Researchers Discover New Species of Giant Spider

[RandySF]

Tiny, dainty spiders no bigger than a Tic-Tac probably won’t send your blood pressure rising. But the 4-inch-long, red-fanged Sierra Cacachilas wandering spider (Califorctenus cacachilensis), recently named by researchers at the San Diego Natural History Museum and Mexico's Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste, is another story.

The species was first located in 2013 in a mountain range in Baja California Sur, Mexico. Researchers, including field entomologist Jim Berrian, came across evidence of an “abnormally big” shed exoskeleton in a cave. The eye pattern led them to believe it was potentially part of a group of wandering spiders from the Ctenidae family.

Knowing Ctenidae are nocturnal, the researchers returned to the cave at night, where they spotted a living specimen. The team confirmed it was a previously unidentified species, with the findings published in Zootaxa in March.

The cave-dwelling wandering spider is related to the Brazilian wandering spider, known to be highly venomous. Although researchers haven’t fully examined the consequences of a bite from the Sierra Cacachilas, informal research indicates it probably won’t kill you. “I got bit while handling a live specimen of Califorctenus cacachilensis, and I’m still alive,” Berrian said.


http://mentalfloss.com/article/94567/researchers-discover-new-species-giant-spider?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=nerdist

[radical noodle]

1. And the good news is...

this will be in my nightmares tonight instead of trump. Wow! I'm scared to death of spiders but it IS beautiful.

[RandySF]

4. Then check the blue ornamental tarantula.

[radical noodle]

5. Gorgeous

I just hope I never encounter one unexpectedly! Maybe some day I will learn to appreciate them more than I fear them.

[RandySF]

7. There's good reason to be wary of this one.

Like most "old world" tarantulas, she's quite aggressive (defensive, really) and has a very potent bite.

[Doreen]

9. How pretty.

I would let that one crawl on me. I like spiders.

[RandySF]

10. I don't think she makes a good pet.

There has never been a recorded human death from its bite. However, P. metallica's bite is considered medically significant, with venom that may cause intense pain, judging from the experience of keepers bitten by other spiders from the genus.[6][7] The vast majority are "dry bites," where no venom is injected into the handler. The mechanical effects of the bite can still be worrisome, as an adults fangs can reach nearly 3/4 of an inch in length. P. metallica can move rapidly and may defend itself when cornered. Venom may produce a heart-rate increase followed by sweating, headache, stinging, cramping, or swelling. Effects can last for up to a week.[8]


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poecilotheria_metallica

[Doreen]

11. I would never want a spider as a pet but I would not freak out if I found

one crawling on me. When I find spiders in the house I catch them and and let them crawl on me as I put them outside. I have never been bitten by a spider but my friend has a body type that if she sleeps outside spiders will come and munch on her. The bites are like mosquito bites but much larger, more painful, and looks like bruising.

[Laffy Kat]

2. Read "Hatchling" by Ezekiel Boone.

Not my usual type of read; I just grabbed it in haste at airport bookstore before I jumped on a flight. If you have arachnophobia it will push ALL of your buttons. I guess it's the first book of a series.

[PoliticAverse]

3. Who thought what the world needed was more giant spiders? Leave them unfound! n/t

[eppur_se_muova]

6. Ah, the triumph of scientific logic ...

"Obviously, we need to enter the cave after dark if we want to find giant wandering spiders."

Um. IF.




ETA: This gem from the article:

... informal research indicates it probably won’t kill you. “I got bit while handling a live specimen of Califorctenus cacachilensis, and I’m still alive” ...

[PoliticAverse]

8. "Survivorship bias"...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Survivorship_bias