Mimetus spinatus and Mimetus parvulus

About Mimetus spinatus and Mimetus parvulus:

• They are two new species of spiders discovered from the southern Western Ghats, a biodiversity hotspot.
• Mimetus spinatus and Mimetus parvulus were collected from the Mookambika Wildlife Sanctuary, Karnataka, and Ernakulam district of Kerala, respectively.
• Features:
  • Both species belong to the spider family Mimetidae, commonly known as pirate or cannibal spiders due to their unique predatory behaviour.
  • These spiders infiltrate the webs of other spiders, mimicking the vibrations ofprey or mates to deceive and kill the host spider.
  • Mimetus spinatus is characterised by its medium size, pale yellow head, and dull grey-white abdomen, with scattered light green mottling. It possesses long, black, flattened spine-like hairs on the dorsal head, which inspired its name.
  • In contrast, Mimetus parvulus is distinguished by its pale creamy-rose head with dense grey-black mottling and a triangular-shaped, dull grey-white abdomen.
• The discoverymarks the report of the genus Mimetus after 118 years of the discovery of the last Mimetus species (i.e. Mimetus indicus) from India.

The addition of two new species bringsthe number of Mimetus species in India to three, all of which were spotted from the southern part of the country.

Q1: What is the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI)?

The Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) was established on 1st July, 1916 to promote survey, exploration and research leading to the advancement in our knowledge of various aspects of exceptionally rich life of the erstwhile British Indian Empire . The survey has its genesis in the establishment of the Zoological Section of the Indian Museum at Calcutta in 1875.

Source: ZSI discovers 2 new spider species from Western Ghats