A Critical Literature-Based Checklist of Spider Diversity in Central India and Adjacent Border Districts

Abstract

Spider distribution records in central India are dispersed across taxonomic papers, regional surveys, institutional reports, and state-level checklists. This literature-based review consolidates records from Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh together with selected districts of neighbouring states that share boundaries with these two states. A structured search of scholarly databases and traceable institutional literature was conducted for publications available through 31 July 2026. Taxon names were reconciled conservatively against the World Spider Catalog, Version 27, accessed on 20 August 2026, and relevant specialist revisions. The source matrix contained 704 literature-derived taxon rows. After consolidation of duplicate accepted names and explicit retention of uncertain records, the final checklist comprised 689 records. These included 538 accepted species in 178 genera and 35 families; the complete evidence table included 39 families when genus-level, unresolved, doubtful, distributionally discordant, and excluded records were also considered. Additional categories comprised 87 genus-level records, four tentative identifications, six nomina dubia, one unavailable name, 23 unresolved historical names, 23 records requiring distributional verification, and seven unsupported or indeterminate records. Qualifying literature was available for 36 of 52 districts in Madhya Pradesh, four of 33 districts in Chhattisgarh, and 22 of 42 selected adjacent border districts. The checklist therefore provides a transparent baseline of documented occurrence rather than an estimate of standardised regional richness. The principal priorities are specimen-linked taxonomic verification and standardised, multi-season surveys in poorly represented districts.