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https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/mar/21/new-species-giant-trapdoor-spider-discovered-queensland>
"A new and rare giant spider has been found hiding beneath a trapdoor made of
silk and soil west of Brisbane.
The giant trapdoor spider,
Euoplos dignitas, was discovered by researchers
involved in Queensland Museum’s Project DIG, which has been running for the
past four years to understand more about the state’s biodiversity.
What excites the lead researcher, Dr Michael Rix, most about the discovery of
the new creepy crawly, found in the black soil around Eidsvold and Monto, west
of Bundaberg, is its size. The females, which can live for over 20 years in the
wild, can reach about the size of a 50 cent piece.
“It’s very big for a trapdoor spider,” said Rix, who is also Queensland
Museum’s principal scientist and curator of arachnology. “The females of this
species can get up to five centimetres in body length.”
The new species, the discovery of which was published in the Journal of
Arachnology, plays an important role in the leaf litter ecosystem, helping to
control insect populations.
But Rix said the researchers found the species is likely threatened due to its
small natural range, which is confined to a small area, and the amount of
woodland that has been cleared in the region.
“We think they’re probably in a bit of trouble … but more work needs to be done
to get a better handle of how much,’ he said."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
