New Spider Species:
Two new species of litter-dwelling jumping spiders from the evergreen forests of the southern Western Ghats have been found by researchers from Christ College, Irinjalakuda.
- The newly discovered species, Habrocestum swaminathan and Habrocestum benjamin, which have been added to the illustrious roster of the genus Habrocestum.
- These spider species are the unsung heroes of natural pest control and vital indicators of ecosystem health.
- Habrocestum swaminathan was discovered from the banks of the river Kunthi and was named after M.S. Swaminathan, considering his contributions to the science field and his efforts on the conservation of Silent Valley, from where the Kunthi river originates.
- Habrocestum benjamin was collected from Thusharagiri, one of the foothills of the Nilgiri biosphere reserve.
- These spiders are attractive with beautiful colour patches and were spotted near the Thusharagiri waterfalls, a busy tourist destination.
- This species was named after Suresh P. Benjamin, a Sri Lanka-based jumping spider specialist.
