A six-member team from the Centre for Animal Taxonomy and Ecology (CATE) of Christ College, Irinjalakuda, has been invited to the 31st European Congress of Arachnology (ECA), which will be held at Vac, Hungary, from July 8-13.

They are the only Indians at the congress in which 150 arachnologists will take part from all over the world. “This is a prestigious recognition given on the basis of the contributions made by CATE to arachnological research,” said Sudhikumar A.V., who led the six-member team. Five budding arachnologists working under the guidance of Dr. Sudhikumar (Head, CATE) will present papers on Indian arachnology. Nafin K.S., research scholar, will present a paper on the diversity of spiders in Kole wetlands of Kerala and the role of spiders in biological pest control. Drisya Mohan, another member, will present a paper on the social behaviour of a rare spider (Stegodyphus sarasinorum) and the diversity of kleptoparasites (web parasites) associated with the web of this spider.

Diversity of spiders in the sacred groves of Kerala and the influence of environmental variables on them have rarely been explored. Sumesh N.V. will present a paper on this study. Forest fire has a devastating effect on the biodiversity of Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary (WWS), a biodiversity hotspot of Kerala. Sudhin P.P. will focus on the effect of forest fire on the diversity of spiders in the WWS. Kashmeera N.A. will present an interesting study on the diversity of venomous spiders in Thar Desert, Rajasthan.

Dr. Sudhikumar will lay stress on global warming upon the feeding potential of a grassland spider, (Pardosa sumatrana), and its consequences on the food web which causes imbalance in the ecosystem. Travel expenses of the researchers are sponsored by European Society of Arachnology (ESA), University Grants Commission (UGC), and Department of Science and Technology (DST), Delhi.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Kerala / by Staff Reporter / Thrissur – July 04th, 2018