A new species of jumping spider, Carrhotus piperus, has been identified in the lower Palani Hills of Tamil Nadu.
This discovery yet again highlights the region’s rich biodiversity and brings the number of known Carrhotus species in India to 10, and to 37 globally. The species was taxonomically described and illustrated in detail by John Caleb T.D. from the Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Chennai, and M. Sampathkumar from the ICAR-National Bureau of Agricultural Insect Resources, Bengaluru.
The chance discovery occurred during a 2016 survey in Thadiyankudisai, Dindigul, where Dr. Sampathkumar found the spider on pepper (Piper nigrum) plants, about two metres above the ground. The specific epithet, ‘piperus’, is derived from the plant’s generic name, reflecting the spider’s distinctive habitat.
The spider is distinguishable from its closely-related species by its unique prolateral protrusion and beak-shaped embolus, setting it apart from other members of its genus.
The detailed taxonomic description of Carrhotus piperus has been published in the Journal of Insect Biodiversity and Systematics. According to the authors of the paper, this discovery not only enhances our understanding of the Carrhotus genus, but also underscores the importance of ongoing research to uncover the rich biodiversity of India’s ecosystem.
