The faunistic studies on spiders (Araneae) of the Ihlara Vadisi (Aksaray) district

This study was carried out in May, August and October, in 2022 and 2023, with field studies carried out on the Ihlara Valley in Güzelyurt district of Aksaray province. As a result of the research; 170 (81♀, 44♂, 45 juvenile) spider specimens were collected during field studies at designated points. Spider samples were examined systematically and ecologically, the morphologies of the species were described, information about the examined materials, synonyms and geographical distribution were given. The copulatory organ (palp) of male individuals and the external genital organ (epigyne) of female individuals were examined, species descriptions were made and photographs were included. As a result of the laboratory study, 39 genera and 45 species belonging to 19 spider families were identified. Among the spider species detected, 2 species are new records for the spider fauna of Turkey: These are, Zelotes eugenei (Kovblyuk, 2009) (Gnaphosidae) and Leviellus kochi (Thorell, 1870) (Phonognathidae). It is a new locality record for the spider fauna of Turkey for the species Clubiona frutetorum (L. Koch, 1867) (Clubionidae). The new record of Leviellus kochi (Thorell, 1870) and the new locality record of Clubiona frutetorum (L. Koch, 1867) have been published.