Scientists of the Zoological Survey of India have discovered two new species of jumping spiders in Meghalaya, a spokesperson of the ZSI said on Wednesday. The newly described species — Asemonea dentis and Colyttus nongwar — belong to the Salticidae family, or ”jumping spiders” which are renowned for their quick reflexes and unique predatory behaviour of stalking and pouncing on prey rather than spinning webs, the ZSI said in a statement. Scientist Souvik Sen, who led the research team alongside Dr Sudhin P P, emphasised the importance of the findings.
ZSI Director Dhriti Banerjee said the findings underline the urgency of expanding scientific exploration in the region. She described Meghalaya’s forests, sacred groves and cliffs as “irreplaceable ecological assets” that warrant deeper study. The discovery of Asemonea dentis marks only the third known Indian species within its genus. Researchers named it for the tooth-like projection on the male palpal femur, a distinctive feature used for identification.
Males have a greenish-brown body with a pale yellow V-shaped mark on the abdomen, while females are creamy white with black patterning. The second species, Colyttus nongwar, is only the second record of its genus in India and is named after Nongwar village, where it was located. ZSI officials said the findings demonstrate the scientific value of Meghalaya’s underexplored landscapes and the need for continued field surveys to document India’s natural heritage.