4 days ago
Tarantula found wandering in house looking for ‘females or food' is new species
Five elusive species of 'tiny' tree-dwelling tarantulas, found only in very limited habitats in Brazil, are under threat due to their beauty.
Their size and colorful 'eye-catching' patterns make them targets for the pet market, and two of the five species have been listed in the Red Book of Threatened Brazilian Fauna.
Now, a sixth species has been identified after it was 'found wandering inside a house probably looking for females or food,' according to a study published July 8 in the peer-reviewed journal Zootaxa.
The Typhochlaena genus is an ancient and unique lineage of arboreal, or tree-dwelling, tarantulas that branched off from others millions of years ago. As a result, it has retained certain ancestral features that other no longer have, including traits related to body shape and size.
Typhochlaena chapadensis is just under half an inch long. It is dark brown with 'pinkish iridescent setae,' or hair-like structures, covering its body, according to the study.
A juvenile was found near the home sitting on a tree under a patch of loose bark, researchers said. Its coloring was slightly different, with a blackish body and 'iridescent metallic greenish setae,' the study said.
Researchers said the new species has a 'very distinct' geographic range and is found only south of the São Francisco River in the Chapada Diamantina region.
The rugged landscape is 'dominated by karst land forms,' mountains, 'rocky peaks, steep slopes, narrow valleys and large flat areas at high altitudes,' according to the study.
'Sadly, all Typhochlaena species are being targeted by poachers and the presence in the trade market is becoming more frequent,' researchers said. 'The same can be expected towards the new species described here, that are already being sold on Pet Trade.'
Researchers said they hope the species' presence within a federal conservation park can help keep it 'minimally protected.'
The Chapada Diamantina region, where the new species was discovered, is in the central portion of the state of Bahia in eastern Brazil.
The research team included Rogério Bertani, Vinicius S. Antunes and Jonas E. Gallão.
