Wolf Spider And New Species Of Parasitic Wasps

 Wolf Spider And New Species Of Parasitic Wasps: Recently, scientists from the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) have discovered a new species of wolf spider and four new species of parasitic wasps in West Bengal, underscoring the region’s rich yet largely unexplored biodiversity.

• About New Wolf Spider Species (Piratula acuminate): Discovered on Sagar Island, located in the Sundarbans delta (a UNESCO World Heritage Site).

o Marks the first-ever record of the genus Piratula in India.

o Belongs to the Lycosidae family – commonly known as wolf spiders, which are nocturnal, ground-dwelling hunters that don’t spin webs.

o Medium-sized spider (8–10 mm) with a creamy-white body, brown and chalk-white spots, and distinct genital features.

o Detailed study published in Zootaxa, titled First record of the genus Piratula Roewer, 1960 from India.

• About Four New Parasitoid Wasp Species (Idris Genus): Discovered by a separate ZSI team between 2021–2023 in agroecosystems and semi-natural habitats of West Bengal.

o Species identified: Idris bianor, Idris furvus, Idris Hyllus and Idris longiscapus

o These egg parasitoids target jumping spiders (Salticidae) and exhibit gregarious parasitism i.e. multiple wasps emerge from a single egg sac.

o Identification involved a mix of classical taxonomy and DNA barcoding.

o Published in the European Journal of Taxonomy under Description of four new species of Idris Forsters, 1856 (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae) from India.