New spider species

About New spider species:

• These two species (Godawan and Maldhok) are named in honour of the local name of the Great Indian Bustard.
• Characteristics of these spiders
  • The spiders are particularly shy, hiding under rocks or in crevices when disturbed.
  • They are maroon in colour, a unique feature they share with the other two known species in their genus, Palpimanidae.
  • They are ground species and have heavier bodies; their ability to disperse as spiders do by ballooning, shooting their web, and traipsing from one place to another is limited.
  • They stay confined to an area.

Key facts about Great Indian Bustard

• It is mainly found in the Indian subcontinent and is the flagship grassland species of India.
• It is one of the largest flying birds in the world and India’s heaviest flying bird.
• Distribution:
  • Its population of about 150 in Rajasthan accounts for 95% of its total world population.
  • They are mainly in the Jaisalmer district of Rajasthan, including the Desert National Park, which is the natural habitat of the species.
  • Grasslands of Kutch in Gujarat, which is home to the second-largest bustard population in India.
  • Arid regions of Maharashtra (Solapur), Karnataka (Bellary and Haveri) and Andhra Pradesh (Kurnool)
  • It is the State bird of Rajasthan.
• Conservation status
  • IUCN: Critically Endangered.
  • CITES: Appendix I
  • The Indian Wildlife (Protection)Act, 1972: Schedule I