A faunistic and zoogeographical review of the spiders (Araneae) of the Balkan Peninsula

The Balkan Peninsula is home to 1409 species, included in 337 genera and 47 families. This number was established after a critical review of the existing literature and taxonomic revision of some available collections containing spider material from this region. The highest number of species is recorded for the territories of Bulgaria (775), Greece (642), Croatia (615) and Serbia (508). This biodiversity depends not only on the size of the regions, but also on the degree of exploration by researchers. The territories of Albania, Turkey, Montenegro and Bosnia are less well investigated. According to their current distribution, the established 1409 species can be classified into 24 zoogeograpical categories, grouped into four complexes (widely distributed, European, Balkan endemics, and Mediterranean). The largest number of species belongs to the widely distributed complex, but the most characteristic are the Balkan endemics. Their established number (379 species) is high and reflects the local character of the fauna. This phenomenon can be attributed to the relative isolation of the mountains compared with the lowlands, in the context of paleo-environmental changes since Pliocene. Their high percentage (26.9%) suggests an important process of autochtonous speciation. Thus, the Balkan Peninsula can be considered as a main center of speciation for the European araneofauna.