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
