Arachnophobes may be alarmed to hear that scientists have identified 55 new species of Australian wishbone spiders.
Coming from the same group as tarantulas and funnel-web spiders, wishbone spiders dig burrows and line them with silk to help them catch prey.
These burrows are where the spiders get their name, as they’re shaped like a wishbone or the letter Y with one leg shorter than the other.
Only one leg reaches the surface, providing an entrance to the burrow, while the other remains hidden underground and is believed to provide extra protection for the spider.
Found across mainland Australia, scientists from Queensland Museum, Western Australian Museum, and the University of Western Australia joined forces to conduct a groundbreaking two-year study on the arachnids.
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The project involved extensive fieldwork in some of Australia’s more remote ecosystems, which several species of whishbone spider call home, as well as cutting-edge molecular techniques used to study the spiders.
Now they’ve published a landmark research paper that includes the description of 55 species new to science.
Some of the additions to the Aname genus include A. mulgana, named for the Mulga Lands of south-western Queensland where it’s found, and A. lawrenceae, named for the study’s project manager Melinda Lawrence.
These additions make wishbone spiders one of the most diverse and widely distributed groups of spiders in Australia.
But lead author Dr Jeremy Wilson said more than half of the Aname genus of wishbone spiders found in Australia remained undescribed, with many only found in remote or arid parts of the country.
He said the two-year study has also led to “amazing observations” about the secretive spiders’ burrowing habits, as well as physical differences between species.
“This work is a reminder of how much there is still to learn about our unique biodiversity, ensuring that future generations can appreciate the incredible diversity of life that calls Australia home,” Queensland Museum chief executive Dr Jim Thompson said.
