New Species of Jumping Spider Discovered on Pune’s Baner Hill Named ‘Okinawicius tekdi’
New Species of Jumping Spider Discovered on Pune’s Baner Hill Named ‘Okinawicius tekdi’ ( Representational image )
Discovery underscores Pune’s rich biodiversity and need for urban green space preservation.
Pune’s Baner hill has yielded a fascinating discovery, a new species of jumping spider named Okinawicius tekdi, inspired by the Marathi word “tekdi,” meaning hill. This species is the latest addition to India’s jumping spider diversity, raising the country’s known count to 326.
The new spider species was first observed by researchers on ficus and plumeria trees, common to Baner hill, where it was documented from January to April. The find marks Pune’s first discovery of a jumping spider in over 30 years.
The study, led by Atharva Kulkarni from MIT-World Peace University in Pune and Rishikesh Tripathi from Christ College, Kerala, under the guidance of Dr. Pankaj Koparde and Dr. AV Sudhikumar, was published in the Journal of Arachnology.
This discovery shines a light on Pune’s urban biodiversity, emphasizing the significance of preserving green spaces. Researchers are now studying O. tekdi and similar species further to understand their roles in local ecosystems, with plans to publish more on their findings and insights into the spider’s adaptations and ecological impact.
(Source – TOI)
