Environment & Ecology
Context: Arachnologists from the Centre for Animal Taxonomy and Ecology (CATE), Christ College, Irinjalakuda, have discovered six new species of spiders from across the country.
About discovered species:
Siamspinops garoensis:
- It is the first spotting of the genus Siamspinops from India.
- It belongs to the family of flat spiders, Selenopidae.
- The species is endemic to Garo hills in Meghalaya.
Afraflacilla miajlarensis:
- It is part of family of jumping spiders Salticidae.
- It was discovered from the Thar desert of Rajasthan.
- It is characterised by white fine hairs on a black head and black horizontal lines on the abdomen.
Afraflacilla kurichiadensis:
- It is part of family of jumping spiders Salticidae.
- It was discovered from the Kurichiyad forest ranges of the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary.
- This species is characterised by red patches around the eyes and white hairs on the abdomen.
Philoponella rostralis:
- This spider species lacks a venom gland and is characterised by a beak like structure on the male reproductive organ.
- It belongs to the family of feather- legged spiders (Uloboridae).
- This spider makes a special type of web under the leaves, and it can subdue the prey with the help of woolly silk produced from their cribellum (additional silk producing organ in front of the spinnerets).
Oxyopes peetham:
- This species is characterised by a yellowish body.
- It has been discovered from the Thumboormuzhi butterfly garden, near the Athirappilly waterfalls in Kerala.
Oxyopes thumboormuzhiensis:
- The members of this family are commonly known as lynx spiders because of their lynx-like feeding behaviour.
- It has been discovered from the Thumboormuzhi butterfly garden, near the Athirappilly waterfalls in Kerala.
Source: The Hindu
Previous Year Question
Q.1) Consider the following kinds of organisms:
- Copepods
- Cyanobacteria
- Diatoms
- Foraminifera
Which of the above are primary producers in the food chains of oceans? (2021)
- 1 and 2
- 2 and 3
- 3 and 4
- 1 and 4
