Giant Crab Spider: Previously Unknown Species Discovered at Amazon Rainforest

By Louise Franco
Aug 02, 2023 01:19 PM EDT

A new spider species, previously unknown to science, was discovered in the Amazon Rainforest, particularly within the territory of Ecuador. The species belong to the spider family Sparassidae, where giant crab spiders or huntsman spiders belong to. This is according to a new study, wherein scientists describe the orange spider to have eight legs and fangs.

While there are thousands of known spider species worldwide, including some that can jump and camouflage, it is believed that there are still some arachnids in the wild waiting to be discovered. Regardless, the presence of the new giant crab spider species highlights the continued biodiversity in the Amazon, amid the threats of climate change, deforestation, and among others.

New Giant Crab Spider Species



(Photo : Image by Rosina Kaiser from Pixabay)

In the study published in the journal Ecology and Evolution on July 6, researchers from Ecuador described a new giant crab spider species belonging to the genus Sadala. The creature was found and collected in the Lowland Evergreen area of the Tiputini Biodiversity Station, located in the Yasuni Biosphere Reserve within the Amazon Rainforest in Ecuador.

Females belonging to the new Sadala species have resemblance with S. punicea and S. nanay for having a diamond-shaped posterior. The latest findings increase the total number of known species of the said genus to 10. The new research also highlights the survival of the Amazon in South America, especially the biodiversity of spiders.

More:
https://www.natureworldnews.com/articles/57711/20230802/giant-crab-spider-previously-unknown-species-discovered-amazon-rainforest.htm

- video at link, giant spider skarfs down lizard -

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