Two new species of cannibal spiders have been discovered in southern Western Ghats by a team of researchers from the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), Kolkata.
The two new spider species — Mimetus spinatus and Mimetus parvulus – belong to genus Mimetus and family Mimetidae, commonly known as pirate or cannibal spiders due to their unique predatory behaviour.
The discovery was made by a research team, led by Dr Souvik Sen of ZSI, Kolkata. Dr Sudhin P P of ZSI, Kolkata, and Dr Pradeep M Sankaran of Sacred Heart College, Cochin, Kerala, were two other members of the research team.
While Mimetus spinatus was found in Mookambika Wildlife Sanctuary, Karnataka, the Mimetus parvulus species of the spider was spotted in Ernakulam district of Kerala.
The discovery has been published in the recent issue of ZOOTAXA.
With this, the number of Mimetus spider species in India has increased to three — all three were found in the southern part of the country. The first Mimetus spider was discovered 118 years ago.
“The discovery of these species is particularly significant as it marks the finding of genus Mimetus after 118 years of the discovery of last Mimetus species (Mimetus indicus) in India. This long gap emphasises the need for more extensive surveys and research into the taxonomy and biogeography of pirate spiders in India,” the ZSI said in a statement.
Speaking about the discoveries Dr Dhriti Banerjee, Director, ZSI, said, “The Western Ghats play a crucial role in the climatic conditions of the country and continue to surprise scientists with their high levels of endemism.
These new discoveries highlight the need for continued exploration and conservation efforts in this region, which is one of the world’s hottest biodiversity hotspots.”
Mimetus spinatus is characterised by its medium size, pale yellow head and dull gray -white abdomen, with scattered light green mottling. Notably, it possesses long, black, flattened spine-like hairs on the dorsal head, which inspired its name. In contrast, Mimetus parvulus is distinguished by its pale creamy-rose head with dense grey-black mottling and a triangular-shaped, dull grey-white abdomen covered with numerous tubercles. “The species name, parvulus, refers to the short copulatory ducts of the female reproductive organ,” the ZSI said.
These spiders are known for their aggressive mimicry, where they infiltrate the webs of other spiders, mimicking the vibrations of prey or mates to deceive and kill the host spider. Additionally, they exhibit kleptoparasitism, stealing prey and even feeding on the eggs of other spiders, the ZSI added.
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