New species of trapdoor spider found in Australia

 A new species of trapdoor spider has been found in Australia.

The large trapdoor spider is said to be “rare” and to honour its “impressive size” it has been named “Euoplos Dignitas” which in Latin means greatness or dignity.

Although it is a big, beautiful spider the chances of coming across it in everyday life are low. This trapdoor spider lives in open woodland and burrows in the soil of the Brigalow Belt in Central Queensland on the northeastern coast of Australia.

Unfortunately, say scientists these woodlands have been subject to land clearing and it is likely that this spider and others are now an endangered species.

Female spiders of a new species spend their time in burrows underground. The male spiders also stay in burrows for around five to seven years when they then up sticks and leave the burrow to find a mate.

They feed at night by waiting outside the trapdoor of their burrows and catching insects as they pass by. They subdue their prey using venom, but this isn’t dangerous to humans says Dr Rix, the curator of arachnology at Queensland Museum.

Dr Jeremy Wilson who is a research assistant in arachnology at Queensland Museum Network said that naming the new species has real-life ramifications for it because a known species means “it can be protected.”

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Source: https://news.sky.com/story/new-giant-trapdoor-spider-discovered-in-australia-its-a-big-beautiful-species-12839767