2 new spider species found by Zoological Survey of India

Kolkata: The Zoological Survey of India announced the discovery of two spider species in the Western Ghats region, a biodiversity hotspot, in south India, A ZSI statement said the newly discovered species - Mimetus Spinatus and Mimetus Parvulus - highlight the importance of the region.

The addition of two new spiders brings the number of Mimetus species in India to three, all of which have been spotted from the southern part of the country, the surveyor said.

Speaking about the discovery, ZSI Director Dr Dhriti Banerjee said, "The Western Ghats plays a crucial role in the climatic conditions of the country and continue to surprise scientists with their high levels of endemism." The discovery was made by a research team comprising Dr Souvik Sen along with Dr Sudhin P P and Dr Pradeep M Sankaran.

Mimetus Spinatus and Mimetus Parvulus were collected from the Mookambika Wildlife Sanctuary, Karnataka and Ernakulam district of Kerala respectively.

This discovery highlights the need for continued exploration and conservation efforts in the region, which is one of the world's hottest biodiversity hotspots, she said on Saturday.

Banerjee emphasised the importance of the Western Ghats, a UNESCO World Heritage site, in preserving India's rich biodiversity.

She said this discovery assumes significance as it comes 118 years after the last Mimetus species was found in India.

"This long gap emphasises the need for more extensive surveys and research into the taxonomy and biogeography of spiders in India.

"The current findings suggest that the true diversity of Mimetus in the country remains largely unexplored, with the potential for more undiscovered species in India's least explored areas," she said. PTI SUS BDC