The first report of Pisaura novicia (L. Koch, 1878) (Araneae, Pisauridae) from India

Researchers document the first occurrence of Pisaura novicia, a wolf spider species, in India, specifically within the Great Himalayan National Park Conservation Area in Himachal Pradesh. This discovery extends the known range of the species from coastal regions to the Western Himalayas, challenging previous assumptions about its distribution across the Indian subcontinent. The study, based on male and female specimens, highlights the ecological significance of this finding, as P. novicia is typically distributed from the Mediterranean to Central Asia. By analyzing these specimens, the researchers contribute new data to the biodiversity record of India, particularly in high-altitude ecosystems.

Sarkar, I. D., Siliwal, M., Uniyal, V. P.,. (2023). The first report of Pisaura novicia (L. Koch, 1878) (Araneae, Pisauridae) from India. Journal of Insect Biodiversity and Systematics, 9(4), 643–650. https://doi.org/10.61186/jibs.9.4.643