A Checklist of the Arachnids from the Gulf of Guinea Islands (Excluding Ticks and Mites)

Abstract

AbstractWhile historic efforts to document the arachnofauna of the Gulf of Guinea islands have primarily been the result of fortuitous collecting by non-specialists, recent efforts have been made to provide a more thorough documentation using systematic, targeted collecting methods. Results from those preliminary efforts indicate that the current formal scientific knowledge of the fauna is significantly underreported. Here, we present the first checklist of all arachnid species, excluding mites and ticks, for the Gulf of Guinea islands. We hope that this will serve as a guide to begin the immense work of documenting the true diversity represented in this unique archipelago.