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Diversity of Spiders and Seasonal Variation Surrounding “Madosilli
Waterfall” Sarangarh-Bilaigarh District, Chhattisgarh, India.
Anita Pandey, Dr. V. M. Agrawal
Assistant Professor, Kirodimal Govt. Arts and Science College, Raigarh, Chhattisgarh, India. Govt. Navin college,
Barpali, Korba, Chhattisgarh, India.
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.51244/IJRSI.2025.1210000191
Received: 21 October 2025; Accepted: 25 October 2025; Published: 14 November 2025
ABSTRACT
Spiders, classified as invertebrates, belong to the phylum Arthropoda, class Arachnida, and order Araneae. A
study was conducted from March 2024 to February 2025 to investigate spider diversity in Madosilli Waterfall
the Sarangarh-Bilaigarh District, Chhattisgarh. The primary objective of this survey was to assess the existing
spider diversity and seasonal variation within the designated study area. A comprehensive survey of Madosilli
Waterfall documented a total of 32 species belonging to28 genera and 12 families. The family Araneidae was
the most diverse, with 8 species identified, followed by Salticidae with 7 species. Oxyopidae was represented
by 3 species. The families Gnaphosidae, Hersiliidae, Lycosidae, Pholcidae, Sparassidae, Tetragnathidae, and
Thomisidae each contributed 2 species to the surveyed fauna, Agelenidae and Theridiidae were represented by
a single species each. Seasonal variability is generally highest in post-monsoon (n=31), followed by the monsoon
season(n=27), followed by the winter(n=25) season and lowest in the pre-monsoon season(n=14). This research
provides relevant and up-to-date data on spider species and sessional variation within the specified region,
offering a potentially valuable dataset for future investigations of spider fauna.
.Key Words- Spider Diversity, Madosilli Waterfall, Araneae, Sarangarh, Seasonal Variability
Objectives: This study was conducted with the primary objectives of:
1. Developing a comprehensive checklist of spider species identified at the “Madosilli waterfall”
2. Assessing the seasonal variation in spider species surrounding the “Madosilli waterfall”.
INTRODUCTION
Spiders are compelling creatures; this has been a significant point of interest for archaeologists and the public.
Araneae constitutes the most extensive order within the class Arachnida and the phylum Arthropoda. A
distinctive characteristic of spiders within the Arachnid class is the presence of spinnerets. The fossil record
indicates that spiders are ancient organisms, with their origins dating back to the Devonian period approximately
380 million years ago (Shear et al., 1989). Spiders are valuable bioindicators and contribute to pest control,
exhibiting sensitivity to subtle alterations in habitat structure, vegetation density, and environmental conditions
(Utez, 1991). Current estimates suggest that the global spider population comprises 52,168 species, classified
into 504 genera and 62 families (Caleb & Sankaran, 2024). Singh (2023) provides a comprehensive account of
Indian spiders, documenting 2,110 species across 527 genera and 55 families. Furthermore, a survey of
Chhattisgarh revealed the presence of 222 spider species, classified into 96 genera within 23 families. Spiders
constitute a significant component of terrestrial ecosystems as abundant insectivorous predators (Nyffeler &
Benz, 1987; Wise, 1993). Certain arachnid species have demonstrated adaptive capabilities that enable them to
thrive in niche habitats and exhibit varied ways of foraging, either by spinning orb webs, net-cast, single dragline
snare, sticky blobs, trapdoors and ambushing Spiders play a significant role in integrated pest management by
preying on agriculturally damaging insects (Reichert and Lockley, 1984). They also serve as a valuable food
resource for various avian species, including bark-gleaning birds (Peterson et al., 1989). Furthermore, spider silk
is a remarkable biomaterial possessing diverse applications and desirable properties,
This research aims to documentation the spider species and sessional variation found in the Madosilli Waterfall
District, Sarangarh-Bilaigarh, Chhattisgarh, India, Madosilli Waterfall is located in the Khamarpali village that
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comes under the Barmkela tahsil. it is located 30 kilometres from the district headquarters, Sarangarh-Bilaigarh,
150 kilometres from the state Capital Raipur. The waterfall is located within a forest area under the Barmkela
forest division. Notably, the waterfall is bordered by hills on two sides, covered in dense, verdant forests, creating
a charming scene, particularly during the monsoon season. The waterfall's flow promotes a sense of inner peace
and stability. The area's medium-altitude hills and diverse flora make the autumn season especially beautiful and
attractive and calm summer. Waterfall presents a diverse ecological environment, encompassing dense Sal and
teak forests alongside grasslands featuring medicinal flora and indigenous grasses. This relatively unexplored
region of Chhattisgarh is characterized by its abundant tropical dry deciduous forests, riverine ecosystems, and
verdant green spaces. Interspersed with hill stream.
METHODOLOGY
Study Area
The present study was conducted surrounding Madosilli waterfall, located in Baramkela tahsil, Sarangarh–
Bilaigarh district, Chhattisgarh, India. The geographical coordinates of this area are 21° 33' 57.5316'' N and 83°
15' 54.7128'' E. and the elevation is 220 m (712 ft). The waterfall features diverse vegetation and low hills,
characterized by deciduous flora such as Phyllanthus emblica, Terminalia, Pterocarpus marsupium, Saccharum
spontaneum, Terminalia chebula, Acacia, Terminalia bellerica, and Pongamia pinnata, Azadirachta indica, Aegle
marmelos, Neolamarckia cadamba, Mangifera indica, Syzygium cumini, Psidium guajava. This vegetation,
dense and calm forest, supports the diversity of spiders and other organisms.
Landscape of Madosilli Waterfall a. post-monsoon b. Winters Season
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Climate Of Study Area- Climate significantly influences spider species diversity and seasonal abundance.
Sarangarh is situated at an elevation of 231.33 meters (758.96 feet) above sea level. Sarangarh receives
approximately 46.69 mm. (1.84 inches) of precipitation annually, with rainfall occurring on an average of 34.92
days per year (9.57% of the time). The district has an average annual temperature of 30.28ºC (86.5ºF), which is
4.31% higher than the average temperature for India. Sarangarh receives approximately 46.69 millimeter (1.84
inches) of precipitation annually, with rainfall occurring on an average of 34.92 days per year (9.57% of the
time).
Sampling Method
A study of spider diversity and seasonal dynamics was conducted at Madosilli Waterfall in the Sarangarh-
Bilaigarh district, Chhattisgarh, from March 2024 to February 2025. Data were collected over a one-year period.
Data collection spanned Four seasons like pre-monsoon (March-May), monsoon (June-September), post-
monsoon (October-November), and winter (December-February). Seasonal classifications followed the
definitions of Saikia and Saikia (2015). Depending on the nature of habitats, different methods were adopted for
collecting specimens followed by Tikader (1976e & 1987) and Barrion & Litsinger (1995).
The following methods were employed for spider collection:
a. Ground-Hand Collection: Spiders observed on the ground surface were collected manually.
b. Aerial Hand Collection: Web-building and free-living spiders were manually collected from foliage,
herbaceous plants, living or dead shrub stems, and tree bark.
c. Active Visual Surveys: Spiders were visually surveyed and collected from various ground, underground,
and above-ground microhabitats, including grassland, plant branches, bark, folded leaves, and rock surfaces, in
a collection. into a vial.
d. inverted umbrella or beat sheet method-The beating or inverted umbrella method was employed, whereby
an inverted umbrella was positioned beneath a plant branch, which was subsequently shaken vigorously. Spiders
inhabiting the plant's aerial components (leaves, stem, and inflorescence) were dislodged into the umbrella and
collected in sterile plastic vials. Following photographic documentation and enumeration, the spiders were
released back into their native habitat.
Photography And Identification-
All the spiders that were seen were photographed using a DSLR camera and Vivo Mobile app. Following
photographic documentation, collected spiders were released back into their natural habitats. Dead specimens
were preserved in 70% ethanol. Collected specimen, date and location were recorded, and morphological
features were clearly observed and documented. The identification of spiders was conducted with reference to
Tikader & Malhotra (1980), Tikader & Biswas (1981), Barrion & Litsinger (1995), Gajbe (2008c), Sebastian &
Peter (2009), and WSC (2025).
Table 1. Spider Checklist and Sessional Variation of “Madosilli Waterfall” District, Sarangarh-
Bilaigarh, Chhattisgarh India -
S.N.
Family/ Genus
No. of
Species
Species Name
Pre-
monsoon
(March-
May),
Monsoon
(June-
September),
Post-
monsoon
(October-
November),
Winter
(December-
February).
1.
Agelenidae C.L. Koch, 1837/ Agelena C. A. Walckenaer 1805
1.
Agelena
orientalis C. L.
Koch, 1837
-
-
+
+
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2
Araneidae Clerck, 1757
Argiope
Savigny,
1825
2
Argiope aemula
(Female)
(Walckenaer,
1842)
+
+
+
+
3
Argiope
anasuja Thorell,
1887
+
+
+
+
4.
Argiope
pulchella
Thorell, 1881
-
+
+
+
5
Argiope
versicolor
-
+
-
6
Argiope
catenulate
(Doleschall,
1859)[
-
+
+
-
Cyclosa Menge, 1866
Cyrtophora
Simon,
1864
7
Cyrtophora
cicatrosa
-
+
+
+
Neoscona
Simon,
1864
8
Neoscona
nautica (L.
Koch,
1875)
-
+
+
+
Nephila Leach,
1815
9.
Nephila pilipes
(Fabricius,
1793
+
+
+
+
3
. Gnaphosidae Banks, 1892
Drassodes
Westring,
1851
10
Drassodes
sagarensis
Tikader, 1982
-
+
+
4.
Hersiliidae Thorell, 1869
Hersilia
Savigny,
1825
11
Hersilia
savignyi Lucas,
1836
+
+
+
+
5.
Lycosidae
Sundevall,
1833
Arctosa C.L.
Koch,
184
12
Trochosa
humicola
-
-
+
+
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Pardosa C.L.
Koch,
1847
13
Pardosa
jabalpurensis
Gajbe
& Gajbe, 1999
-
+
+
-
6.
. Oxyopidae Thorell, 1869
Oxyopes
Latreille,
1804
14.
Oxyopes
javanus
+
+
+
+
Peucetia
Thorell, 1869
15.
Peucetia
viridana
(Stoliczka,
1869)
+
+
+
+
16
Peucetia sp.
+
+
7.
Pholcidae C.L. Koch, 1850
Holocnemus
Simon,
1873
17.
Holocnemus
pluchei
(Scopoli,
1763)
+
+
+
+
Pholcus
Walckenaer,
1805
18
Pholcus
phalangioides
(Fuesslin, 1775)
-
+
=
+
8
Salticidae Blackwall, 1841
Carrhotus
Thorell,
1891
19
Carrhotus
viduus (C.L.
Koch,
1846)
-
+
+
+
Chrysilla
Thorell,
1887
20
Chrysilla
volupe (Karsch,
1879)
-
+
+
Menemerus
Simon,
1868
21
Menemerus
bivittatus
(Dufour, 1831
+
+
+
+
22
Menemerus
nigli
Wesołowska &
Freudenschuss,
2012
+
+
+
+
Phintella
Strand, 1906
23
Phintella vittata
(C.L. Koch,
1846)
+
+
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Table 2: Seasonal Occurrence of Spiders from Madosilli.
S. No.
Season
No. of species
Seasonal index
1.
Pre-Monsoon (March-May)
14
57.73
2.
Monsoon (June-August),
27
111.34
3.
Post-Monsoon (September-November)
31
127.83
4.
Winter (December-February)
25
103.09
Average of average-= mean value =24.25
Plexippus C.L.
Koch,
1846
24
Plexippus
paykulli
(Audouin,
1825)
+
+
+
+
Telamonia
Thorell,
188
25
Telamonia
dimidiata
(Simon,
1899)
+
+
+
+
9
Sparassidae Bertkau, 1872
Heteropoda
Latreille,
1804
26
Heteropoda
venatoria
(Linnaeus, 1767
-
+
+
+
Olios
Walckenaer,
1837
27.
Olios lamarcki
(Latreille, 1806)
-
+
+
+
10
Tetragnathidae Menge, 1866
Leucauge
White, 1841
28
Leucauge
decorata
(Walckenaer,
1842)
+
+
+
+
Tetragnatha
Latreille, 1804
29
Tetragnatha
javana
+
+
+
+
11
Theridiidae Sundevall, 1833
Nesticodes
Archer,
1950
30
Nesticodes
rufipes (Lucas,
1846)
-
+
+
+
12
Thomisidae Sundevall, 1833
Misumenoides
31.
Misumenoides
sp.
+
+
+
-
Thomisus
Walckenaer,
1805
32
thomisus spe.
+
+
-
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1
8
2 2 2
3
2
7
2 2 1 2
AGELENIDAE
ARANEIDAE
GNAPHOSIDAE
HERSILIIDAE
LYCOSIDAE
. OXYOPIDAE
PHOLCIDAE
SALTICIDAE
SPARASSIDAE
TETRAGNATHIDAE
THERIDIIDAE
THOMISIDAE
FAMILY1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Family wise distribution of spider in
"Madosilli Waterfall"
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
Pre-Monsoon (March-
May)
Monsoon (June-August),
Post-Monsoon
(September-November)
Winter (December-
February)
1 2 3 4
Seasonal occurance of spider
sarraunding "Madosilli Waterfall"
1 Agelenidae
2 Araneidae
3 Gnaphosidae
4 Hersiliidae
5 Lycosidae
6 . Oxyopidae
7 Pholcidae
8 Salticidae
9 Sparassidae
10 Tetragnathidae
11 Theridiidae
12 Thomisidae
"DISTRIBUTION OF SPIDER FAMILY SRROUNDING MADOSILLY WATERFALL"
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RESULT AND DISCUSSION
A study was conducted to investigate the spider fauna across four seasons: pre-monsoon (March-May), monsoon
(June-August), post-monsoon (September -November), and winter (December-February). A waterfall survey
identified 32 spider species, encompassing 28 genera and 12 families. and the study documented 8 species within
Araneidae, 7 within Salticidae, 3 species within Oxyopidae and 2 each within Gnaphosidae, Hersiliidae,
Lycosidae, Pholcidae, Sparassidae, Tetragnathidae, Thomisidae and Agelenidae and Theridiidae were
represented by a single species each (Table 1). Araneidae was the most diverse family observed in this study.
While Araneidae and Thomisidae were both dominant spider families in Madhya Pradesh. (Singh and Sharma
2022) However, Thawkar and Ghonmode (2024) found that Salticidae is the most diverse family in the Napur
district of Maharashtra Species richness was quantified as 0.000160 per square foot.
A comprehensive checklist by Choudhary S, R. et al. (2023) catalogued 222 spider species from 23 families in
Chhattisgarh, whereas Singh et al. documented 336 spider species belonging to 136 genera and 30 families,
based on surveys conducted in 36 of the 52 districts of Madhya Pradesh. Prior research includes the work of
Ekka and Kujur (2015), who documented 118 species (52 genera, 17 families) in Ram Jharna, Raigarh district,
Chhattisgarh, and Gupta and Chandra (2016) identified 33 species (30 genera, 5 families) in Achanakmar
Wildlife Sanctuary, Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh, Furthermore, Kujur and Ekka (2016), who described 120 species (49
genera, 16 families), including 16 species within Gomarda Wildlife Sanctuary, Sarangarh, Chhattisgarh. and Sen
(2021) reported 55 species (42 genera, 11 families) in the North East Gariaband Forest Regions of Chhattisgarh.
The study demonstrated a significant seasonal variability in spider species within the designated area (Table-2).
Seasonal variability is generally highest in post-monsoon (n=31), followed by the monsoon season(n=27),
followed by the winter(n=25) season and lowest in the pre-monsoon season(n=14), Findings revealed a notable
decrease in spider diversity during the dry season, likely due to increased temperatures and reduced food
resources. The elevated diversity observed during the post-monsoon (October-November) seasons, (127.83)
attributable to optimal temperatures and ample food resources. Araneidae was the most frequently observed
family, with the highest diversity prevalence in all season, However, Anirudhan and Sudhikumar (2023) found
that most diversity in monsoon season in Thar desert. Agelenidae family was recorded during the post-monsoon
and winter season. Pholcus phalangioides species observed only winter season, Nephila pilipes represents one
of the largest spider species documented in this study, constructing substantial orb-webs that span the space
between neighbouring branch. The study indicates that propitious ecological conditions are fostering the
biodiversity of spiders within these complex habitats
CONCLUSION
Spiders represent a significant component of invertebrate fauna, with 53000 recognized species in India. The
Madosilli waterfall exhibits notable spider diversity. Recent research underscores the ecological indicator value
of spiders. This ecosystem, characterized by rich floral diversity, offers a conducive environment for spider
fauna, highlights rare and endemic species in this ecological region, proving that this ecosystem needs protection.
Conflict of interest- The authors declare no conflict of interest.
Funding information- The authors did not get any external funding.
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