HASARIUS MUMBAI

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Context

This new species of Jumping spider was discovered in the rocks lying in close proximity to natural, seasonal streams at the Bombay Natural History Society’s (BNHS) conservation education centre (CEC) in Goregaon East.
The species is named after Mumbai city - Hasarius Mumbai.
The above mentioned centre, their discovery place, is considered to be one of the few pristine mixed moist deciduous forest types in India.
The place shares its boundaries with the biodiverse landscapes of Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) and Film City in Aarey Milk Colony (AMC).

Other Details

The discovery is attributed to the researchers from
- Christ College, Kerala.
- School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia. and
- The Bombay Natural History Society, Mumbai.
Findings have published in the latest issue of the international, peer-reviewed journal Arthropoda Selecta.

Jumping Spiders

Jumping spiders are group of spiders that constitute the family Salticidae, which is the largest family of spiders.
As per existing literature, this family contains over 600 different genera and over 6,000 described species of spiders.
Many of these are distributed and found across the country,
More of such species are still being discovered.

Features

Generally recognized by their eye pattern.
Mostly have four pairs of eyes which can go upto eight.
Front four legs generally are larger than the behind four.
Use rear legs for jumping.
Use their silk for safety lines while jumping and also to build silken pup tents.

Hasarius Mumbai Spider

The word ‘Hasarius’ refers to a genus of ‘jumping spiders’ in the ‘salticidae’ family.
It has a unique style of preying –
- Instead of trapping their prey in a web, These spiders, stalk and hunt the prey by pouncing on it.
This genus, first discovered in the year 1826, occurs primarily in warm climates.

Habitat

Indian Context

Hasarius species

Only two other Hasarius species are documented which are -
- adansoni which is found across the country including in urban areas, and
- kjellerupi, which was documented from the Nicobar islands

Jumping spiders

3 records in Maharashtra alone
- Species Icius tukarami (named after Tukaram Omble, a hero of 26/11 terrorist attacks)
- Phintella cholkei, from Mumbai’s Aarey Colony.
- Irura mandarina, was recorded in India for the first time, in the Western Ghats.
In Rajasthan’s Thar desert,
- First recording was of Menemerus marginatus in 2021
- Pseudomogrus sudhii and
- Plexippus minor species.

Significance of Discovery

Such discoveries are extremely encouraging for environment conservation.
These show that regions like Mumbai’s green zones are still extremely rich in biodiversity that is still unknown to us.
It also provides more evidence and highlighted the protection of green patches and conservation of biological diversity.

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PRACTICE QUESTION

Consider the following statements about Jumping Spiders:

1. They belong to the Salticidae family, a largest family of spiders.

2. In India, these are sighted in Maharashtra state alone.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

A. 1 only

B. 2 only

C. Both 1 and 2

D. Neither 1 nor 2

Answer: (D)