Kolkata: Researchers from the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), Kolkata, have discovered a new species of spider on Sagar Island in the Sunderbans, highlighting the region’s rich yet underexplored biodiversity.
This marks the first recorded instance of the genus Piratula in India—a group of wolf spiders predominantly found across Asia, with limited presence in Europe and North America.
The newly-identified species, Piratula acuminata, belongs to the family Lycosidae, commonly known as wolf spiders. Unlike web-building spiders, these agile predators are ground-dwelling and rely on ambush tactics to capture prey. Lead researcher Souvik Sen described the species as a medium-sized spider, approximately 8–10 millimetres long, with a pale creamy-white body featuring brown and chalk-white spots on its abdomen and a pair of light brown stripes towards the rear.
The species was identified based on the distinctive structure of its genitalia—specifically, the acuminate basal arm of the tegular apophysis in males and ovate spermathecae in females.
“We conducted extensive morphological analysis over several weeks to confirm our findings. The unique morphological features of this spider immediately indicated it was an undocumented species,” said Sen.
The research team included Souvik Sen and Sudhin PP from ZSI, Kolkata, and Pradeep M Sankaran from Sacred Heart College, Cochin. Their findings have been published in the latest issue of Zootaxa, a peer-reviewed scientific journal.
This discovery on Sagar Island, the largest landmass in the Sunderbans deltaic complex, reinforces the ecological richness of this UNESCO World Heritage Site.
“Every new species we discover is a testament to the incredible natural heritage of this region.
It also reminds us of how much we stand to lose without stronger conservation efforts,” said ZSI director Dhriti Banerjee. Researchers stress the need for further studies to understand the ecological role and climate vulnerability of Piratula acuminata within the Sundarbans ecosystem.