A new species of trapdoor spider found only in Queensland has been discovered in Australia. The female spider of this rare species can live up to 20 years. It can be as large as 5 cm. This is a great size for a trapdoor spider. Males of this species can grow up to 3 cm. Scientists have said that unfortunately much of the spider’s habitat has been destroyed in land clearing. Due to this, it has now moved towards being an endangered species.
Trapdoor spiders weave a web through leaves to catch insects. These nets are generally from 1.5 cm to 3 cm. The name of this new species of spider is Europos dignitas.
It is a species of golden trapdoor spider discovered in the semi-arid woodlands of the Brigalow belt. The Queensland scientists who discovered it said that its Latin name means variety or greatness, reflecting the spider’s impressive size and nature.
The female of this species has a reddish-brown undertail, while the male has a honey red outer coat and brown belly. Euoplos dignitas live in the open and make burrows in black soil for themselves. Female spiders spend their lives underground. Males, on the other hand, leave the burrow after five to seven years in search of another mate. Very few specimens of this species have been collected in recent decades.
spider was found in 2021
A study related to this has been published in the Journal of Arachnology. It states that only one female of this species has been recorded in Queensland since the 1960s. After three days of searching, in May 2021, a population of several hundred meters was found on the roadside.
while the surrounding area has been cleared for housing and agriculture. It has been said in the research that in such a situation the existence of these spiders is in danger. This spider is not a danger to humans.