Sri Lankan researchers Naruwan Dayananda and Suresh P. Benjamin have identified six new spider species endemic to the island.

The discovery was made after years of fieldwork in unexplored forest areas, including Haputale, Loolecondera, and Upcot.

The new species belong to the genus Utivarachna and have been named:

U. boo

U. haputale

U. loolecondera

U. mandaram

U. peekaboo

U. upcotensis

Before this study, only one species from this genus was known to exist in Sri Lanka.

These findings highlight the island's rich and hidden biodiversity.