Photo: Queensland Museum
Scientists in the Australian state of Queensland have discovered a new speciesof giant trapdoor spider.
The rare arachnids have been namedEuoplos dignitas, from the Latin word dignitas — meaning dignity or greatness. It’s a fitting name for the colorful species, which can grow to sizes sure to make the squeamish avert their eyes.
Females have a red-brown carapace and can live for 20 years in the wild. Their bodies can grow to be about two inches long, which is considerable for trapdoor spiders. Males can grow to about 1.1 inches long and have a “striking” “honey-red” carapace and legs.
This new species is known as a trapdoor spider because it burrows under debris and builds a trapdoor made of silk and soil to the burrow. Trapdoor spiders burst out of their hiding spots to attack prey, usually small insects.
While venomous, the Euoplos dignitas is not considered dangerous to humans, according to a study published in theJournalofArachnology.
Queensland Museum
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Australia is home tothree of the four deadliest spiders in the world,according to the Australian Museum. Australian funnel-web spiders are among the most lethal. There have been 13 recorded human deaths from the species' bites. However, no deaths have been recorded from any spider bites in Australia since 1979, thanks to the creation of effective antivenoms.
source: people.com
