Identification of Pardosa genus (Araneae: Lycosidae) with DNA barcode analyses

In this study, spiders of the genus Pardosa (Aranae: Lycosidae) collected from 9 locations (Şahinbey, Şehitkâmil, Nizip, Oğuzeli, Karkamış, Yavuzeli, Araban, Nurdağı, İslahiye) in Gaziantep province were characterized using morphological and molecular methods. Between the months of February-September 2014, 78 samples were analyzed. On the basis of morphological study of only the adult individuals, 4 species (Pardosa proxima (C.L.Koch, 1847), P. tatarica (Thorell, 1875), P. italica Tongiorgi, 1966, P. birmanic Simon, 1884) were identified. Molecular analysis of the barcode region of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) gene in both adult and juvenile specimens was carried out and revealed the same species. The morphological and molecular data were consistent with each other. As a result of this study, Pardosa birmanica was newly registered to the Turkey spider inventory. This is the first time that morphological analysis has been combined with DNA barcoding for spiders in Turkey.