![]() Female spiders spend nearly their entire lives in a single silk-lined burrow from which they forage as sit-and-wait predators. ![]() However, closer examination revealed considerable differences in appearance, particularly in their genitalia, that were supported by additional DNA studies.Trapdoor spiders, related to tarantulas, funnel web spiders, and their kin, construct subterranean burrows that they cover with a hinged door made of a mixture of silk and soil. foliata, according to a taxonomic study of the group that was published a few years ago. and includes the now-famous species Myrmekiaphila neilyoungi, from Birmingham, Alabama, named for Canadian rocker Neil Young.ĭue to superficial similarities, Myrmekiaphila tigris was previously believed to be a different species, M. Myrmekiaphila tigris belongs to a genus that contains 11 other species of trapdoor spider found throughout the eastern U.S. Bond and Ray actually live in the neighborhood where the new species was discovered. The research team, directed by Biological Sciences professor Jason Bond, lead investigator and director of the Auburn University Museum of Natural History, and Charles Ray, a research fellow in the Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, was excited at the prospect of such a remarkable find just underfoot. Myrmekiaphila tigris, affectionately referred to as the Auburn Tiger Trapdoor spider, is named in honor of Auburn University’s costumed Tiger mascot, Aubie.Ĭlick here to watch a video about this discovery. ![]() The species "is now known to everyone and can be protected," said Jeremy Wilson, a research assistant in arachnology at the Queensland Museum Network, in the announcement video.Researchers at Auburn University reported the discovery a new trapdoor spider species from a well-developed housing subdivision in the heart of the city of Auburn, Ala. Much of the newly discovered spider's habitat has been lost to land clearing, meaning it's likely an endangered species. These tropical and subtropical spiders are timid and not dangerous to humans, though trapdoor spider bites may cause pain and swelling. Like many species of trapdoor spiders, it constructs its burrows with silken-hinged doors, and it feeds by opening the trap door and snatching passing insects. ![]() The researchers' goal was to "formally, scientifically document this new species."Ī spokesperson for the Queensland Museum said the spider is more than an inch long, or about the size of an Australian 50 cent coin, which is slightly larger than an American half-dollar.Įuoplos dignitas lives in open woodland habitats, building burrows in Central Queensland's black soils. "It's a big, beautiful species," Michael Rix, the principal curator of arachnology at the Queensland Museum Network, said in a video announcing the finding. Its name, Euoplos dignitas, comes from the Latin word meaning dignity or greatness, "reflecting the impressive size and nature of the spider," the Queensland Museum said in a statement. Researchers in Australia discovered a rare, giant species of trapdoor spider found only in Central Queensland. A trap door with silken hinges might sound like something out of a fairy tale, but it's actually something that comes out of some spiders - and there's a new species to add to the list. ![]()
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