Wolf spiders as bioindicators in a constructed wetland for wastewater treatment

Lycosidae, commonly know as wolf spiders, are a widespread family of spiders found in diverse habitats, with a particular preference for aquatic or semi-aquatic environments, such as natural wetlands. Preying primarily on invertebrates from the orders Diptera, Hymenoptera and Hemiptera, they serve as apex predators within their trophic level. These spiders have also been recognized as bioindicators in ecological assessments due to their sensitivity to habitat conditions, such as pollution levels, habitat quality and microclimate variations (Marc et al., 1999). Their predilection for semi-aquatic environments and use as bioindicators made them an important taxon for investigation in biodiversity assessments of Constructed Wetlands (CW).