Tiny Spider, Big Breakthrough: Assam University Scientists Record Rare Jumping Spider in India

In a major scientific breakthrough, researchers from Assam University, Silchar, have documented the first Indian record of Colyttus bilineatus, a tiny jumping spider species previously known only from Southeast Asia. The discovery, made in Assam’s Barak Valley, firmly places Assam University on the global arachnological research map.

The study, published in the international peer-reviewed Journal of Threatened Taxa, was led by doctoral researcher Monica Chetry and Prof. Parthankar Choudhury of Assam University, in collaboration with renowned arachnologist John T.D. Caleb of Saveetha University, Chennai. The spider was found in the Loharbond area of Cachar district within an Inner Line Reserved Forest.

Earlier, the species was recorded only in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore. Its presence in Assam marks a significant range extension and highlights the rich yet underexplored biodiversity of the Indo-Burma hotspot. The researchers note that the find may indicate either a wider natural distribution or major gaps in biodiversity surveys in Northeast India.

Discovered during routine fieldwork using simple sampling methods, the finding underscores the importance of sustained grassroots research. Though small, jumping spiders play a vital role in controlling insect populations, reinforcing the ecological importance of even the smallest forest inhabitants.