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Pune scientist central to discovery of four new species of parasitic wasps
PUNE: In a major contribution to research around biodiversity, a team of scientists from the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) has discovered four new species of tiny spider-egg parasitic wasps in West Bengal. The discovery has drawn international attention and is a collaborative effort involving experts from multiple ZSI centres, with key molecular analysis carried out by K P Dinesh, scientist E at ZSI's Western Regional Centre in Pune. Team of scientists from ZSI has discovered four new species of tiny spider-egg parasitic wasps, including Idris bianor (in pic), in West Bengal. (HT)
The study has been published in the European Journal of Taxonomy and describes four previously unknown species of parasitoid wasps belonging to the genus, Idris Förster (Hymenoptera Scelionidae) namely Idris bianor, Idris furvus, Idris hyllus and Idris longiscapus. These wasps are primary egg parasitoids of jumping spiders (family Salticidae) and are especially notable for exhibiting gregarious parasitism, which is a phenomenon wherein multiple individuals emerge from a single spider egg sac.
The wasps were collected between 2021 and 2023 from agroecosystems and semi-natural habitats in West Bengal. Senior scientist K Rajmohana and her team at ZSI Kolkata led the fieldwork and morphological taxonomy whereas Dinesh played a crucial role in confirming species boundaries using DNA barcoding techniques. The integrative approach — combining traditional taxonomy with modern molecular tools — was instrumental in validating the uniqueness of each new species.
Dinesh said, 'DNA sequences are currently available for only a limited number of described Idris species globally. By contributing genetic data, we are not only confirming our new species but also expanding the global reference database, which is essential for future biodiversity- and ecological research.'
Rajmohana noted that the discovery highlights the remarkable yet largely underexplored diversity of parasitoid wasps in Indian ecosystems. 'Each new species adds a critical piece to the puzzle of life. Understanding these hidden members of the ecosystem can offer deep insights into ecological balance, evolution, and species interactions,' she said.
Director of ZSI, Dhriti Banerjee, lauded the discovery as an example of cutting-edge biodiversity research. 'This work represents the modern direction of taxonomy — a multidisciplinary, collaborative effort that combines field science, lab expertise, and ecological understanding,' she said.
Parasitoid wasps such as Idris play a vital ecological role by regulating the population of their hosts — in this case, spiders. According to lead author and DST-INSPIRE fellow Sushama V, such tiny insects act as powerful natural pest controllers in arthropod communities. The findings also build on earlier work by the same research group, previously published in PLOS One, which documented gregarious parasitism by the Idris species in India for the first time. The latest discovery not only deepens our understanding of India's arthropod biodiversity but also demonstrates the importance of molecular science in uncovering cryptic and lesser-known species — a task in which the Pune ZSI team continues to play a leading role.
