by A new tarantula species, Trichopelma grandewas discovered in western Cuba and fascinates researchers with its impressive size and distinctive features.
The spider is the largest and hairiest member of its genus and was identified by David Ortiz of Masaryk University in the Czech Republic and Elier Fonseca of the Cuban Zoological Society.
The findings, published in the Journal of Natural Historyhighlight the unique biodiversity of the Greater Antillean Islands, including Cuba, Hispaniola, Jamaica and Puerto Rico.
These islands are rich in unique species, which were once connected by land but have since been separated by water for millions of years.
David Ortiz
Such conditions favored the evolution of highly endemic species, especially among spiders such as tarantulas.
In the study, researchers extracted and sequenced DNA from the spider to confirm its place within the genus Trichopelma, revealing a close genetic relationship with the spider. Trichopelma laselva from Costa Rica, about 900 miles away.
However, Trichopelma grande is distinguished by a number of unique properties.
Adult males display abundant long hair on their legs, resembling a “feather duster,” the authors wrote in the study.
This characteristic is typically associated with tree-dwelling tarantulas, but is unusual for ground-dwelling species Trichopelma grande.
Despite its tree-like appearance, the spider was found in ground-level hatch burrows, engaging in the digging behavior typical of its species.
The spider’s abdomen has a distinctive pattern of spots and six transverse stripes, separated by a light longitudinal stripe. Its body is adorned with auburn hair, leaving the smooth, dark center of its back visible. Its head is also much larger than those of other species in the genus.
Copies of Trichopelma grande were discovered in Viñales National Park, a biodiversity hotspot in western Cuba. All four specimens were found within a radius of 20 kilometers, indicating that the species has a very limited range.
The spider’s apparent scarcity and limited distribution raise potential conservation concerns, something the authors noted in the study.
“Given its limited range and apparent absence from natural history collections despite its distinctive appearance, this species may be scarce, positioning it as a potential conservation concern,” the researchers wrote.
With 11 Trichopelma species found on the island of Cuba, Trichopelma grande joins a large family on his home island.
Tarantulas are found all over America. They are distinguished from other spiders in several ways, including their fangs, which move forward and down rather than sideways and together as in other spiders.
They also tend to be hairier and larger and have two lungs instead of the usual ones found in other species of spiders.
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Reference
Ortiz, D., and Fonseca, E. (2024). A hairy giant among the dwarfs: Trichopelma grande, a special new species of tarantula from Cuba (Araneae: Theraphosidae). Journal of Natural History, 58(45–48), 2189–2205. https://doi.org/10.1080/00222933.2024.2401921
