Scientists raise baby spiders in a lab — and discover several new species in China
Sometimes scientists discover a new species after long hours of searching. Sometimes they find a new species by accident. A team of researchers in China took a slightly different approach.
The researchers visited various parks, forests and wooded areas around Hunan province and collected baby spiders, according to a study published March 17 in the journal ZooKeys. They brought the spiders to a lab and raised them.
At first glance their approach seems like a game of chance. But this “indirect” discovery approach was actually quite fitting for the type of spider the team was researching, according to the Science X Network.
The researchers were looking for Mesothelae spiders, a type of arachnid with “segmented abdomens usually covered by plates,” the Science X Network reported. Species of Mesothelae spiders tend to live in very niche environments and look very similar. To identify different species, scientists compare the spider’s sexual organs — an approach only possible with adult specimens, the outlet reported.
The team in Hunan raised the young spiders and, after they had matured, identified three new species of spider based on their genitalia, the study said.
The new species — Songthela anhua, Songthela longhui and Songthela zhongpo — were named after the locations where they were hiding in plain sight, researchers said.
The Songthela anhua spider was discovered in a local park. The animal has a brown-black coloring with some yellowish areas, photos show. Males grow to about half an inch, with females being even smaller, the study said.
The Songthela longhui spider was discovered in a village, researchers said. The males had a brown coloring and reached about a half-inch in size. The smaller females had a red-brown coloring. Photos show the animal.
The Songthela zhongpo spider was discovered in a forested park. The larger males had a brown coloring, while the smaller females had a stockier build with a red-brown coloring, photos show and the study said.
These spiders — like other Mesothelae spiders — are likely at risk due to their limited habitats, the Science X Network reported. Further research is needed to identify other overlooked spider species.
Hunan province is in central China, about 670 miles southwest of Shanghai.
This story was originally published April 17, 2023 at 3:32 PM with the headline "Scientists raise baby spiders in a lab — and discover several new species in China."
