Overview
- Researchers in India have described Theridion himalayana from Uttarakhand in the journal Evolutionary Systematics.
- DNA barcodes showed about 8.5–12% divergence from Hawaii’s Theridion grallator, which authors say supports independent evolution of the look.
- The team documented 32 abdominal color morphs grouped into five types, with most smiley patterns seen in females.
- The species came to light during ant surveys in 2023–2024, when 61 spiders were collected across sites above 2,000 meters.
- Both the Himalayan and Hawaiian species often sit on ginger plants, and the pattern’s function and genetic basis remain open questions for follow-up studies.