Aarey study uncovers two new jumping spider species

Langelurillus lacteus female. PICS/BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

The city's green lung - Aarey Milk Colony - has once again proven its ecological significance, this time by helping scientists unlock new details about a little-known group of jumping spiders. A recent study published in ‘Zootaxa' described two new species of ground-dwelling jumping spiders from India, while also documenting, for the first time, the female forms of two species earlier discovered in Aarey.

Langelurillus onyx female

Mumbai-based wildlife researchers Tejas Thackeray and Rajesh Sanap from the Thackeray Wildlife Foundation (TWF), along with Rishikesh Tripathi, John TD Caleb, Hemlata Koli, Vijay Kumar Koli, and Anjana Intodia, are part of the scientific publication. The study reinforces the ecological importance of Aarey, a contested but biodiversity-rich area that continues to surprise researchers with new discoveries hidden in plain sight.

About the research

Langeurillus udaipurensis male - species discovered in Rajasthan

The research focuses on the genus Langelurillus - a group of tiny jumping spiders largely found in Africa and parts of India. In the Indian context, this genus has remained poorly studied, with only a handful of species recorded so far.

India habitat

Langelurillus sahyadri female, and male, found in Maharashtra

>> Western Ghats: Langelurillus sahyadri was discovered in Kathi village in Satara district of Maharashtra. The species derives its name from the Sahyadri ranges of the Western Ghats, where it was found inhabiting shaded forest paths covered in dry leaf litter.

>> Rajasthan: Langelurillus udaipurensis - was identified from Rajasthan's Sajjangarh Wildlife Sanctuary. Researchers observed the spider actively moving over rocky terrain in forested areas, indicating its adaptation to dry, rugged habitats.

>> Mumbai: The study sheds light on Langelurillus lacteus and Langelurillus onyx - two species first recorded in 2017 from Aarey. Until now, only the male spiders were known.

Researcher Speak

Rajesh Sanap, wildlife researcher, TWF
‘These findings highlight how much remains to be discovered about India's smaller fauna. Despite recent additions, the diversity of this group of spiders is still considered underestimated, with many more species likely awaiting discovery.'