Bhubaneswar, Ap 30: Scientists from Odisha have discovered a new species of the “happy-face spider” in the western Himalayas, expanding India’s rich spider diversity. The species, named Theridion himalayana, was found in the Makku, Tala, and Jagpura regions of Rudraprayag district, near Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary in Uttarakhand.
The newly discovered spider belongs to the Theridiidae family and exhibits remarkable polymorphism, with 32 distinct morphs displaying smiling-face patterns in red, black, and white. While it resembles the Hawaiian happy-face spider (Theridion grallator), genetic analysis shows an 8.5% variation, confirming it as a separate species.
Theridion himalayana also stands out due to its unique reproductive structures: its long, curved copulatory ducts run almost parallel before bending downward, forming a hook-like shape, while the fertilisation ducts are short, thin, and spread in a V-shape—features not seen in related species.
The discovery was initially accidental during ant research in 2023 and later studied at the Regional Museum of Natural History (RMNH), Bhubaneswar. The spider preys on small insects, contributing to forest insect control, and may play a role in pollination.
“This discovery raises questions about lineage dispersal, parallel evolution of color polymorphism, and independent species evolution in montane forests,” said Devi Priyadarshini, RMNH head of office. Both T. himalayana and T. grallator have been found on ginger plants, suggesting an intriguing ecological link that requires further investigation.
India currently hosts 1,992 spider species across 63 families, and this addition highlights the region’s extraordinary biodiversity.
