ZSI scientists discover two new species of jumping spiders in Meghalaya

Scientists at the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) have discovered two new species of jumping spiders in Meghalaya. The discovery, according to the researchers reaffirms Northeast India’s status as a critical part of the Indo-Burma mega biodiversity hotspot.

The newly-discovered species namely Asemonea dentis and Colyttus nongwar, belong to the Salticidae family, or “jumping spiders,” which are renowned for their exceptional vision, quick reflexes, and unique predatory behaviour of stalking and pouncing on prey rather than spinning webs. As elaborated by the researchers, the Asemonea dentis marks only the third Indian representative of the genus Asemonea, which is typically small and underexplored in the country. The species is named as ‘dentis’ due to a distinctive tooth-like projection observed on the male’s palpal femur, a key identification feature. Males feature a greenish-brown body with a V-shaped pale-yellow abdominal marking, while females are creamy white with black patterns.

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In the case of Colyttus nongwar, it represents the second species of the poorly known Oriental genus Colyttus to be discovered in India. The jumping spiders of this species have been named after Nongwar village, the specific location in Meghalaya where it was found. According to the scientists of the ZSI, both sexes of this species share an oval reddish-brown carapace and a light-brown abdomen marked by a creamy-white band in front and five chevron-shaped white patches toward the rear. “These discoveries are just a glimpse of the exceptional biodiversity of Northeast India,” said Dr. Souvik Sen, who led the research team alongside Dr. Sudhin P. P. “Very few systematic surveys have been carried out here, and many more species are undoubtedly waiting to be found,” he added.

Asserting the broader implications of the discovery, Dr. Dhriti Banerjee, Director of the Zoological Survey of India, said, “Findings like these underscores the need for more extensive surveys, especially in the Northeast, to document India’s vast and unique natural heritage. Meghalaya’s forests, sacred groves, and cliffs are irreplaceable ecological assets.”