Chinese researchers discover three new spider species

(ECNS) -- The Spider Biology Research Team at China’s Jinggangshan University has discovered three new species of Otacilia spiders during a two-year spider resource survey conducted in Southeast China’s Jiangxi Province.

The research achievement has been published in the international biology journal "ZooKeys." 

Associate Professor Liu Keke and other researchers from Jinggangshan University, along with the aforementioned team, have discovered new species of the Ota spider genus in Yangshimu Scenic Area of Anfu County, Ji'an City, Yichun National Nature Reserve in Yichun City, and Mingyue Mountain National Forest Park in Jiangxi Province.

These newly discovered species in the family Sparassidae have been named after their respective type localities: Anfu Ota Spider, Guanshan Ota Spider, and Mingyue Mountain Ota Spider.

Liu introduced that these spiders are relatively small in size and primarily inhabit the ground surface, leaf litter, or decaying organic matter.

They construct nests using silk within fallen leaves, beneath dry leaves, under rocks, or under the bark of dead trees, making them difficult to detect. They prey on small arthropods found on the ground surface.

Liu stated that the spider biology research team at Jinggangshan University has discovered 36 new species of Ota spiders in Jiangxi Province. This indicates that Jiangxi possesses an extremely rich Ota spider resource and underscores the need for further investigation and research into spider species in the region.