New Spider Species Discovered
Are you wondering what these funny names could possibly be referring to? They are actually the names of the two species of spider that have been found in Australia recently.
New species do not get cataloged and given a name through some fancy naming team. They, in fact, get their names from the person that discovered them. The person can give the name to the new critter based on whatever they choose.
It can refer to a name of a band they love, their firstborn son or even something silly like sparklemuffin.
Who Discovered These Spider Species?
These two new species were discovered by graduate student Madeline Girard and author Jurgen Otto (credited for the featured photo of this post).
Otto actually takes time to take video and photos of another fun spider called the peacock spider which is known for its bright colors and intricate dance. It has been a fun spider to identify and take video of because of the very specific style that it has. The two new spiders are part of the peacock spider family.
Skeletorus
Skeletorus also has the more scientific name Maratus Sceletus. It got the nickname from the mostly black and white skeleton pattern which you probably could have guessed.
One other really cool thing about this new species is that it is the only one that author Jurgen Otto said has what he calls a nose. This spider could be ready to go out on Halloween and not even need a costume!
Sparklemuffin
Sparklemuffin also has a more scientific name: Maratus Jactatus. It got the nickname from the graduate student that first identified and discovered it.
Researchers say that the uniqueness of this spider is the fact that it has a very soft appearance. It also has a very distinct red and blue iridescent pattern on its abdomen.
Australian Spider Species
These new species are very different in their appearance from each other and even in their appearance to the peacock spider.
But what is interesting is what they have in common. They all three use the same style of dance to attract a mate and also have the same style of body.
The area of Queensland, Australia that these two new species were discovered has been finding new species of spiders quite often in the past few years. The researchers and spider fanatics are saying that they have only just started scratching the surface of what could be out there.
Related Article: Fun Spider Facts
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