الفهرس 
APPROVL SHEET
MATERIALS AND METHODSOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
Spiders are a vital component of most terrestrial ecosystems. They are good candidates for bio-indicator, inhabiting all kinds of terrestrial ecosystems. Spider populations are a reliable source of information about the habitats healthiness, because of their sensitivity to environmental situations. The worldwide spider fauna is still incompletely known. Elba protected area has characteristic geographic and topographic feature which create a very special fauna and flora. Therefore, the main objective of this study was to investigate spiders inhabiting Elba protectorate in Egypt. The study aimed to identify the collected spiders, introduce an identification key for the recorded spiders, make a horizontal survey at different sites along Elba in order to study the horizontal distribution of the different recorded species of spiders, study the changes of spider community in Wadi Mesah and study the effects of some ecological factors including (Air temperature (oC) and soil temperature (oC) Soil pH, air relative humidity and wind velocity) on the abundance of the collected species. To perform these aims, different sampling techniques were applied to collect most of spider families at different investigated sites. Specimens of spiders were collected randomly from sixteen sites along Elba protectorate. Wadi Mesah was chosen for quantitative sampling and studying the effect of ecological factors on spider abundance and distribution. The study reveled the main following results: Fifty one species were recorded from 16 different sites. They belonged to 40 genera and 21 families (Agelenidae, Araneidae, Dictynidae, Eresidae, Filistatidae, Gnaphosidae, Hersiliidae, Linyphiidae, Liocranidae, Lycosidae, Miturgidae, Oecobiidae, Oxyopidae, Pholcidae, Philodromidae, Prodidomidae, Salticidae, Sparassidae, Theridiidae, Thomisidae and Uloboridae). The study revealed that the total numbers of spider’s families inabitting Elba became 22 which represent 55% of Egyptian families of spider. Families Agelenidae, Dictynidae, Linyphiidae, Liocranidae, Prodidomidae and Uloboridae were recorded for the first time at Elba. The recorded families were briefly descripted. The euodominant spiders at Elba were Thomisus sp, Pterotricha sp., Thomisus spinifer and Salticidae Juveniles. Pictorial identifiation key to spiders of Elba protectorate is presented. The collected spiders showed different distribution at Elba protectorate investigated sites according to microhabitat structures and weathering factors. Fifteen spider’s species were recorded at Wadi Mesah. The composition of spider community at this wadi ranged between 5 to 8 species of spiders. The seasonal variations of spider’s abundance at Wadi Mesah were not statistically significant.