A new species of trapdoor spider has been discovered in Australia, it is five times the size of its relatives and can live up to 20 years.
Researchers have discovered a new and rare species of trapdoor spider in Australia, like this Queensland Museum Network communicated. The scientists found the giant spider in Queensland’s Brigalow Belt and named it “Euplos dignitas”. The name derives from the Latin word “dignitas,” meaning dignity or grandeur, and “reflects the spider’s impressive size and nature,” according to the museum.
No threat
According to the museum, the “Euplos dignitas” lives in open forest areas and builds burrows in the black soil of Queensland. Researchers believe it lost much of its habitat due to deforestation, which likely makes it an endangered species. The spiders do not pose a major threat to humans.
Up to 20 years old
The male spiders of this species have a honey-red exterior, while the females are reddish-brown. According to the BBC, females in the wild can live for more than 20 years and up to two inches in length. The males are “only” up to three centimeters tall. For comparison: The typical trapdoor spiders are only between half a centimeter and one centimeter long.
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Trapdoor spiders got their name because they build “trapdoors” out of leaves to capture insects. While females remain in or near their burrows throughout their lives, males leave as soon as they are sexually mature and go in search of a mate.
