Arachnology Research Lab

Arachnology Research Lab

♦ The arachnology laboratory was founded in 2013. It is presently one of the premier arachnology laboratories in India, solely devoted to spider studies. The lab undertakes studies on the spider diversity of western ghats in Kerala state.

♦ The laboratory is equipped with state-of-the-art microscopes for conducting taxonomic studies on spiders and insects. The Leica Automontage Steromicroscope S APO is one of the most expensive pieces of laboratory equipment worth 15 lakhs. Additionally, the laboratory features a Labomed Luxeo 6Z stereomicroscope and a Remi Cooling Centrifuge.

♦ Five research researchers are currently working in the lab on the diversity of spiders found in Kerala's western ghats. Since its beginning in 2013, the arachnology lab has published approximately 25 research articles. Arachnology lab has facilities for taxonomic identification, morphological photography and DNA separation.

♦ The research team led by Dr.Sunil Jose includes research scholars such as Reshmi Sekhar, Anusmitha Domichan, Aswathy S. and Karthika K. The team has discovered 410 species of spiders from Kerala so far.

Ongoing Project

Dr.Sunil Jose K, the principal investigator of the project, has been awarded a grant of Rs. 40 lakhs by the DST to study the genetic diversity of tarantula spiders in Kerala using DNA barcoding. The Science Engineering Research Board  (SERB) funded the project through its Core Research Grant programme (CRG/2018/004708). The project will investigate the evolutionary relationships of tarantula spiders and the diversity of their habitats.Additionally, as part of the project, the college will develop a reference collection of tarantula species native to Kerala in its biodiversity museum.

UGC Major Research Project:

The lab has completed one major research project funded by University grants comission for a sanctioned amount of Rs.12 lakhs. 

Consultancy

The lab offers consultancy services to students and researchers for identification of spiders.

Student project:

Lab offers project support to undergraduate, postgraduate and research students on the study of spiders of India.

New discoveries from the lab

 New species discovered 

1. 1. Haploclastus devamatha Prasanth and Jose, 2014 
2. 2. Neoheterophrictus chimminiensis Jose, 2017 
3. 3. Sahydroaraneus sebastiani Jose, 2017 
4. 4. Conothele chinnarensis, Jose 2021 
5. 5. Prosoponoides idukkiense Domichan & Sunil Jose, 2022
6. 6. Oedothorax cheruthoniensis Domichan & Sunil Jose, 2021
7. 7. Oedothorax veloorensis Domichan & Sunil Jose, 2021
8. 
   

 New records of spiders from India 

1. 1. Argyrodes bonadea Karsch, 1881
2. 2. Argyrodes nephilae Taczanowski, 1873
3. 3. Mitrager rustica (Tanasevitch, 2015)
4. 4. Neriene birmanica (Thorell, 1887)
5. 5. Annandaliella travancorica Hirst 1909
6. 6. Poecilotheria rufilata
7. 7. Meotipa multuma
8. 8. Neoheterophrictus crurofulvus
9. 9. Haploclastus kayi gravely, 1915

International paper presenation abroad.

1. 1. Presented a paper at the 22^nd International Congress of Arachnology, held Montevideo, Uruguay, 2023.
2. 2. Presented a paper at the 7^th Asian Conference of Arachnology, held at Hanoi, Vietnam, 2022.
3. 3. Presented a paper at the 5^th Asian Conference of Arachnology, held at Bangkok, 2018.
4. 4. Presented a paper at the 4^th Asian Conference of Arachnology, held at China, 2017.
5. 5. Presented a paper at the 20^thInternational Congress of Arachnology, held at Golden, USA, 2016.
6. 6. Presented a paper at the 2^nd Asian Conference of Arachnology, held at Thailand, 2014.
7. 7. Presented a paper at the 19^th International Congress of Arachnology, held at Taiwan, 2013.
8. 8. Presented a paper titled “The Spider Fauna of Maldives Islands in Indian Ocean (Araneae)” in the 18^th international congress of Arachnology, held in Seidlce, Poland in July 2010.
9. 9. Presented a paper at the 25^th European Congress of Arachnology, held at Alexandroupoli, Greece, 16-21 August, 2009.

International conference conducted

International conferences: 6^th ASA 2020 CONFERENCE, Asian Society of Arachnology, 20-23 December 2021, Kochi, India. http://asa2020.southindianspiders.org/

  Research Personnel  

Dr. Sunil Jose K, Principal Investigator