What is Asceua tertia?

About Asceua tertia:

• It is a new species of ground-dwelling spider discovered from the Shendurney Wildlife Sanctuary, which forms part of the Western Ghats.
• It is the third species of the genus Asceua to be documented in India, the others being Asceua cingulata (Simon, 1905) and Asceua thrippalurensis (Sankaran, 2023). 
• This genus belongs to the ant-eating spider family Zodariidae and is distinguished by its small size, laterally compressed bulbs, well-developed cymbial folds, long and convoluted copulatory ducts, and dual femoral glands.
• Features of Asceua tertia:
  • The size ranges from 2.54 mm in males to 3.2 mm in females. 
  • The males of the species have a yellow-brown prosoma with creamy white to yellow-brown leg and palp segments featuring broad brown patches and narrow longitudinal stripes.
  • The abdomen displays three pairs of narrow, creamy white stripes arranged obliquely, a white dot near the rear, and numerous tiny creamy white spots on the sides.
  • The females have a dark brown prosoma and a wide, oval abdomen with four pairs of creamy white stripes, along with small anterior and broad posterior creamy white patches on the sides. 

Key Facts about Shendurney Wildlife Sanctuary:

• It is a protected area located in the Western Ghats of India, in the Kollam district of Kerala.
• This sanctuary derives its name from Chenkurinji (Gluta travancorica), a tree species endemic to this region.
• It comes under the control of the Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve.
• Flora: Tropical evergreen and semi-evergreen forests cover a major area of the sanctuary.
• Fauna: Includes tigers, gaurs, elephants, sambar deers, sloth bears, Malabar Raven, Malabar banded swallowtail, Red-disc Bushbrown, etc.

Q1: What are Tropical evergreen forests?

These are a type of terrestrial biome characterized by high annual rainfall, warm temperatures, and lush, dense vegetation. These forests are found near the equator in tropical regions, primarily between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn. They are incredibly biodiverse ecosystems and play a crucial role in the global carbon and water cycles.

Source: New ground-dwelling spider species discovered in Western Ghats