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Endangered Species By Kartikeya Thiyam Sundaram Shaurish Das Gupta Grade VII - B G.D.Goenka World School , Gurgaon , India . RAMESHWARAM ORNAMENTAL PARACHUTE SPIDER. GENUS : P oecilotheria SCIENTIFIC NAME : P oecilotheria Hanumavilasumica DISCOVERED BY: A ndrew Smith in 2004
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Endangered Species By Kartikeya Thiyam Sundaram Shaurish Das Gupta Grade VII - B G.D.Goenka World School , Gurgaon , India
RAMESHWARAMORNAMENTALPARACHUTESPIDER GENUS: Poecilotheria SCIENTIFIC NAME: Poecilotheria Hanumavilasumica DISCOVERED BY: Andrew Smith in 2004 WHERE: • In a grove of the Hanumavilasum temple • on the Rameshwaram Islands, Tamil Nadu.
RAMESHWARAM ORNAMENTAL PARACHUTE SPIDER (Contd.) • In 2008, it was put on the International Union for Conservation of Nature • (IUCN) RED List (Critically Endangered) • Its numbers are less than 500 today.
PHYSICALCHARACTERISTICS • The spider has a vivid • color pattern, fast • movement and potent • venom. • It has light and • dark brown stripes • across its body and legs. • It can be distinguished • from others in this genus • by a yellow colouration • on the underside of the • front legs.
PHYSICALCHARACTERISTICS(Contd.) • Its colouring provide • excellent camouflage against • predators. • Males grow up to 4.3 cm in • length. • Females are much larger • growing to a length of 6.7 cm.
HABITAT • Tree dwelling species endemic to Rameshwaram in Tamil Nadu , South India. • Habitat restricted to a few • tamarind, casuarina and mixed • dry deciduous trees and palm • plantations around an area of 100 • sq. kms. • 8 sub-populations in 13 severely • fragmented locations with 4-78 • individuals per area. • Density of population more in • tamarind plantations. Prefers well- • protected, small dark cavities such • as hollows, trunks and under bark of • trees. TAMARIND TREE PALM AND CASUARINA PLANTATION
LIFESPAN • These spiders have short life spans. • Mortality amongst spider lings is exceptionally high due to cannibalism and natural predation. • Maturation ranges from 12-15 months for males and 14-18 months for females.
LIFESPAN (Contd) • Males survive for only • one breeding season and • die soon after re- • production. • The female spider is not • only bigger than the • male but also has a • longer lifespan. • Average post-adult life • for the female spider is • 60-85 months. A
REASONS FOR BEING ENDANGERED • The spiders number less • than 500. • CR status due to restricted • distribution, and continuing • decline in area, quality, • population and • mature individuals. • Its woodland habitat is being • destroyed when plantations are • converted into tourist • destinations.
REASONS FOR BEING ENDANGERED (Contd.) • Deforestation for developmental activities is destroying its woodland habitat. In 2006, 70 adult spiders were killed when a plantation was razed to build a resort. • Number of trees are reducing where the spiders can mature. A newly built resort in Rameshwaram
WHY ARE SPIDERS IMPORTANT TO US? • Spiders play an important role as biological control systems in agriculture. • Spiders help the farmers through pest insect predation. They feed on harmful insects which eat up plant/trees and cause damage to the environment . In the UK, the mass of insects eaten by spiders outweigh the country’s human population. • Since the number of the Rameshwaram Ornamental Parachute spider is less than 500 today, it is a worrying fact.
SAVING THE RAMESHWARAM ORNAMENTAL PARACHUTE SPIDER • The spiders numbers need to be increased to save it from extinction. This can be done by: - Stopping deforestation in its habitat areas. - Strictly controlling the number of new resorts/tourist destinations in its habitat like in the tiger sanctuaries. - Planting more tamarind, casuarina and palm trees where the spiders can mature. - Dedicating a protected area for these spiders.
Endangered Species By Kartikeya Thiyam Sundaram Shaurish Das Gupta Grade VII - B G.D.Goenka World School , Gurgaon , India