In a significant addition to India’s growing biodiversity catalogue, the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) has confirmed the discovery of two new species of jumping spiders — Asemonea dentis and Colyttus nongwar — from the biologically rich landscapes of Meghalaya. The finding further strengthens Northeast India’s standing as a core zone within the Indo-Burma mega biodiversity hotspot.
Both species belong to the Salticidae family, commonly known as jumping spiders, a group noted for their exceptional eyesight, swift movements, and hunting techniques that rely on accurate leaps instead of webs.
Asemonea dentis
Asemonea dentis becomes only the third Indian species recorded under the genus Asemonea. Its name refers to a distinctive tooth-like projection on the male’s palpal femur, a key morphological marker used for identification.
Male specimens exhibit a greenish-brown body highlighted by a pale yellow V-shaped marking on the abdomen, while females are creamy-white with striking black patterns.
Colyttus nongwar
The second species, Colyttus nongwar, marks only the second Indian representative of the rarely documented Oriental genus Colyttus. It is named after Nongwar village in Meghalaya, where it was collected.
Both sexes share an oval reddish-brown carapace and a light-brown abdomen featuring a creamy-white band at the front, followed by five distinct chevron-shaped patches.
Lead author Dr. Souvik Sen, along with co-author Dr. Sudhin P.P., emphasised the broader implications of the discovery.
“These discoveries are just a glimpse of the exceptional biodiversity of Northeast India. Very few systematic surveys have been conducted here, and many more species are undoubtedly waiting to be found,” Dr. Sen said.
ZSI Director Dr. Dhriti Banerjee echoed this view, noting the need for deeper scientific exploration across the region.
“Findings like these underscore the importance of conducting extensive surveys in the Northeast. Meghalaya’s forests, sacred groves and cliffs are irreplaceable ecological assets that demand protection,” she said.
The complete scientific descriptions of the two species appear in the latest issue of Zootaxa, an international peer-reviewed journal specialising in zoological taxonomy.
The ZSI has called for continued conservation efforts to safeguard Meghalaya’s unmatched ecological heritage — the true “abode of clouds.”
