Three new giant arachnid species have been discovered in Brazil, Ecuador, and Peru. The Brazilian taxonomist has identified and characterized the 'bird-eating' tarantula that belongs to the genus Avicularia.
The information of the three newly-discovered tarantulas is circulated in the ZooKeys journal. Laboratory of Ecology and Evolution researchers Dr. Rogério Bertani and Dr. Caroline Sayuri Fukushima who were based Instituto Butantan in São Paulo, Brazil authored the said publication.
The scientists pointed out that, "Even though these harmless tarantulas have long been a favorite exotic pet around the world, their identity has remained problematic ever since the first species, the pinktoe tarantula (Aranea avicularia), was described back in 1758 by the father of modern taxonomy, Carl Linnaeus (1707-1778)."
Same thing with the genus Avicularia Lamarck which was put up for some species previously included in Mygale Latreille. The species which was identified as Aranea avicularia Linnaeus was the initial mygalomorph species defined, according to the ZooKeys journal.
Sci-News cited that the scientist studied the recently discovered tarantulas and the specimens from the museum in order to tackle the puzzlement. Both researchers settled that there are only 12 species designated to the category Avicularia rather than 49. Three news species were included, namely Avicularia merianae, Avicularia lynnae, and Avicularia caei.
The bird-eating tarantula Avicularia meriane was named after the German naturalist, Maria Sybilla Merian. She illustrated the popular carving of an Avicularia feasting on a bird. In addition, the scientific name is established from the San Martin, Peru department.
The second recently found species, Avicularia lynnae was named after Lynn West whose husband is the mygalomorph specialist himself, Rick West. This type of tarantula was discovered in Peru and Ecuador.
The third tarantula species Avicularia caei was named after Carlos Eduardo Gurgel Paiola, also known as aka Caê. This arachnid is known solely from the Brazilian state of Pará type locality.
Aside from tarantulas eating birds, there are also reports of the goliath arachnids gorging on snakes. A graduate student from the Brazil's Federal University of Santa Maria did not expect such behavior. Along with his friends, they discovered a mutilated non-venomous snake, Erythrolamprus almadensis, which is about a foot long. The reptile has been shredded by a huge tarantula species called Grammostola quirogai.
