New Spider Species

About New Spider Species

• These two species (Godawan and ‘Maldhok) are named in honour of the local name of the Great Indian Bustard.
• Characteristics of these spiders
  • The spiders are particularly shy, hiding under rocks or in crevices when disturbed.
  • They are maroon in colour, a unique feature they share with the other two known species in their genus, Palpimanidae.
  • They are ground species and have heavier bodies, their ability to disperse as spiders do by ballooning, shooting their web, and traipsing from one place to another is limited.
  • They stay confined to an area.

Key facts about Great Indian Bustard

• It is mainly found in the Indian subcontinent, is the flagship grassland species of India.
• It is one of the largest flying birds in the world, and India’s heaviest flying bird.
• Distribution:
  • Its population of about 150 in Rajasthan accounts for 95% of its total world population.
  • They are mainly in Jaisalmer district of Rajasthan, including the Desert National Park which is the natural habitat of the species.
  • Grasslands of Kutch in Gujarat which is home to second-largest bustard population in India.
  • Arid regions of Maharashtra (Solapur), Karnataka (Bellary and Haveri) and Andhra Pradesh (Kurnool)
  • It is the State bird of Rajasthan.
• Conservation status
  • IUCN: Critically Endangered.
  • CITES: Appendix I
  • The Indian Wildlife (Protection)Act, 1972: Schedule I

Q1) What is CITES?

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora is an international agreement established to regulate and monitor the international trade in wildlife and plants to ensure that it does not threaten the survival of species.

Source: Two new ‘shy’ spider species found, named after Great Indian Bustard