New Jumping Spider Species Spartaeus karigiri Discovered in Southern India.

Environment

In June 2025, scientists discovered Spartaeus karigiri, a new jumping spider species of the Salticidae family, in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu—marking the first record of genus Spartaeus in India.


      - Researchers from Chennai identified Spartaeus karigiri in the Spartaeinae subfamily—the first Spartaeus species confirmed in India, previously known only across Southeast Asia and parts of China.

      - Named after Karigiri (Elephant Hill) in Devarayanadurga, Karnataka, the species was also detected in the Villupuram district of Tamil Nadu, expanding its known habitat beyond the type locality.

      - This agile hunter showcases advanced vision and intelligent hunting tactics—using web invasion and prey mimicry for capturing insects—typical of jumping spiders (Salticidae).

Main Point :-   (i) Found in rocky terrain and forested enclaves, occupied microhabitats such as crevices and litter. The male holotype and female specimens were collected from shaded rock surfaces and ground litter.

      (ii) With its discovery, India’s known native Spartaeinae jumping spiders increase to 15 species across 10 genera. This extends the geographical distribution of both Spartaeus and related genus Sonoita.

(iii) Documented in peer-reviewed journals, S. karigiri sheds new light on arachnid diversity, biogeography, and predatory adaptations in Southern India. It also prompts further ecological surveys in rocky habitats.

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