A collaborative research involving the University of Kerala has reported the discovery of two new species of jumping spiders belonging to the genus Epidelaxia from the Shendurney Wildlife Sanctuary.
The new species of jumping spiders discovered in Shendurney Wildlife Sanctuary in Kollam, Kerala.
New species -Epidelaxia falciformis sp. nov. and Epidelaxia palustris sp. Nov.
Genus –Epidelaxia, 1st time the genus has been recorded from India, was previously considered endemic to Sri Lanka.
Distinction -Characterised by their striking physical features, which include a prominent yellow triangular-shaped mark on the prosoma (the front part of the body) of females and
Unique traits of the copulatory organs in both males and females.
Appearance - Males of E. falciformis have a brown carapace with a yellow-brown stripe, while males of E. palustris feature a pale brown band along the side of their bodies.
The females exhibit similar colouration, with the added feature of white orbital setae around their eyes.
Size -The species vary slightly in size, with E. falciformis measuring 4.39 mm.
E. palustris measures 4.57 mm in males and 3.69 mm in females.
Habitat -These spiders have been described as highly adapted to their environment, inhabiting the dense foliage of the Western Ghats.
