Context:
Recently, researchers discovered a new species of jumping spider in the Shendurney Wildlife Sanctuary.
Relevance:
Facts for Prelims
Dimensions of the Article:
- About Pancorius Sebastiani
- Key Facts about the Shendurney Wildlife Sanctuary
About Pancorius Sebastiani:
- The newly discovered species belongs to the jumping spider genus Pancorius, which is part of the Salticidae family.
- It has been named “Pancorius Sebastiani” in honor of the late spider taxonomist P.A. Sebastian.
- The Pancorius genus of Asian jumping spiders is primarily distributed in southeast Asia.
- Prior to this discovery, the distribution of the Pancorius genus was limited to the eastern and northeastern regions.
- The new species is the first to be reported from the southern region.
Features of Pancorius Sebastiani:
- Both males and females of Pancorius Sebastiani display distinct characteristics, including a reddish-brown carapace, a yellowish abdomen with black patches, and chevron-shaped markings posteromedially.
Key Facts about the Shendurney Wildlife Sanctuary:
- The Shendurney Wildlife Sanctuary is a protected area situated in the Western Ghats of India, specifically in the Kollam district.
- The sanctuary is named after the Chenkurinji (Gluta travancorica), a species that is endemic to this region.
- It falls under the jurisdiction of the Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve.
- The sanctuary is rich in flora, with tropical evergreen and semi-evergreen forests covering a significant portion of its area.
- In terms of fauna, the sanctuary is home to various wildlife species, including tigers, gaurs, elephants, sambar deer, sloth bears, and a variety of bird species such as the Malabar Raven, Malabar banded swallowtail, Red-disc Bushbrown, and more.
-Source: The Hindu
