Venomous new species of ‘tarantula-like’ spider discovered in Florida can live for decades

Venomous creature was first seen in the endangered forests surrounding Miami Zoo in 2012

Miami Zoo announces discovery of new spider species (Miami Zoo)

Staff at Miami Zoo were reportedly responsible for the recent discovery of a new “tarantula-like” species of spider, which experts say can live for decades.

The Pine Rockland Trapdoor Spider was first sighted by a zookeeper from Miami Zoo in the Pine Rockland forests surrounding the animal park in 2012, but no other spiders of the same species were reported in the region for almost a decade.

Following a recent sighting of the spider at the park, the spooky species was reportedly captured and sent for analysis at Piedmont College in Georgia, where research into “trapdoor” spiders is being carried out.

The creatures are named after the way in which they catch their prey from beneath a “trapdoor” of vegetation and soil, and live within rock formations, according to zoo conservation chief Frank Ridgley.

According to reports, the species is also known for its longevity, with female Pine Rockland spiders thought to live for over two decades.

Dr Rebecca Godwin, from Piedmont College, said there was “no doubt that it was a new species”, and that the reported sightings were of males, who live for roughly seven years, while sightings of females are rarer.

“The individuals that zoo staff encountered were wandering males,” said Ms Godwin. “They have a rough carapace (shell) on their front half and a silvery-grey abdomen with a light-coloured patch on top. They’re really quite beautiful spiders.“

Announcing the discovery of the spider species, Mr Ridgley said “it appears similar to a small shiny black tarantula. Similar species are ambush predators. They create a web burrow down into soft and sandy substrate with a hinged door at the surface.”

“They spend their entire lives in that same burrow, waiting for prey to come past their trapdoor, then they lunge out from their camouflaged lair to grab their prey.” he added.

According to zoo staff, because only 1.5 per cent of the Pine Rockland habitat exists outside of the Everglades National Park in Miami-Dade County, it is thought the spider species is at risk.

“The fact that a new species like this could be found in a fragment of endangered forest in the middle of the city underscores the importance of preserving these ecosystems before we lose not only what we know, but also what is still to be discovered,” Mr Ridgley said.

He added: “Venoms of related species have been found to contain compounds with potential use as pain medications and cancer treatments”.