Extinct species of spiders spotted in Thrissur

Irinjalakuda: Two species of spiders that were assumed as extinct were spotted on Christ College campus here in Thrissur. The researchers of the Biodiversity research centre spotted the spider species. 

One of the spiders is the species of Micropholcus fauroti which belongs to the long-legged spider family. This was spotted 134 years after it was discovered by French arachnologist Dr Eugène Louis Simon in Djibouti. 

These spiders have a round body and are 2 mm in length. They have eight eyes and are seen in clusters of four. They have long fragile legs. 

The other spider belongs to the species of Tetragnatha cochinensis. This was first spotted in 1921 by British arachnologist, Dr Frederic Henry Gravely in Athirappilly. The male spiders are 4 mm in length and the female spiders are 6 mm long. They are found on grasslands and catch prey during the night. 

The study was conducted under the leadership of the Head of Zoology Department, Dr Sudhikumar A V and was partaken by research students Vishnu Haridas, Anju K Baby and Dr Usha Bageeradhan, Zoology teacher at Kerala Varma College in Thrissur. The recent discovery of the spider species has been published in the final issue of the international science journal Serket.