Researchers have described two new jumping spider species in the genus Mogrus from India — Mogrus shushka from arid Rajasthan and Gujarat, and Mogrus pune from urban biodiversity parks in Maharashtra — published in the European Journal of Taxonomy.
शोधकर्ताओं ने भारत में Mogrus वंश की दो नई कूदने वाली मकड़ी प्रजातियाँ वर्णित की हैं — Mogrus shushka शुष्क राजस्थान एवं गुजरात से, तथा Mogrus pune महाराष्ट्र के शहरी जैव विविधता पार्कों से; अध्ययन European Journal of Taxonomy में प्रकाशित।
Why in News
Researchers have described two new jumping spider species — Mogrus shushka and Mogrus pune — in a study published in the European Journal of Taxonomy under the title 'Discoveries of two new Mogrus species (Araneae: Salticidae) and notable records from India'. The species were identified through detailed taxonomic examination, particularly of microscopic reproductive structures that distinguish them from closely related Mogrus species. Mogrus shushka was found in dry and arid regions of Rajasthan and Gujarat — areas marked by high temperatures and low moisture. In contrast, Mogrus pune was found in urban biodiversity parks in Maharashtra, demonstrating that city green spaces can also serve as habitats for previously undocumented species. The two are visually similar but differ in male reproductive structures — one species shows a triangular-shaped male organ, while the other has a curved or heart-shaped structure. Jumping spiders belong to the family Salticidae, the largest family of spiders, known for excellent vision (their large anterior median eyes give them some of the sharpest vision among invertebrates) and active hunting (they stalk and pounce rather than building webs to trap prey). The discovery underscores that even familiar habitats — deserts, urban parks — can yield undocumented species, reinforcing the importance of field surveys and the role of small protected green spaces in city ecosystems.
At a Glance
- New species
- Mogrus shushka and Mogrus pune (genus Mogrus)
- Family
- Salticidae (jumping spiders) — order Araneae
- M. shushka habitat
- Dry / arid regions of Rajasthan and Gujarat
- M. pune habitat
- Urban biodiversity parks in Maharashtra
- Differentiation
- Microscopic male reproductive structures — triangular vs curved/heart-shaped
- Published in
- European Journal of Taxonomy
- Study title
- 'Discoveries of two new Mogrus species (Araneae: Salticidae) and notable records from India'
Two new jumping spider species — Mogrus shushka and Mogrus pune — have been described from India. Mogrus shushka was collected from arid landscapes in Rajasthan and Gujarat, while Mogrus pune was found in urban biodiversity parks in Maharashtra. The species were distinguished from related Mogrus species by detailed microscopic examination of reproductive structures: one species has a triangular-shaped male reproductive organ, while the other has a curved or heart-shaped structure. The study was published in the European Journal of Taxonomy under the title 'Discoveries of two new Mogrus species (Araneae: Salticidae) and notable records from India'. Background on jumping spiders: family Salticidae is the largest family of spiders, with over 6,000 described species globally and the highest species count of any spider family. They are characterised by excellent vision (the large pair of anterior median eyes provides high-resolution colour vision rare among invertebrates) and active hunting behaviour — they stalk and pounce on prey rather than building snare webs. The genus Mogrus is distributed across the Old World, with species recorded from Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia. Wider context — India is one of 17 megadiverse countries, with 4 of 36 global biodiversity hotspots (Western Ghats, Eastern Himalaya, Indo-Burma, Sundaland-Nicobar). India's spider fauna is documented in the catalogue maintained by the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI, established 1916, HQ Kolkata) and the World Spider Catalog. The discovery underscores two policy points — (1) field-based taxonomic research remains essential to documenting India's biodiversity, and (2) urban biodiversity parks (often small protected city green spaces) can support unique invertebrate species and warrant conservation alongside large protected areas.
भारत में दो नई कूदने वाली मकड़ी प्रजातियाँ वर्णित = Mogrus shushka एवं Mogrus pune। Mogrus shushka = राजस्थान + गुजरात के शुष्क परिदृश्यों से। Mogrus pune = महाराष्ट्र के शहरी जैव विविधता पार्कों से। पहचान = सूक्ष्म प्रजनन संरचनाओं द्वारा (एक त्रिकोणीय, दूसरी घुमावदार/हृदयाकार)। अध्ययन = European Journal of Taxonomy; शीर्षक 'Discoveries of two new Mogrus species (Araneae: Salticidae) and notable records from India'। पृष्ठभूमि — Salticidae = कूदने वाली मकड़ियों का परिवार; मकड़ियों का सबसे बड़ा परिवार (6,000+ प्रजातियाँ); विशिष्ट तीव्र दृष्टि (बड़ी पूर्ववर्ती मध्य आँखें); सक्रिय शिकारी (जाल नहीं बनातीं)। Mogrus वंश = प्राचीन विश्व में फैला हुआ; अफ्रीका, मध्य पूर्व, दक्षिण एशिया से प्रजातियाँ दर्ज। ZSI = भारतीय प्राणी सर्वेक्षण; 1916 स्थापित; मुख्यालय कोलकाता। निष्कर्ष — रेगिस्तान एवं शहरी पार्क जैसे परिचित आवासों में भी अलिखित प्रजातियाँ मिल सकती हैं; क्षेत्र सर्वेक्षण आवश्यक; शहरी जैव विविधता पार्क संरक्षण के योग्य।
Attribute विशेषता | Mogrus shushka Mogrus shushka | Mogrus pune Mogrus pune |
|---|---|---|
Habitat आवास | Arid Rajasthan and Gujarat शुष्क | Urban biodiversity parks, Maharashtra शहरी पार्क |
Climate जलवायु | High temperature, low moisture गर्म, शुष्क | Urban semi-tropical अर्ध-उष्णकटिबंधीय |
Male reproductive organ नर अंग | Triangular shape त्रिकोणीय | Curved / heart-shaped घुमावदार |
Static GK
- •Salticidae (jumping spiders): Largest family of spiders globally with over 6,000 described species; characterised by acute vision (large anterior median eyes) and active hunting behaviour (do not spin webs to trap prey)
- •Order Araneae: The order to which all spiders belong; class Arachnida; phylum Arthropoda; spiders distinguish from insects by 8 legs, 2 body segments (cephalothorax + abdomen), and silk-producing spinnerets
- •European Journal of Taxonomy: Peer-reviewed open-access scientific journal focusing on biodiversity and species discovery; founded 2011; jointly published by 11 European natural history institutions
- •Zoological Survey of India (ZSI): Established 1 July 1916; HQ Kolkata (formerly Indian Museum); under Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change; surveys India's faunal resources; current Director publishes annual fauna catalogues
- •World Spider Catalog: Comprehensive online catalogue of all known spider species globally; maintained by the Natural History Museum of Bern, Switzerland; references for taxonomic identification
- •India megadiverse status: Among 17 megadiverse countries (Conservation International criterion); hosts 4 of 36 global biodiversity hotspots — Western Ghats, Eastern Himalaya, Indo-Burma, Sundaland (extends to Nicobar Islands)
- •Taxonomy: Branch of biology dealing with identification, naming (nomenclature), and classification (Linnaean hierarchy: kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, species) of organisms; binomial nomenclature uses genus + species
- •Genus Mogrus: Genus of jumping spiders (Salticidae); distributed across the Old World — Africa, Middle East, South Asia; described first by Eugène Simon in 1882
- •Urban biodiversity parks (India): Specifically designated protected green spaces within cities supporting native flora and fauna; examples include Aravalli Biodiversity Park (Delhi), Yamuna Biodiversity Park (Delhi), Tilonia (Rajasthan), and parks within Pune and Mumbai
Timeline
- 1882Genus Mogrus first described by French arachnologist Eugène Simon
- 1916Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) established (1 July) — apex agency for India's faunal documentation
- 2011European Journal of Taxonomy founded as open-access taxonomy journal
- 2026Mogrus shushka (Rajasthan, Gujarat) and Mogrus pune (Maharashtra urban parks) described in EJT
- →Two new species: Mogrus shushka and Mogrus pune
- →Mogrus shushka = arid Rajasthan and Gujarat
- →Mogrus pune = urban biodiversity parks in Maharashtra
- →Family = Salticidae (jumping spiders) — largest spider family globally
- →Order = Araneae (all spiders); Class = Arachnida; Phylum = Arthropoda
- →Published in European Journal of Taxonomy (open-access; founded 2011)
- →Differentiation = microscopic male reproductive structures (triangular vs curved/heart-shaped)
- →Salticidae traits = acute vision (large anterior median eyes) + active hunting (no webs)
- →Genus Mogrus first described by Eugène Simon in 1882
- →ZSI = Zoological Survey of India; established 1 July 1916; HQ Kolkata; under MoEFCC
- →India = 17 megadiverse countries; 4 of 36 hotspots (Western Ghats, Eastern Himalaya, Indo-Burma, Sundaland)
Exam Angles
Two new jumping spider species — Mogrus shushka (arid Rajasthan and Gujarat) and Mogrus pune (urban biodiversity parks in Maharashtra) — have been described in the European Journal of Taxonomy under the study 'Discoveries of two new Mogrus species (Araneae: Salticidae) and notable records from India'; jumping spiders belong to family Salticidae, the largest spider family known for acute vision and active hunting (no snare webs); the discovery highlights that both arid landscapes and urban green spaces can host undocumented invertebrate species.
Q1. The Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) — apex agency for India's faunal documentation — was established in which year and is headquartered where?
- A.1856 in Mumbai
- B.1916 in Kolkata
- C.1947 in Delhi
- D.1972 in Chennai
tap to reveal answer
Answer: B. 1916 in Kolkata
The Zoological Survey of India was established on 1 July 1916, with headquarters in Kolkata. It operates under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and is the apex agency for surveying and documenting India's faunal resources.
Common Confusions
- Trap · Spider family
Correct: Salticidae — jumping spiders; largest spider family globally with over 6,000 species; known for acute vision and active hunting (NOT web-builders)
- Trap · Where each Mogrus species was found
Correct: Mogrus shushka in arid Rajasthan and Gujarat; Mogrus pune in urban biodiversity parks in Maharashtra — do not swap
- Trap · Differentiating feature
Correct: Microscopic male reproductive structures — triangular vs curved/heart-shaped; not body colour, not size, not web pattern
- Trap · Order to which spiders belong
Correct: Order Araneae (within class Arachnida, phylum Arthropoda); spiders are NOT insects (insects are class Insecta) — spiders have 8 legs and 2 body segments
- Trap · ZSI establishment
Correct: Zoological Survey of India established 1 July 1916; HQ Kolkata; under MoEFCC; do not confuse with Botanical Survey of India (BSI, also 1890/1954)