PRELIMINARY REPORT ON THE RESULTS OF INVESTIGATION ON THE CAVE SPIDER FAUNA IN THE FRAME OF INTERNATIONAL SPELEOLOGICAL EXPEDITION TO MOUNTAIN HEKURAVE, SOUTH SLOPES OF PROKLETIJE, ALBANIA

Pubblicato sul n. 57 di PROGRESSIONE – Anno 2010

INTRODUCTION

Investigation of cave fauna can be very important scientifically because caves are very specialized environments, and animals which occur there are often correspondingly specialized, exhibiting adaptations which give scientists valuable and often unique insights into evolution, climatic change and ecology.
Albania from arachnological point of view is the least investigated country not only in the Balkan, but also in all Europe. Until now, there is no publishing data about cave spiders from the country, but this is more of an indication of lack of research than that the caves are unimportant biologically. The present study gives the first preliminary results of spider fauna in caves in Albania and provides basis for further studies.

 MATERIALS AND METHODS

The main purpose of the expedition, which took place from 15-30 august 2010 was to undertake speleological studies in the region of mountain Hekurave, in the valleys of villages Qerec-Mulaj and Curaj i Eperm, south slopes of massif Prokletije, to explore and map new caves and abysses with the relevant documentation (description, photo documentation, GPS-coordinates, etc.).  In the frame of expedition were perform biospeleological studies as well.  During the expedition, important series of cave and external fauna from different groups (Araneae, Opiliones, Isopoda, Coleoptera, etc.) were collected. Most of them are still under study by foreign specialists, so, here I will try to make a review of the determined spiders collected in the caves only.
The spiders were collected by hand and preserved in 70% alcohol. The material is deposited in the collection of the author.
Table 1. List of spiders collected in caves in the study area.

N0	Family	Species	Cave Zezë	Cave Nëngurit	Cave Lumit	Cave Mark	Category
1.	LEPTONETIDAE	Sulcia sp.	*	*			tph
2.	PHOLCIDAE	Stygopholcus sp.	*	*			tph
3.	DYSDERIDAE	Folkia sp.		*			tbb
4.	LINYPHIIDAE	Astenargus bracianus			*		thx
5.	LINYPHIIDAE	Diplocephalus sp.			*		thx
6.	LINYPHIIDAE	Drapestica socialis			*		thx
7.	LINYPHIIDAE	Leptyphantes leprosus	*		*		thx
8.	LINYPHIIDAE	Micrargus herbigradus			*		thx
9.	LINYPHIIDAE	Porrhomma convexum			*		tph
10.	LINYPHIIDAE	Troglohyphantes sp.		*		*	tph
11.	TETRAGNATHIDAE	Meta menardi		*			tph
12.	TETRAGNATHIDAE	Metellina merianae	*				tph
13.	AGELENIDAE	Histopona sp.	*				tph

thx – trogloxen; tph – troglophile; tbb – troglobite blin

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

A total of 13 species of spiders belonging to 13 genera and 6 families were collected during the study (Table 1). Some species are determined to genus level only and for precisely determination, comparative material of close related species is required.  There is some indication that some of them can represent a species new to the science.
Cave-dwelling animals can be divided to three ecological groups: troglobites – species that must spend their entire life cycle in a cave; troglophiles – species which can live their entire lives in caves, but which also occur in other environment outside caves; and trogloxenes (including accidentals) – species which utilize caves, but must leave the caves to complete their life cycle (bats, bears, crickets..). According to that definition, from the total number of recorded species, 5 species are trogloxenes, 7 species are troglophiles and only one species is true troglobite (Folkia sp., which is completely blind and it was taken in the deepest part of the cave). Discovery of this species is even more important because it represent the first troglobite spider for the Albanian fauna.
Because these are still preliminary results we cannot discus yet about correlations, endemism, affinity and similarity with other regional faunas. But taking into account the unique geographic position of the country as a bridge between Europe and Asia Minor, a much higher species diversity is expected, especially when the investigations are laid on a systematic ground. Thus, although further research is needed to determine the actual distribution of these species the brief notes above should emphasize the need for adequate exploration of cave areas.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would like to express the deepest thanks to all members of the caving societies Commissione Grotte “Eugenio Boegan”, Trieste and Gruppo Speleologico Faentino, Faenza and especially to their presidents Louis Torelli and Ivano Fabbri respectively, for giving me the opportunity to take part in this expedition.
       MARJAN KOMNENOV EXPLORING SOCIETY “URSUS SPELEOS”, SKOPJE, REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA