Arthropod Diversity in Horticultural Ecosystems in Keelaiyur Block, Nagapattinam District, Tamil Nadu

Study was conducted to find the arthropod diversity in horticultural ecosystems especially in vegetable crops, fruit crops, and flower crops. Spiders were collected following standard techniques and identified. From the collection, eighteen species under eleven families were identified i.e., Salticidae: Plexippus paykulli, P. chandraseharani, P. petersi, Telamonia dimidiata; Oxyopidae: Oxyopes birmanicus, O. salticus, O. shweta; Sparassidae: Palystes castaneus, Olios milleti; Hersilidae: Hersilia sp., H. savignyi; Araneidae: Neoscona rumpfi; Erisidae: Steogodyphus sarasinorum; Lycosidae: Pardosa pseudoannulata; Theraphosidae: Poecilotheria striata; Thomisidae: Oxytate virens; Philodromidae: Philodromus sp; Pisauridae: Dolomedes tenebrosus. Shannon diversity index was maximum (1.18) in vegetables during April to July and minimum diversity was observed during May (1.04) in flowering crops.