pico Basilé (700m)

Species 58 - Pico Basilé (700m)

Species 59 - Pico Basilé (700m)

Species 60 - Pico Basilé (700m)

Species 61 - Moca (1300-1400m)

Species 62 - Moca (1300-1400m)

Species 63 - Moca (1300-1400m)

Species 64 - Moca (1300-1400m)

Species 65 - Moca (1300-1400m)

Species 66 - Moca (1500m)

Species 67 - 5 km W Luba (0-50m)

Species 68 - 5 km W Luba (0-50m)

Species 69 - 5 km W Luba (0-50m)

Species 70 - 3.5 km W Luba (0-50m)

Species 71 - 3.5 km W Luba (0-50m)

Species 72 - 3.5 km W Luba (0-50m)

Species 73 - 3.5 km W Luba (0-50m)

Species 74 - 3.5 km W Luba (0-50m)

Species 75 - 3.5 km W Luba (0-50m)

Species 76 - 3.5 km W Luba (0-50m)

Species 77 - 3.5 km W Luba (0-50m)

Species 78 - Arena Blanca (0-50m)

Species 79 - Arena Blanca (0-50m)

Species 80 - Arena Blanca (0-50m)

Species 81 - Punta Becrof (0-50m)

Selected references on the Afrotropical theridiid fauna:

Coddington, J.A., 1989. Spinneret silk spigot morphology. Evidence for the monophyly of orb-weaving spiders, Cyrtophorinae (Araneidae), and the group Theridiidae-Nesticidae. J. Arachnology, 17(1): 71--95.

Forster, R., Platnick, N. & Coddington, J. 1990. A proosal and review of the spider family Synotaxidae (Araneae, Araneoidea) with notes on theridiid interrelationships. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 193: 1--116.

Griswold, C., J. Coddington, G. Hormiga, and N. Scharff. 1998. Phylogeny of the orb-web building spiders (Araneae, Orbiculariae: Deinopoidea, Araneoidea). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 122: 1--99.

Levi H.W., & Levi L.R. 1962. The genera of the spider family Theridiidae. Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology, 127 (1): 1--71.

Lotz, L. 1994. Revision of the genus Latrodectus (Araneae, Theridiidae) in Africa. Navorsinge van die Nasionale Museum, Bloemfontein 10: 1-60.

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Cyatholipidae

This small family is today restricted to the southern hemisphere (Griswold 1987, 1997a, 1997b, 1998; Forster, 1988), occurring in Africa, Australia, Madagascar, and New Zealand. Wunderlich (1994) has recently described some spiders attributed to this family from Baltic amber. They are small in stature and, where known, hang beneath glue-sticky silk sheet webs. The phylogenetic position of the family has been recently established (Griswold et al 1998). Within Africa the distribution of the eight described genera and 26 described species is ‘afromontane’ (Griswold 1991). Additional species to be described also fit this biogeographic pattern (Griswold in prep).

Two species were collected on Bioko, each of which also occurs on nearby Mt. Cameroon:

Buibui kankamelos, n. sp. - Pico Basilé (1750 m)

Wanzia fako Griswold 1998 - Moca (1500 m)

Selected references on the Afrotropical cyatholipid fauna:

Forster R.R.. 1988. The Spiders of New Zealand, part VI. Otago Musuem Bulletin, 6: 1--124.

Griswold, C. 1987. A review of the southern African spiders of the family Cyatholipidae Simon, 1894 (Araneae: Araneomorphae). Annals of the Natal Museum, 28: 499-542.

Griswold, C. 1991. Cladistic Biogeography of Afromontane Spiders. Australian Systematic Botany, 4(1): 73-89.

Griswold, C. 1997a. The spider family Cyatholipidae in Madagascar (Araneae: Araneoidea). Journal of Arachnology 25: 53--83.

Griswold, C. 1997b. Scharffia, a remarkable new genus of spiders from East African Mountains (Araneae, Cyatholipidae). Journal of Arachnology 25: 269--287.

Griswold, C. 1998. Wanzia fako, a new genus and species of spider from Cameroon (Araneae, Cyatholipidae). Entomologica scandinavica, 29: 121--130.

Griswold, C. (in prep) A monograph of the world genera and Afrotropical species of the spider family Cyatholipidae.

Griswold, C., J. Coddington, G. Hormiga, and N. Scharff. 1998. Phylogeny of the orb-web building spiders (Araneae, Orbiculariae: Deinopoidea, Araneoidea). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 122: 1--99.

Wunderlich J. 1994. Die ersten fossilen Becherspinnen (Fam. Cyatholipidae) in Baltischem und Bitterfelder Bernstein (Arachnida: Araneae). Mitteilungen des Geologischen-Paläontologischen Instituts der Universität Hamburg 75: 231--241.

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Linyphiidae

The Linyphiidae are one of the most diverse spider families, containing more than 440 described genera and over 3600 described species, and are worldwide in distribution. They range from minute to medium sized and are long-legged spiders with at least femoral spines, lateral striae on the chelicerae, patella-tibia autospasy, and generally hang beneath glue-sticky silk sheet webs. The phylogenetic placement of the family was recently established (Griswold et al 1998) and Hormiga (1993, 1994) provided a phylogenetic study of the family. Seventy six genera with 373 species are recorded from the Afrotropical Region. There is a catalogue of Afrotropical species (Scharff 1990a), and many species have been described, but no comprehensive treatment of the Afrotropical species has been published.

At least 32 species were collected on Bioko. These specimens have been lent to the staff of the Zoological Museum in Copenhagen, where studies of Afrotropical Linyphiidae are being conducted. Of particular interest is the presence of Afroneta above 1700 m on Pico Basilé: this ‘afroalpine’ genus is otherwise known from Mt. Cameroon and Mt. Oku in Cameroon and the high mountains of east Africa (e.g., Kilimanjaro).

Species 1 - (Microlinyphia), Pico Basilé (2300m), Moca (1300-1400m)

Species 2 - Moca (1300-1400m)

Species 3 - Moca (1300-1400m), Moca (1500m)

Species 4 - (?Lepthyphanthes), Pico Basilé (2300m), Moca (1300-1400m), Moca (1500m)

Species 5 - (?Neriene), Pico Basilé (2300m), Pico Basilé (1750m), Moca (1300-1400m), Moca (1500m)

Species 6 - (Mecynidis), Moca (1300-1400m), Moca (1500m)

Species 7 - (Afroneta), Pico Basilé (2300m), Pico Basilé (1750m)

Species 8 - Moca (1300-1400m)

Species 9 - Pico Basilé (2300m), Pico Basilé (1750m), Moca (1300-1400m)

Species 10 - Pico Basilé (1750m), Moca (1300-1400m)

Species 11 - Pico Basilé (2300m), Pico Basilé (1750m)

Species 12 -- 13 Pico Basilé (1750m), Moca (1300-1400m), Moca (1500m), 3.5 km W Luba (0-50m)

Species 14 - Pico Basilé (2300m)

Species 15 - Pico Basilé (1750m)

Species 16 - Pico Basilé (1750m)

Species 17 - Pico Basilé (1750m)

Species 18 - Pico Basilé (700m)

Species 19 - Moca (1300-1400m)

Species 20 - Moca (1300-1400m)

Species 21 - Moca (1300-1400m)

Species 22 - Moca (1300-1400m)

Species 23 - Moca (1300-1400m)

Species 24 - Moca (1300-1400m)

Species 25 - Moca (1500m)

Species 26 - Moca (1500m)

Species 27 - 5 km W Luba (0-50m)

Species 28 - 5 km W Luba (0-50m)

Species 29 - 5 km W Luba (0-50m)

Species 30 - 3.5 km W Luba (0-50m)

Species 31 - 3.5 km W Luba (0-50m)

Species 32 - Punta Becrof (0-50m)

Selected references on the Afrotropical linyphiid fauna:

Bosmans, R, 1977. Scientific report of the Belgian Mt. Kenya Bio-Expedition II. Spiders of the subfamily Erigoninae from Mt. Kenya. Revue Zool. Afr. (Belgium), 91(2): 449--472.

Bosmans, R, 1978. Description of four new Lepthyphantes species from Africa, with a redescription of L. biseriatus Simon & Fage and L. tropicalis Tullgren. Bull. Brit. Arachnol. Soc., 4(6): 258--274.

Bosmans, R, 1979. Spiders of the subfamily Linyphiinae from Mount Kenya (Araneae, Linyphiidae). Scientific report of the Belgian Mt. Kenya bio-expedition 1975, No. 17. Revue Zool. Afr. (Belgium), 93(1): 53--100.

Bosmans, R, 1985. The genera Troglohyphantes (new record) and Lepthyphantes in North Africa (Araneae: Linyphiidae). Studies on North African Linyphiidae, 3. Revue Arachnol., 6(4): 135--178.

Bosmans, R, 1985. Études sur les Linyphiidae nord-africains II. Le genre Oedothorax Bertkau en afrique du nord, avec une révision des caractères diagnostiques des mâles espècies ouest-paléarctiques. Biol. Jaarb. Dodonaea, 53: 58--75.

Bosmans, R, 1986.Études sur les Linyphiidae nord-africaines 4. le genre Centromerus Dahl (Araneae: Linyphiidae). Biol. Jaarb. Dodonaea, 54: 85--103.

Bosmans, R, 1986. Scientific report of the Belgian Cameroon expeditions, 1981 and 1983: New species and new records of spiders of the family Linyphiidae: Araneae. Revue Zool. Afr. (Belgium), 100(2): 171--204.

Holm, A, 1962. The spider fauna of the east African mountains. Zool. Bidr. Uppsala, 35: 19--204. Holm, A, 1964. Descriptions of some Central African Erigonidae. Rev. Zool. Bot. Afr. (Belgium), 69: 103--112.

Holm, A, 1968. Spiders of the families Erigonidae and Linyphiidae from East and Central Africa. Ann. Mus. roy. Afr. Centr. (Zool.), 171: 1--49.

Holm, A, 1977. La faune terrestre de l’Ile de Sainte-Hélène, quatrième partie, 3. Arachnida: 3. Araneae, 20. Fam. Erigonidae. Ann. Mus. roy. Afr. Centr. (Zool.), 220: 163--168.

Holm, A, 1984. The spider fauna of the East African mountains, part 2. The genus Walckenaeria Blackwall (Araneae, Linyphiidae). Zoologica Scripta, 13(2): 135--153.

Hormiga G. 1993. Implications of the phylogeny of Pimoidae for the systematics of linyphiid spiders (Araneae, Araneoidea, Linyphiidae). Memoirs of the Queensland Museum, 33(2): 533--542.

Hormiga G. 1994. Cladistics and the comparative morphology of linyphiid spiders and their relatives (Araneae, Araneoidea, Linyphiidae). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 111: 1--71.

Jocqué, R, 1977. Pelecopsis malawiensis n. sp. from Central Africa (Araneida: Erigonidae). Revue Zool. Afr. (Belgium), 91(1): 131--136.

Jocqué, R, 1981. Notes on African Linyphiidae (Araneida) 1. A new genus from the Cape Verde Islands. Revue Zool. Afr. (Belgium), 95(4): 829--832.

Jocqué, R, 1981. Some linyphiids from Kenya with the description of Locketidium n. gen. (Araneida, Linyphiidae). Revue Zool. Afr. (Belgium), 95(3): 557-569.

Jocqué, R, 1981. Erigonid spiders from Malawi (Araneida, Linyphiidae). Revue Zool. Afr. (Belgium), 95(2): 470--492.

Jocqué, R, 1983. Notes sur les Linyphiidae (Araneae) d’Afrique. 2. Sur quelques representants du Gabon. Bull. Mus. Natn. Hist. Nat. Paris (Zool. Biol. Ecol. Anim.), 5(2): 619--631.

Jocqué, R, 1983. Linyphiidae (Araneae) from Ivory Coast, with description of three new genera. Zool. Meded. (Leiden), 57(1): 1--18.

Jocqué, R, 1984. Notes on African Linyphiidae (Araneae) 3. the genus Tybaertiella, with the description of a new species of Pelecopsis. Bull. Brit. Arachnol. Soc., 6(5): 217--228.

Jocqué, R, 1984. Linyphiidae (Araneae) from South Africa, part 1: the collection of the Plant Protection Research Institute, Pretoria. J. Ent. Soc. S. Afr., 47(1): 121—146.

Jocqué, R, 1985. Linyphiidae (Araneae) from the Comoro islands. Revue Zool. Afr. (Belgium), 99(2): 197--230.

Jocqué, R, & Bosmans, R, 1983. Linyphiidae (Araneae) from Ivory Coast, with the description of three new genera. Zool. Meded. (Leiden), 57(1): 11-18.

Jocqué, R, & Scharff, N, 1986. Spiders of the family Linyphiidae (Araneae) from the Tanzanian mountain areas Usambara, Uluguru and Rungwe. Ann. Mus. roy. Afr. Centr. (Zool.), 248: 1--61.

Scharff, N, 1990a. A catalogue of African Linyphiidae (Araneae). Steenstrupia, 16(8): 117-152.

Scharff, N, 1990b. Spiders of the family Linyphiidae from the Uzungwa mountains, Tanzania (Araneae). Ent. Scandinavica; Suppl., 36: 1-95.

Scharff, N. 1992. The linyphiid fauna of eastern Africa (Araneae: Linyphiidae) -- distribution patterns, diversity, and endemism. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 45: 117--154.

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Agelenidae

These fast moving spiders run on top of non sticky sheet webs that have a funnel retreat at one end. The elongate lateral spinnerets facilitate sheet spinning. Agelenids are most common as solitary ambushers in savannas, but in the lowland forests of the African mainland there are social species (Darchen 1965). The phylogenetic placement of the family was recently established (Griswold et al, in press). No comprehensive treatment of the Afrotropical species has been published since Roewer (1954), whose work is nearly useless. Eleven genera and 47 species are recorded from the Afrotropical Region.

One species was collected at Moca (1300-1400m).

Selected references on the Afrotropical agelenid fauna:

Benoit, P.L.G., 1977. Fam. Agelenidae. La faune terrestre de l’île de Sainte-Hélène. IV. Ann. Mus. roy. Afr. Centr. (Zool.), 220: 126--127.

Darchen, R.J., 1965. Ethologie d’une araignée sociale, Agelena consociata. Biol. Gabonica, 1: 117--146.

Griswold, C., J. Coddington, N. Platnick, and R. Forster. (in press) Towards a phylogeny of entelegyne spiders (Araneae, Entelegynae). Journal of Arachnology.

Roewer, C.F., 1954. Araneae Lycosaeformia, I. (Agelenidae, Hahniidae, Pisauridae). Explor. Parc natn. Upemba Miss. G. F. de Witte, 30: 3--420.

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Dictynidae

These small spiders build cribellate ladder or funnel webs. Most occur on vegetation, though at least one species is kleptoparasitic in the webs of social spiders (Griswold & Meikle-Griswold 1987). The phylogenetic placement of the family was recently established (Griswold et al, in press). Ten genera with 17 species are recorded from the Afrotropical Region. No comprehensive treatment of the Afrotropical species has been published.

Four species of solitary, web-building species were collected on Bioko.

Species 1 - Moca (1300-1400m), Moca (1500m)

Species 2 - Moca (1300-1400m)

Species 3 - Moca (1300-1400m)

Species 4 - Moca (1500m)

Selected references on the Afrotropical dictynid fauna:

Griswold, C., J. Coddington, N. Platnick, and R. Forster. (in press) Towards a phylogeny of entelegyne spiders (Araneae, Entelegynae). Journal of Arachnology.

Griswold, C. & T. Meikle Griswold. 1987. Archaeodictyna ulova new species, (Araneae: Dictynidae), a remarkable kleptoparasite of group-living eresid spiders (Stegodyphus spp., Araneae: Eresidae). American Museum Novitates, 2897: 1-11.

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Hahniidae

These small spiders construct delicate sheetwebs near the soil surface and are commonly found in forested areas. Their broad arrangement of spinnerets facilitates sheet spinning.Two genera with 30 species are recorded from the Afrotropical Region and, despite many recent descriptive papers, no comprehensive treatment of the Afrotropical species has been published. Many new species probably exist.

Two species of Hahnia were collected on Bioko.

Species 1 - Pico Basilé (1750m), Moca (1300-1400m), Moca (1500m)

Species 2 - Pico Basilé (1750m), Moca (1300-1400m)

Selected references on the Afrotropical hahniid fauna:

Benoit, P.L.G., 1978. Hahniidae du mont Kenya (Araneae). Scientific report of the Belgian Mt. Kenya bio-expedition, 1975, no. 16. Revue Zool. Afr. (Belgium), 92(3): 609--621.

Bosmans, R, 1980. Studies on African Hahniidae, 1. The taxonomic status of Hahniops Roewer 1942, with redescription of its type species (Arachnida: Araneae). Senckenbergiana Biol., 61(1-2): 93--96.

Bosmans, R, 1981. Étude sur les Hahniidae (Araneae) africains 2. Les espèces du genre Hahnia de la collection Simon. Bull. Mus. Natn. Hist. Nat. Paris (Zool. Biol. Ecol. Anim.), 3(1): 203--211.

Bosmans, R, 1982. Two new species of Hahnia from Malawi (Araneae: Hahniidae). Revue Zool. Afr. (Belgium), 96(1): 174--178.

Bosmans, R, 1982. Scientific report of the Belgian Mount Cameroun expedition 1981, 1. Situation of the collecting sites on the altitudinal gradient. description of Hahnia leopoldi n. sp. (Araneae: Hahniidae). Revue Zool. Afr. (Belgium), 96(3): 670--682.

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Zorocratidae

This family has recently been characterized (Griswold 1993) and its phylogenetic placement established (Griswold et al, in press). These are large spiders that run freely or make silk lined burrows with cribellate capture threads radiating from the entrance. Their distribution may be ‘afromontane’ (Griswold 1991). Three genera and 8 described species are recorded from the Afrotropical Region (many new species are yet to be described).

The one species collected on Bioko is also found on Mt. Cameroon.

Raecius zoropsides was collected at Pico Basilé (1750m), Moca (1300-1400m), and Moca (1500m).

Selected references on the Afrotropical zorocratid fauna:

Griswold, C. E. 1991. Cladistic Biogeography of Afromontane Spiders. Australian Systematic Botany, 4(1): 73-89.

Griswold, C. E. 1993. Investigations into the phylogeny of the Lycosoid spiders and their kin (Arachnida, Araneae, Lycosoidea). Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology, 539: 1--39.

Griswold, C., J. Coddington, N. Platnick, and R. Forster. (in press) Towards a phylogeny of entelegyne spiders (Araneae, Entelegynae). Journal of Arachnology.

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Ctenidae

These fast moving terrestrial and arboreal hunters are commonly called ‘tropical wolf spiders.’ Most are nocturnal, make no web, and rely on speed and strength to subdue prey. They include some of the largest spiders in Africa. The phylogenetic placement of the family was recently examined (Griswold 1993). Nine genera and 104 species are recorded from the Afrotropical Region. In spite of many papers describing Afrotropical ctenids there has been no comprehensive treatment of the Afrotropical species and identification remains difficult.

Four species were collected on Bioko: these will be lent to the American Museum of Natural History where studies of Ctenidae are underway.

Species 1 - Pico Basilé (700m), Moca (1300-1400m)

Species 2 - 3.5 km W Luba (0-50m), Punta Becrof (0-50m)

Species 3 - Pico Basilé (1750m), Pico Basilé (700m), Moca (1300-1400m), 5 km W Luba (0-50m)

Species 4 - 5 km W Luba (0-50m)

Selected references on the Afrotropical ctenid fauna:

Benoit, P.L.G., 1974. Contribution à l’étude du genre Africactenus avec une clé des espèces (Aran., Ctenidae). Revue Zool. Afr. (Belgium), 88: 131--142.

Benoit, P.L.G., 1976. Études sur les Ctenidae africains (Araneae). II. Les genres Thoriosa Simon et Trogloctenus Lessert. Rev. Zool. Bot. Afr. (Belgium), 90(1): 221-227.

Benoit, P.L.G., 1977. Études sur les Ctenidae africains. III. Le remembrement du genre Anahita Karsch. Revue Zool. Afr. (Belgium), 91: 368--380.

Benoit, P.L.G., 1977. Études sur les Ctenidae africains. IV. Espèces nouvelles du genre Anahita Karsch. Revue Zool. Afr. (Belgium), 91: 713--720.

Benoit, P.L.G., 1977. Études sur les Ctenidae africains. V. Gen. Ctenus, groupe erythrochelis. Revue Zool. Afr. (Belgium), 91: 697-703.

Benoit, P.L.G., 1977. Études sur les Ctenidae africains (Araneae). VI. Gen. Ctenus Walck. groupe caligineus. Revue Zool. Afr. (Belgium), 91(4): 1025--1031.

Benoit, P.L.G., 1978. Études sur les Ctenidae africains (Araneae), 7. Gen. Ctenus Walck.-groupe kingsleyi. Revue Zool. Afr. (Belgium), 92(1): 219--223.

Griswold, C. E. 1993. Investigations into the phylogeny of the Lycosoid spiders and their kin (Arachnida, Araneae, Lycosoidea). Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology, 539: 1--39.

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Miturgidae

The limits of this family of running or burrowing spiders are still unclear, and most African genera attributed to the Miturgidae may ultimately be moved elsewhere (Griswold 1993). Currently eight genera and about 80 Afrotropical species are placed in this family.

Two species were collected on Bioko:

Species 1 - Moca (1300-1400m)

Species 2 - Moca (1300-1400m), 3.5 km W Luba (0-50m)

Selected references on the Afrotropical fauna:

Griswold, C. E. 1993. Investigations into the phylogeny of the Lycosoid spiders and their kin (Arachnida, Araneae, Lycosoidea). Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology, 539: 1--39.

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Pisauridae

These are known as ‘nursery web spiders’ because of the large sheet or dome webs in which the young of some species hide. Some pisaurids run on sheet webs whereas others run on foliage. The large Dolomedes live near water and are known as ‘fishing spiders.’ The phylogenetic placement of the family was recently examined (Griswold 1993; Sierwald 1990). Thirty two genera comprising 153 species are recorded from the Afrotropical Region. Roewer (1954) and Sierwald (1987, 1990, in press) have treated the family.

Six species were collected on Bioko.

Species 1 - Pico Basilé (700m)

Species 2 - Moca (1300-1400m)

Species 3 - Moca (1300-1400m)

Species 4 - 3.5 km W Luba (0-50m)

Species 5 - Arena Blanca (0-50m)

Species 6 - Arena Blanca (0-50m)

Selected references on the Afrotropical pisaurid fauna:

Griswold, C. E. 1993. Investigations into the phylogeny of the Lycosoid spiders and their kin (Arachnida, Araneae, Lycosoidea). Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology, 539: 1--39.

Roewer, C.F., 1954. Araneae Lycosaeformia, I. (Agelenidae, Hahniidae, Pisauridae). Explor. Parc natn. Upemba Miss. G. F. de Witte, 30: 3--420.

Sierwald, P. 1987. Revision der Gattung Thalassius (Arachnida: Araneae: Pisauridae). Verhandlungen der naturwissenschaftlichen Verein zu Hamburg 29: 51--142.

Sierwald, P. 1990. Morphology and homologous features in the male palpal organ in Pisauridae and other spider families, with notes on the taxonomy of Pisauridae (Arachnida, Araneae). Nemouria 35: 1--59.

Sierwald, P. (In press). Phylogenetic analysis of pisaurine nursery web spiders, with revisions of Tetragonophthalma and Perenethis (Araneae, Lycosoidea, Pisauridae). Journal of Arachnology.

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Lycosidae

The true ‘wolf spiders,’ most of these are free running predators. They have good eyesight and vision plays an important role of prey capture and mating behavior. The Hippasinae make non sticky sheet webs with a funnel retreat at one side, similar to the webs of Agelenidae. The egg sac is carried on the spinnerets and, after hatching, the young ride on the mother’s back. The phylogenetic placement of the family was recently examined (Griswold 1993). Fifty one genera with 469 species have been recorded from the Afrotropical Region. In spite of a large descriptive literature the classification of this family is poorly understood and most tropical African specimens are unidentifiable, even to genus.

Six species were collected on Bioko.

Species 1 - 5 km W Luba (0-50m), 3.5 km W Luba (0-50m)

Species 2 - Moca (1300-1400m)

Species 3 - Moca (1300-1400m), 3.5 km W Luba (0-50m)

Species 4 - Pico Basilé (1750m)

Species 5 - Moca (1300-1400m), Moca (1500m)

Species 6 - Moca (1300-1400m), Moca (1500m)

Selected references on the Afrotropical lycosid fauna:

Griswold, C. E. 1993. Investigations into the phylogeny of the Lycosoid spiders and their kin (Arachnida, Araneae, Lycosoidea). Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology, 539: 1--39.

Roewer, C.F., 1959. Araneae Lycosaeformia II (Lycosidae). Explor. Parc natn. Upemba Miss. G. F. de Witte, 55: 3--518.

Roewer, C.F., 1960. Araneae Lycosaeformia II (Lycosidae, Fortsetzung und Schluss). Explor. Parc natn. Upemba Miss. G. F. de Witte, 55: 519--1040.

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Oxyopidae

The ‘lynx spiders’ are fast moving hunters with good vision that hunt both day and night. The legs catch prey, often after a short jump. No Afrotropical species is known to make a web, though there are web building species in the American tropics (Griswold 1983). The phylogenetic placement of the family was recently examined and placement within Lycosoidea corroborated (Griswold 1993). Four genera and 107 species are recorded from the Afrotropical Region, but no comprehensive treatment of the Afrotropical species has been published.

Two species were collected on Bioko.

Species 1 - Arena Blanca (0-50m)

Species 2 - 5 km W Luba (0-50m), 3.5 km W Luba (0-50m)

Selected references on the Afrotropical oxyopid fauna:

Benoit, P.L.G., 1977. Fam. Oxyopidae. La faune terrestre de l’île Sainte-Hélène. IV. Ann. Mus. roy. Afr. Centr. (Zool.), 220: 104.

Griswold, C. E. 1983. Tapinillus longipes Taczanowski, a web-building lynx spider from the American tropics (Araneae: Oxyopidae). Journal of Natural History, 17: 979--985.

Griswold, C. E. 1993. Investigations into the phylogeny of the Lycosoid spiders and their kin (Arachnida, Araneae, Lycosoidea). Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology, 539: 1--39.

Van Niekerk, P. & Dippenaar-Schoeman, A. 1994. A revision of the Afrotropical species of Peucetia (Araneae, Oxyopidae). Entomology memoir, Department of Agriculture South Africa: 89: 1--50.

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Clubionidae

This family has been relimited to exclude taxa grouped by clear synapomorphies (e.g. Corinnidae, Miturgidae, Liocranidae) and the monophyly of the remaining taxa is unclear. They are two clawed running spiders, none of which are known to build webs. Five genera with 58 species are recorded from the Afrotropical Region. They remain poorly understood and no comprehensive treatment of the Afrotropical species has been published.

Seven species were collected on Bioko.

Species 1 - Moca (1300-1400m), Moca (1500m)

Species 2 - Pico Basilé (2300m), Pico Basilé (1750m)

Species 3 - Pico Basilé (2300m)

Species 4 - Moca (1300-1400m)

Species 5 - Moca (1300-1400m)

Species 6 - Moca (1300-1400m)

Species 7 - 3.5 km W Luba (0-50m)

Selected references on the Afrotropical clubionid fauna: none.

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Liocranidae

This family of two-clawed running spiders has recently been separated from the Clubionidae. Twelve genera and about 30 described species have been recorded from the Afrotropical Region. The Afrotropical fauna is not well characterized: except for the recent description of Hortipes by Bosselaers and Ledoux (1998) no treatment of the Afrotropical species has been published. More than 50 additional new species of Hortipes remain to be described.

Five species, including 4 Hortipes, were collected on Bioko. The Hortipes are on loan to Bosselaers: all are shared with Mt. Cameroon.

Species 1 - 3.5 km W Luba (0-50m)

Species 2 - (Hortipes) on loan

Species 3 - (Hortipes) on loan

Species 4 - (Hortipes) on loan

Species 5 - (Hortipes) on loan

Selected references on the Afrotropical liocranid fauna:

Bosselaers, J. & J.-C. Ledoux. 1998. Description of a new African genus, Hortipes (Araneae, Liocranidae). Revue Arachnologique 12: 147--152.

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Corinnidae

This family of two-clawed running spiders has recently been separated from the Clubionidae. They are wandering spiders that are common in leaf litter in forested areas. Many mimic ants or mutillid wasps. Twenty two genera with 110 species are recorded from the Afrotropical Region, but no comprehensive treatment of the Afrotropical species has been published. There is little modern literature on this family in Africa.

Eleven species were collected on Bioko.

Species 1 - Moca (1300-1400m), 3.5 km W Luba (0-50m)

Species 2 - Moca (1300-1400m), Moca (1500m)

Species 3 - Moca (1300-1400m), 3.5 km W Luba (0-50m)

Species 4 - 3.5 km W Luba (0-50m), Arena Blanca (0-50m)

Species 5 - (Castianeira), Pico Basilé (1750m), Moca (1500m)

Species 6 - (Castianeira) 3.5 km W Luba (0-50m), Arena Blanca (0-50m)

Species 7 - (Trachelinae), Pico Basilé (2300m), Pico Basilé (1750m), Moca (1300-1400m), Moca (1500m)

Species 8 - Moca (1300-1400m)

Species 9 - 5 km W Luba (0-50m)

Species 10 - 3.5 km W Luba (0-50m)

Species 11 - Punta Becrof (0-50m)

Selected references on the Afrotropical corinnid fauna: none.

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Gnaphosidae

These are free living, mainly nocturnal spiders that live on the soil surface or leaf litter. They are abundant in arid regions but uncommon in wet areas. The lateral spinnerets are long and cylindrical with elongate spigots crowning the tip: these spigots produce a swathing band that restrains prey. The American fauna is relatively well known but little recent attention has been focussed on the Afrotropical fauna. Forty one genera with 319 species are recorded from the Afrotropical Region.

Three species were collected on Bioko.

Species 1 - Moca (1300-1400m)

Species 2 - Moca (1500m)

Species 3 - 3.5 km W Luba (0-50m)

Selected references on the Afrotropical gnaphosid fauna:

Fitzpatrick, M. 1994. A new species of Eilica Keyserling, 1891 from Zimbabwe (Araneae: Gnaphosidae). Arnoldia Zimbabwe 10: 19--21.

Platnick, N.I., & Murphy, J.A., 1984. A revision of the spider genera Trachyzelotes and Urozelotes (Araneae, Gnaphosidae). Amer. Mus. Novitates, 2792: 1--30.

Platnick, N.I., & Murphy, J.A., 1987. Studies of Malagasy spiders. 3. The Zelotine Gnaphosidae (Araneae: Gnaphosoidea) with a review of the genus Camillina. Amer. Mus. Novitates, 2874: 1--33.

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Heteropodidae

These are large to huge wandering spiders, mostly nocturnal, that occur on the soil surface, vegetation, on tree trunks and in buildings. Commonly called ‘huntsman spiders’ or ‘giant crab spiders,’ they are fast moving predators that build no webs but rely on speed and strength to subdue prey. Heteropoda venatoria is a cosmotropical synanthropic species that feeds on cockroaches and other household vermin. Thirty four genera with 198 species are recorded from the Afrotropical Region. The family is poorly known and no comprehensive treatment of the Afrotropical species has been published. The only modern monograph of a Afrotropical heteropodid group is that of Croeser (1996).

Four species were collected on Bioko.

Species 1 - Moca (1300-1400m), Moca (1500m)

Species 2 - 5 km W Luba (0-50m), 3.5 km W Luba (0-50m)

Species 3 - Pico Basilé (700m)

Species 4 - Malabo

Selected references on the Afrotropical heteropodid fauna:

Croeser, P. M. C. 1996. A revision of the African huntsman spider genus Palystes L. Koch, 1875 (Araneae, Heteropodidae). Annals of the Natal Museum 37: 1--122.

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Philodromidae

These medium sized, vagrant spiders were formerly classified among the crab spiders (see below). They make no webs and run down their prey on vegetation or on the soil surface. They are most common in the semiarid regions of Africa. Eight genera with 87 species are recorded from the Afrotropical Region. No comprehensive treatment of the Afrotropical species has been published.

One species was collected from Moca (1300-1400m).

Selected references on the Afrotropical philodromid fauna: none.

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Thomisidae

These ‘crab spiders’ comprise classic ‘sit and wait’ predators that rely on camouflage to ambush prey. Their common name reflects the fact that many walk sidewise. Many resemble bark, flowers or other substrates. Some mimic ants or bird droppings. They spin no webs. This is one of the largest families of spiders: sixty nine genera with 356 species are recorded from the Afrotropical Region. No comprehensive treatment of the Afrotropical species has been published, but several genera have been monographed for the southern Afrotropical region.

Seventeen species were collected on Bioko.

Species 1 - 3.5 km W Luba (0-50m)

Species 2 - Pico Basilé (1750m), Moca (1300-1400m), Moca (1500m), 3.5 km W Luba (0-50m)

Species 3 - Pico Basilé (1750m)

Species 4 - Pico Basilé (700m)

Species 5 - Moca (1300-1400m)

Species 6 - Moca (1300-1400m)

Species 7 - Moca (1300-1400m), Arena Blanca (0-50m)

Species 8 - Pico Basilé (700m), 3.5 km W Luba (0-50m)

Species 9 - Pico Basilé (1750m)

Species 10 - Pico Basilé (700m)

Species 11 - Moca (1300-1400m)

Species 12 - Moca (1300-1400m)

Species 13 - Moca (1300-1400m)

Species 14 - Moca (1300-1400m)

Species 15 - Moca (1300-1400m)

Species 16 - 3.5 km W Luba (0-50m)

Species 17 - Moca (1300-1400m)

Selected references on the Afrotropical thomisid fauna:

Dippenaar-Schoeman, A.S., 1980. The crab-spiders of southern Africa (Araneae: Thomisidae), 1. the genus Runcinia Simon, 1875. J. Ent. Soc. S. Afr., 43(2): 303--326.

Dippenaar-Schoeman, A.S., 1980. The crab spiders of the southern Africa (Araneae: Thomisidae), 2. The genera Pherecydes Pickard-Cambridge, 1883 and Smodicinus Simon, 1895. J. Ent. Soc. S. Afr., 43(2): 327--340.

Dippenaar-Schoeman, A.S., 1983. The spider genera Misumena, Misumenops, Runcinia and Thomisus (Araneae: Thomisidae) of southern Africa. Entomology Mem. Dep. Agric. Tech. Serv. Repub. S. Afr., 55(I-IV): 1--66.

Dippenaar-Schoeman, A.S., 1984. The crab-spiders of southern Africa (Araneae: Thomisidae). 4. The genus Monaeses Thorell, 1869. Phytophylactica, 16(2): 101--116.

Dippenaar-Schoeman, A.S., 1985. The crab spiders of Southern Africa (Araneae: Thomisidae), 5. the genus Tmarus. Phytophylactica, 17(3): 115--128.

Dippenaar-Schoeman, A.S., 1986. The crab spiders of southern Africa (Araneae: Thomisidae). 7. The genus Holopelus Simon 1886. Phytophylactica, 18(4): 187--190.

Dippenaar-Schoeman, A.S., 1986. The crab spiders of southern Africa (Araneae, Thomisidae) 6. The genus Avelis Simon, 1895. Phytophylactica, 18(3): 131--132.

Dippenaar-Schoeman, A.S., 1989. The crab spiders of southern Africa (Araneae: Thomisidae), 8. The genus Thomisops Karsch, 1879. Phytophylactica, 21(4): 319--330.

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Salticidae

This is the largest family of spiders. These are called ‘jumping spiders’ because most move by making short jumps. They have excellent eyesight: 6 lateral eyes perceive movement, and the spider swivels to bring objects of interest into the field of view of the anterior median eyes. Most can see a clear, color image at a distance of several times their body length. Eyesight plays a crucial role in feeding, with the spiders stalking the prey from a distance then capturing it after a quick leap. Males display ornamentation in a courtship dance performed before the female. Most use silk only for retreats, but the subfamily Spartaeinae includes web building and web invading species (Jackson 1985). Many species mimic ants. One hundred eleven genera and 622 species are recorded from the Afrotropical Region. No comprehensive treatment of the Afrotropical species has been published, though many ant mimic and spartaeine genera have been monographed.

Forty five species were collected on Bioko.

Species 1 - Pico Basilé (1750m), Moca (1500m), Punta Becrof (0-50m)

Species 2 - Pico Basilé (700m), 3.5 km W Luba (0-50m)

Species 3 - 5 km W Luba (0-50m), 3.5 km W Luba (0-50m)

Species 4 - Pico Basilé (700m), 3.5 km W Luba (0-50m), (Malabo)

Species 5 - Moca (1300-1400m)

Species 6 - 5 km W Luba (0-50m), Arena Blanca (0-50m), Punta Becrof (0-50m)

Species 7 - Pico Basilé (700m), Moca (1300-1400m), Moca (1500m)

Species 8 - Pico Basilé (1750m), Moca (1300-1400m), Moca (1500m)

Species 9 - 3.5 km W Luba (0-50m), Arena Blanca (0-50m)

Species 10 - Moca (1300-1400m)

Species 11 - 3.5 km W Luba (0-50m)

Species 12 - 3.5 km W Luba (0-50m)

Species 13 - 3.5 km W Luba (0-50m), Arena Blanca (0-50m)

Species 14 - Pico Basilé (2300m), Moca (1300-1400m)

Species 15 - Pico Basilé (1750m), Moca (1300-1400m)

Species 16 - Moca (1300-1400m), Arena Blanca (0-50m)

Species 17 - 5 km W Luba (0-50m), 3.5 km W Luba (0-50m), Arena Blanca (0-50m), Punta Becrof (0-50m)

Species 18 - 5 km W Luba (0-50m), Arena Blanca (0-50m)

Species 19 - Moca (1300-1400m), Moca (1500m), Arena Blanca (0-50m)

Species 20 - 5 km W Luba (0-50m), Arena Blanca (0-50m)

Species 21--23 - Pico Basilé (1750m), Moca (1300-1400m), Moca (1500m), 3.5 km W Luba (0-50m), Arena Blanca (0-50m)

Species 24 - Pico Basilé (2300m)

Species 25 - Pico Basilé (1750m)

Species 26 - Pico Basilé (1750m)

Species 27 - Pico Basilé (1750m)

Species 28 - Pico Basilé (700m)

Species 29 - Pico Basilé (700m)

Species 30 - Moca (1300-1400m)

Species 31 - Moca (1300-1400m)

Species 32 - Moca (1300-1400m)

Species 33 - Moca (1300-1400m)

Species 34 - Moca (1500m)

Species 35 - 5 km W Luba (0-50m)

Species 36 - 5 km W Luba (0-50m)

Species 37 - 3.5 km W Luba (0-50m)

Species 38 - 3.5 km W Luba (0-50m)

Species 39 - 3.5 km W Luba (0-50m)

Species 40 - 3.5 km W Luba (0-50m)

Species 41 - 3.5 km W Luba (0-50m)

Species 42 - 3.5 km W Luba (0-50m)

Species 43 - Arena Blanca (0-50m)

Species 44 - Arena Blanca (0-50m)

Species 45 - 5 km W Luba (0-50m)

Selected references on the Afrotropical salticid fauna:

Jackson, R.R., 1985. A web building jumping spider Portia fimbriata. Scientific Amer., 253(3): 102--115.

Wanless, F.R., 1978. A revision of the spider genus Portia (Araneae: Salticidae). Bull. Br. Mus. Nat. Hist. (Zool.), 34(3): 83--124.

Wanless, F.R., 1978. A revision of the spider genera Belippo and Myrmarachne (Araneae, Salticidae) in the Ethiopian region. Bull. Br. Mus. Nat. Hist. (Zool.), 33(1): 1--139.

Wanless, F.R., 1979. A revision of the spider genus Brettus (Araneae: Salticidae). Bull. Br. Mus. Nat. Hist. (Zool.), 35(2): 183--190.

Wanless, F.R., 1980, A revision of the spider genus Macopaeus (Araneae: Salticidae). Bull. Br. Mus. Nat. Hist. (Zool.), 38(4): 219--223.

Wanless, F.R., 1980. A revision of the spider genus Onomastus (Araneae: Salticidae). Bull. Br. Mus. Nat. Hist. (Zool.), 39(3): 179--188.

Wanless, F.R., 1980. A revision of the spider genera Asemonea and Pandisus (Araneae: Salticidae). Bull. Br. Mus. Nat. Hist. (Zool.), 39(4): 213--257.

Wanless, F.R., 1984. A review of the spider subfamily Spartaeinae no+m. n. (Araneae: Salticidae), with descriptions of six new genera. Bull. Br. Mus. Nat. Hist. (Zool.), 46(2): 135--205.

Wesolowska, W., 1986. A revision of the genus Heliophanus C. L. Koch, 1833 (Aranei: Salticidae). Ann. Zool. (Warsaw), 40(1): 1--254.

Wesolowska, W., 1989. Notes on the Salticidae (Aranei) of the Cape Verde Islands. Ann. Mus. Civ. Stor. Nat. Genova, 87: 263--273.

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SPIDERS

by Charles E. Griswold

Cyatholipidae

The cyatholipid spiders are today restricted to the southern hemisphere, occurring in Africa, Australia, Madagascar, and New Zealand. In the Afrotropical Region the family fits an Afromontane biogeographic pattern. Two species were collected on Bioko, each of which also occurs on nearby Mt. Cameroon. Buibui kankamelos, n. sp., was collected on Pico Basilé at 1750 m. This species is otherwise known from Mt. Cameroon. Buibui, the new genus to which it belongs, also occurs in the mountains of eastern Africa (Ethiopia, Tanzania, Kenya, and Congo Kinshasa). This species suggests affinities between Bioko plus Cameroon with the montane forests of East Africa. The other species collected was Wanzia fako Griswold 1998, which was taken at Moca at 1500 m. This species otherwise occurs on Mt. Cameroon, Mt. Kupe, and in the Bamenda highlands of Cameroon. Wanzia is sister group of genera that occur in the montane forests of East Africa (Isicabu and Scharffia) and Madagascar (Alaranea).

Migidae

Several individuals of Moggridgea anactenidia Griswold 1987, which also occurs in Cameroon, were collected on Bioko from one-door trap door nests in tree trunks at Moca at 1300-1400m. Moggridgea anactenidia is the sister species of Moggridgea verruculata Griswold 1987, which occurs in the highlands along the southern Congo basin. Sister species of these in turn is Moggridgea microps Hewitt 1915 that occurs along the Indian Ocean coast from South Africa to Kenya. The microps group of three species is sister group of the quercina group that occurs in the southern Cape region of South Africa. Moggridgea is unusual among afromontane arthropods in having been collected in the southern Congo Basin highlands. I think that this is an artifact of poor collecting in this area, and it is likely that the relationship between the western African and eastern African montane arthropod faunas includes a west Africa-southern Congo highland component.

Phyxelididae

This family is the dominant group of cribellate web-building spiders in cool-temperate forests of eastern and southern Africa and Madagascar, comprising 52 species in 11 genera (Griswold, C. 1990. A revision and phylogenetic analysis of the spider subfamily Phyxelidinae (Araneae, Amaurobiidae). Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History, 196: 1-206.). Two additional species occur in Southeast Asia. Phyxelidids were not collected in Bioko although one of the field participants (Ubick) has experience collecting this family in Madagascar and Tanzania. Phyxelidids were also not collected on a previous expedition to Cameroon. Habitat in both localities seems ideal for phyxelidids. Therefore, phyxelidids appear absent from west Africa. This absence is inexplicable at this time.

Zorocratidae

This recently characterized family comprises three genera and 8 described species in the Afrotropical Region (many new species are to be described) and additional genera in South America and Sri Lanka.. The one species collected is also found on Mt. Cameroon. Raecius zoropsides (Strand 1915) was collected at Pico Basilé (1750m), Moca (1300-1400m), and Moca (1500m). Other Raecius species occur in Ivory Coast, Congo-Kinshasa, Ethiopia and Tanzania, and the sister genus, Zorodictyna, occurs in Madagascar. No cladistic analysis for this family has been completed.

THE SPIDERS OF BIOKO - SUMMARY

The spider fauna of Bioko is rich, well-balanced, and shows close affinities to the nearby mainland of Cameroon. All target groups studied (Cyatholipidae, Migidae, and Zorocratidae) are represented on Bioko by species that also occur in Cameroon. Bioko harbors an island biota only in that it is home to a typical montane rainforest arthropod fauna. Bioko's fauna is neither impoverished nor does it conspicuously lack groups present on the mainland. The richness and balance of Bioko's spider fauna is apparent in comparison to that of nearby Mt. Cameroon, which is similar in age and habitat diversity. In a 1992 study of Mt. Cameroon spiders (Coddington, J. Griswold, C., Wanzie, C., Hormiga, G. and Larcher, S. 1992. Estimates of spider species richness on Mount Cameroon, West Africa. Unpublished Technical Report to the Institute of Zootechnical Research, Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Yaound(, Cameroon) two sites (Etinde, 500m, and Mann's Spring, 2200m) were sampled for 50 person-days. A total of 286 spider species were collected. By comparison, 42 person-days of sampling over a similar elevation range on Bioko netted 372 spider species. The Cameroon study was conducted in the dry season, while the Bioko study was conducted in the wet season, so the studies are not completely comparable, but the richness of the Bioko fauna is undeniable.

Although the data (spider specimens) were not collected in a way that allows statistical comparison of sites, some rough comparison of sites on Bioko is possible. When compared in terms of species collected by person-days of effort, sites 3 (Pico Basil(, ca.700m, 30.5 spp./pd), 7 (3.5 km W Luba, 0-50 m, 95 spp./pd) and (Arena Blanca: 0-50m, 38 spp./pd) stand out. Sites 7 and 8 are disturbed lowland forest sites, while site 3 is mid-elevation forest. A substantial number of species span low-high elevation range, e.g. several species of Araneidae and Tetragnathidae. There is also a rich fauna of species that are restricted to montane habitats (i.e., above 1300 m). Many Linyphiidae, Hahniidae, Dictynidae, and some Theridiidae and Corinnidae occur only at high elevation. All members of the afromontane target taxa (Cyatholipidae, Migidae, and Zorocratidae) are also restricted to elevations above 1300m. The spider fauna of Bioko is equivalent in richness and diversity to nearby mainland Cameroon.