New Genus of Jumping Spiders | 26 Oct 2024
Recently, a team of arachnologists (those who study spiders and other arachnids) has identified a new genus of jumping spiders named ‘Tenkana,’ found throughout southern India.
- They also introduced a new species, Tenkana jayamangali, discovered in Karnataka.
- It is named after the Jayamangali River in Karnataka, where it was initially observed.
- About the Tenkana Spider:
- This new group belongs to the Plexippina subtribe of jumping spiders and is different from related groups such as Hyllus and Telamonia.
- The genus name Tenkana is derived from the Kannada word for "south," highlighting that all known species are indigenous to southern India and northern Sri Lanka.
- Tenkana spiders favour dry environments and ground habitats.
- They have been discovered in Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Karnataka, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh.
- Two species formerly classified under the genus Colopsus—Tenkana manu, located in South India and Sri Lanka, and Tenkana arkavathi, originating from Karnataka—have been reclassified into the newly established genus Tenkana.
- This new group belongs to the Plexippina subtribe of jumping spiders and is different from related groups such as Hyllus and Telamonia.
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