Metallic-blue tarantula discovered in Meghalaya’s forests, identified as new species

What makes the species particularly distinctive is its metallic blue sheen. Pic/ Rajesh Sanap

A striking metallic-blue tarantula discovered in the forests of Meghalaya's Khasi and Garo Hills has been identified as a species new to science, underlining the state's status as one of India's richest biodiversity hotspots.

The species, named Selenocosmia meghalayensis after the state where it was found, is currently known only from Meghalaya and may be endemic to the region. The discovery has been published in the latest issue of the international taxonomic journal Faunitaxys.

The spider was documented during field surveys in East Khasi Hills and South Garo Hills by a team of arachnologists led by Rajesh Sanap of the Thackeray Wildlife Foundation, Mumbai, along with researchers Gautam Kadam (Sacred Heart College, Kochi), Tejas Thackeray, Madhumita Rajkumar (Chennai), and Yogendra Satam (Mumbai).

Describing its ecological role, arachnologist Rajesh Sanap said tarantulas act as key predators in terrestrial ecosystems, helping regulate populations of insects and other arthropods. They also serve as prey for birds, reptiles, mammals, and parasitoid wasps, and contribute to soil health through their burrowing activity and nutrient cycling.

What makes the species particularly distinctive is its metallic blue sheen. Researchers note that its legs and abdomen display an iridescent steel-blue colouration, making it one of the more visually striking tarantulas recorded in India.

Scientists explain that blue is among the rarest colours in the animal kingdom and is typically produced not by pigments but by microscopic structural features that reflect light, a phenomenon known as structural colouration.

However, researchers have also raised concerns over conservation risks. Brightly coloured tarantulas are often targeted in the exotic pet trade, with studies suggesting that nearly 25 per cent of tarantula species described since 2000 have later appeared in trade, sometimes within months of formal identification. In some cases, even undescribed species have been found circulating in markets.

Experts warn that Meghalaya's karst landscapes, already under pressure from mining and habitat disruption, could further endanger such narrowly distributed species. Many newly documented organisms in the region are known from only a few locations, increasing their vulnerability to local extinction.

As biodiversity surveys continue across the state's forests and limestone hills, researchers believe more undiscovered species may still be awaiting scientific identification.