Description

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Context:

Researchers have found a new species of jumping spider on Baner hill, yet again highlighting the region's rich biodiversity and the need to protect the city's natural landscapes.

About Okinawicius tekdi

Okinawicius tekdi is a species of spider in the family Salticidae. It was described in 2024 by Tripathi & Kulkarni from Pune city in Maharashtra state of India.

Discovered: It was discovered by Atharva Kulkarni, an MSc student from MIT-World Peace University, and Rishikesh Tripathi from Christ College, Kerala.

Significance: The specific epithet is a noun apposition, derived from the Marathi word ‘tekdi’ that translates to ‘hill’ in English. To highlight the need for the conservation of flora and fauna of the unique urban hills of Pune city and similar habitats of tropical countries.

About Spider species

Total Known Species	Over 45,000 species identified; potentially over 100,000 species in total.
Classification	Arthropods in the class Arachnida and order Araneae.
Body Structure	Two regions: Cephalothorax and Abdomen.
Legs	Eight legs.
Eyes	Typically have six to eight eyes.
Size Range	From the tiny Samoan moss spider (0.011 inches) to the Goliath birdeater (up to 1-foot leg span).
Sexual Dimorphism	Males are usually smaller with distinct color markings compared to females.

Common Types of Spiders

Wolf Spider	Large, hairy with excellent eyesight.
Jumping Spider	Agile, can jump 10-50 times their body length.
Tarantula	Large, hairy spiders, often kept as pets.
Black Widow	Known for its venomous bite; females have a distinctive red hourglass marking.
Brown Recluse	Venomous with a distinctive violin-shaped mark on its back.
Common House Spider	Often found indoors; non-aggressive.
Garden Spider	Known for their colorful bodies and intricate webs in gardens.

Source:

TOI

PRACTICE QUESTION

Q.Okinawicius tekdi is a newly discovered species of spider in the family Salticidae from which among the following State?

(a) Himachal Pradesh

(b) Maharashtra

(d) Uttarakhand

Answer: b

Explanation:

A post-graduate student from Maharashtra has discovered a new jumping spider species from a hill located in the heart of Pune city (Maharashtra). Christened as Okinawicius tekdi, the species belongs to genus Okinawicius Prószyński, first described from India in 2016.