New data on spider fauna from Golestan province, Iran (Arachnida, Araneae)

Spiders are poorly studied in Iran, based on the latest studies the spider fauna of Iran includes 394 species in 126 genera belonging to 36 families. Considering the climatic and geographical variation of Iran, it can be assumed that Iran has a rich spider fauna compared to the adjacent countries. The present study seeks to take a new step in the ongoing active research of Iranian spider fauna. Therefore, the spider fauna of Golestan Province were studied here. The main purpose of this study is to present new data on twenty-five new faunistic records for Golestan Province. According to previous studies 90 spider species were known in Golestan. This study was conducted during a period of two years. Samplings were performed using hand collecting and pitfall traps. As a result, twenty five species were identified as new records for Golestan Province, ten of which are new records for Iran including Araneus marmoreus Clerck, 1757, Cyclosa sierra Simon, 1870, Gibbaranea sp., Singa semiatra L. Koch, 1867, Castianeira arnoldii Charitonov, 1946, Drassyllus praeficus (L. Koch, 1866), Drassodex sp., Alopecosa cf. albofasciata (Brullé, 1832), Metellina cf. mengei (Blackwall, 1870), and Parasteatoda lunata (Clerck, 1757). Furthermore, the family Corinnidae and the genus Castianeira, were recorded for the first time from Iran.