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In Time For Halloween: 9 New Tarantula Species Discovered

Damien1972 writes "If you suffer from acute arachnophobia, this is the perfect Halloween discovery for you: a spider expert has discovered nine new species of arboreal tarantulas in Brazil. Although tarantula diversity is highest in the Amazon rain-forest, the new species are all found in lesser-known Brazilian ecosystems like the Atlantic Forest and the cerrado."

26 comments

  1. Spiders are my friends by For+a+Free+Internet · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I speak to them in dypthongs exclusively for their pleasure.

    Their eyes are made of squirrel tongues! Did you know that?

    Once I saw a spider in my compotor. It was reading Slashdort, which those who know, know to be the Facebook of the Internet, where all the cool compotor users exchange viws on topics.

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    1. Re:Spiders are my friends by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Reading posts like these are the highlights of my life. Mod parent +5 Insightful, please!

    2. Re:Spiders are my friends by lbenes · · Score: 0

      When I watch top predators like spiders, wolves, and sharks in the hunt, I find myself in awe of their prowess and grace. Nothing but respect here.

    3. Re:Spiders are my friends by gagol · · Score: 1

      Instead of modding the GP, I will give you 2 minutes of fun to make your life more bearable : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHzdsFiBbFc

      --
      Tomorrow is another day...
  2. Just one of several reasons... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I don't ever want to go to Brazil.

    (Note: tongue firmly in cheek)

  3. multi coloured by Thorfinn.au · · Score: 3, Informative

    These newly found spiders are in many colours not usually associated with arachnids, such as pink and purple
    photo

    1. Re:multi coloured by GodfatherofSoul · · Score: 1

      Holy crap! I thought that was a joke! I clicked for the punchline image lol

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    2. Re:multi coloured by cyberchondriac · · Score: 1

      Wow.. they're purty. More suitable for Easter than Halloween!

      --

      Look back up at my post, now look back down, you're on the Internet. Now look back up. I'm a signature.
  4. In Time For Halloween ? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Hallowe'en finished over 14 hours ago you insensitive clod! (If you live in Australia).

    1. Re:In Time For Halloween ? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      An Australian whining about Halloween? Whoever heard of such a thing?!

    2. Re:In Time For Halloween ? by cyberchondriac · · Score: 1

      It's not over for a lot of us on the Eastern seaboard of the US. Hurricane Sandy caused a postponement of the festivities in my state until as late as Monday.
      Granted, Halloween will always be Oct 31, but you know what I mean. This is like the 6 days of Halloween this year.

      On the first day of Halloween my dead love gave to me
      A vampire bat in a dead tree
      On the second day of Halloween my dead love gave to me
      Two hairy spiders
      and a vampire bat in a dead tree
      On the third day of Halloween my dead love gave to me
      Three eyeballs
      Two hairy spiders
      and a vampire bat in a dead tree
      On the fourth day of Halloween my dead love gave to me
      Four ghosts-a-moaning
      Three eyeballs
      Two hairy spiders
      and a vampire bat in a dead tree
      On the fifth day of Halloween my dead love gave to me
      Five .. Walking .. Dead
      Four ghosts-a-moaning
      Three eyeballs
      Two hairy spiders
      and a vampire bat in a dead tree
      On the sixth day of Halloween my dead love gave to me
      Six spectres screaming
      Five .. Walking .. Dead
      Four ghosts-a-moaning
      Three eyeballs
      Two hairy spiders
      and a vampire bat in a dead tree

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  5. Would have been more Halloweenish if... by Lord_of_the_nerf · · Score: 1

    ...they were discovered right behind you NOW

    Boo.

  6. The first one looks familiar by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The top spider on that page looks remarkably like the Chilean Rose Haired Tarantula which has been a common pet and movie spider for a long time.

  7. 9 New Tarantula Species Discovered by maugle · · Score: 1

    A spider expert has discovered nine new species of arboreal tarantulas ...

    ... in his socks.

  8. Most important fact by girlintraining · · Score: 1

    Slashdot missed the most important thing about this one: It attacks from above.

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  9. Almost cute by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I used to think tarantulas were scary buggers. Then I moved to the West Indies. They showed up in and around my house.
    The species you get there (Acanthoscurria antillensis) is not offensively big, and docile in behaviour. The locals call them donkey spiders, because they have about the same colour range as the donkeys roaming the islands.
    They do not run, they do not jump, they don't shoot hairs and you probably have to beg them to bite you and their bite is probably no worse than a bee sting (don't get me started on Jack Spaniards or centipedes though). They helped us controlling the cockroach population, so we just left them in piece when we saw them in the house. The giant crab spiders (Olios sp.) are a bit more freaky, being of the running disposition, but since they are excellent cockroach hunters, we'd leave them be too.

    1. Re:Almost cute by marcosdumay · · Score: 1

      Nearly all spiders are docile. Even the dangerous ones. And tarantulas aren't dangerous at all.

      (Here at Brazil we have one of the few exceptions, one of the two dangerous spider species we have will atack you if you get too near.)

  10. Left them in pieces!? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    You bastard!

    1. Re:Left them in pieces!? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Oh sh*te. Left them in peace. Let's attribute it to early morning and English not being my first language.

  11. Just what we need by pieisgood · · Score: 1

    Even more silver back gorillas of the insect world!

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  12. Definite article with countries? by Hognoxious · · Score: 1

    The Brazil? WTF?

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    Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
    1. Re:Definite article with countries? by rossdee · · Score: 1

      Some countries do have 'The' in their official title

      The United States of America
      The European Union
      The Peoples Republic of China

      And of course the French refer to La France

      BTW I come from The North Island

    2. Re:Definite article with countries? by Hognoxious · · Score: 1

      Is Brazil among them. No, jizzwad, it isn't.

      As for the French, they can fuck off.

      --
      Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
    3. Re:Definite article with countries? by Hognoxious · · Score: 1

      P.S. The European Union isn't a country.

      --
      Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."