Researchers in Australia have made a great discovery: a species of large trapdoor spider found only in central Queensland.
The arachnid has been nicknamed Euoplos dignitas, a name “derived from the Latin “dignitas”, meaning “dignity” or “greatness”, which reflects the impressive size and nature of the spider,” the Queensland Museum scientists said in a statement.
Where do these spiders live?
The spider lives in open wooded habitats and builds its burrows in the black soils of the Brigalow Belt. in central Queensland, which is located on the northeast coast of Australia.
The species has lost much of its habitat due to land clearing, which probably makes it an endangered speciesthe scientists said.
While the Australian team did not detail how big their find is, trap spiders are typically up to 1.5 inches long and nest underground, according to National Geographic. They are hairy tropical spiders and their bites can cause pain and swelling in humans.
Discovery
According to Britannica, spiders build burrows in the ground and build doors on silken hinges. Then, spiders feed by quickly opening hatches and grabbing unsuspecting insects passing by.
In a video posted to announce the Australian discovery of the creepy giant tracker, Michael Rix, The Queensland Museums Network’s Senior Curator of Arachnology said experts were excited to “scientifically document this new species.”
Jeremy Wilson, Research Assistant in Arachnology at the Queensland Museums Network, He said in the video that the investigation is exciting because “you never know what you’re going to find.”
Wilson said that naming the new species has positive ramifications in real life, because being a known species means that “can be protected”.