Description

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Context :

Recently, Researchers have discovered 2 new species of jumping spiders in the Shendurney Wildlife Sanctuary in Kerala.
These species were named Epidelaxia falciformis & Epidelaxia palustris.
This discovery is important because this is the first time when the genus Epidelaxia has been recorded in India. Previously it was thought to be endemic to Sri Lanka.

About Epidelaxia Falciformis and Epidelaxia Palustris

Genus: Both species belong to the genus Epidelaxia.
Discovery Location: They were discovered in the Shendurney Wildlife Sanctuary in Kerala. This sanctuary is a part of the Western Ghats biodiversity hotspot.
First Record in India: This is the first time Epidelaxia has been found in India.

Physical Features

Prosoma Markings: Both species have yellow triangular shaped mark on the prosoma (front part of the body) of females.
Males:
- falciformis males have a brown carapace with a yellow brown stripe.
- palustris males have a pale brown band along the sides of their bodies.
Females:
- Both species of females shows similar color patterns. They also have white orbital setae (hair like structures) around their eyes.
Size:
- falciformis : 4.39 mm.
- palustris : 4.57 mm in males & 3.69 mm in females.

Habitat

Environment: These species are highly adapted to the dense foliage habitat of the Western Ghats.

About Western Ghats:

Alternate Names	Sahyadri Hills, Sahya Parvatham (Kerala), Nilgiri Malai (Tamil Nadu), Konkan Coast (north), Kanara (central), Malabar Coast (south), Desh (Maharashtra).
UNESCO World Heritage Site	Recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Biodiversity Hotspot	One of the eight biodiversity hotspots in the world, rich in flora and fauna.
Geological Theories	1. Block Mountains formed by land sinking into the Arabian Sea. 2. Faulted edge of the Deccan Plateau.
Rocks Found	Basalt, Charnockites, Granite, Khondalites, Limestone, Iron Ore, Dolerites, Anorthosites, etc.
Geographical Extent	Extends from Satpura Range in the north to Kanyakumari in the south, covering 1,600 km in length and 140,000 km² in area.
Mountain Range Connections	Nilgiri range meets Shevaroys and Tirumala ranges, linking the Western Ghats to the Eastern Ghats.
Highest Peak	Anamudi Peak in Kerala is the highest peak in the Western Ghats and outside the Himalayas.
Famous Hill Stations	Matheran, Lonavala-Khandala, Mahabaleshwar, Panchgani, Amboli Ghat, Kudremukh, Kodagu.
West Flowing Rivers	Periyar, Bharathappuzha, Netravati, Sharavathi, Mandovi (fast-flowing, good for hydroelectricity).
East Flowing Rivers	Godavari, Krishna, Kaveri, Tunga, Bhadra, Bhima, Malaprabha, Hemavathi, Kabini (slower flowing, merge into larger rivers).

Source: TH

PRACTICE QUESTION

Q. Which of the following rivers is NOT a west-flowing river in the Western Ghats?

a) Periyar

b) Bharathappuzha

c) Godavari

d) Mandovi

Answer: c

Explanation:

The Godavari River is mentioned as an east-flowing river in the Western Ghats, while the Periyar, Bharathappuzha, and Mandovi are west-flowing rivers.