Scientists Discover A New Giant Spider In Australia
Some people are afraid of spiders and other people are downright terrified of them. Perhaps that is why arachnophobia is one of the largest phobias found among those who are fearful of anything.
If you are afraid of spiders, you likely would want to avoid heading Down Under because Australia is the home of far too many giant spiders.
Of course, they have plenty of things to be afraid of in Australia, from poisonous snakes to kangaroos (but who could be afraid of kangaroos?).
According to NPR, Australia now has one more spider to be afraid of. This new spider, which was discovered recently in Australia, is huge. It is so big that it was even described as being a giant in the formal catalog in Queensland. Check out the photos of it below:
🕷️ NEW SPECIES 🕷️ Our scientists have described a rare giant species of trapdoor spider only found in Central QLD. Euoplos dignitas is likely endangered, having lost much of its habitat due to land clearing. Learn more 👉 https://t.co/P73BcPIAK5
Supported by @BHP #ProjectDIGQM pic.twitter.com/30k0VDUcbi— Queensland Museum (@qldmuseum) March 17, 2023
According to a press release, the Queensland Museum sent out scientists looking for the new spider species. That spider, which they named Euoplos dignitas, is found in the Brigalow Belt in Central Queensland. It has not been found elsewhere as of yet.
The spider makes its own trapdoor in the woods, so it is unlikely that you are going to run into one of them in your home or while you’re out and about. That’s good news, especially for those who live in Australia with a fear of spiders.
The name that they chose as the meaning of dignity or greatness. It truly shows the large size of the spider. It is also associated with the Queensland Museum’s Project DIG. That project supports genetic research, fieldwork, and lab work.
In looking into the new giant spider, they discovered that the females were larger than the males. They come in at almost 2 inches in length, which is incredibly large for a spider.
