NEW FAUNISTIC DATA ON THE CAVE-DWELLING SPIDERS IN THE BALKAN PENINSULA (ARANEAE)

The contribution summarizes previously unpublished data and adds records of newly collected cave-dwelling spiders from the Balkan Peninsula. New data on the distribution of 91 species from 16 families, found in 157 (27 newly established) underground sites (caves and artificial galleries) are reported due to 337 original records. Twelve species are new to the spider fauna of the caves of the Balkan Peninsula. The species Histopona palaeolithica (Brignoli, 1971) and Hoplopholcus longipes (Spassky, 1934) are reported for the first time for the territory of Balkan Peninsula, Centromerus cavernarum (L. Koch, 1872), Diplocephalus foraminifer (O.P.-Cambridge, 1875) and Lepthyphantes notabilis Kulczynski, 1887 are new for the fauna of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cataleptoneta detriticola Deltshev & Li, 2013 is new for the fauna of Greece, Asthenargus bracianus Miller, 1938 and Centromerus europaeus (Simon, 1911) are new for the fauna of Montenegro and Syedra gracilis (Menge, 1869) is new for the fauna of Turkey. Seventy two new species records are announced for 47 caves with known spider fauna. Thus, the number of spiders established in the Balkan caves was increased up to 410 species.