New Spider Species Discovered!
Author:
First published in Sanctuary Asia,
Vol. 33
No. 2,
February 2013
Thirty-three new trapdoor spider species have been discovered by scientists in Southwest America that belong to the genus Aptostichus. One of the spiders has been named Aptostichus barackobamai, after U.S. President, Barack Obama.
“California is a biodiversity hotspot. Although this designation is primarily based on plant diversity, the region is clearly very rich in animal diversity as well," said Jason Bond, who is a trapdoor spider expert and director of the Auburn University Museum of Natural History. “While it is absolutely remarkable that a large number of species from such a heavily populated area have gone unnoticed, it clearly speaks volumes of how little we know of the biodiversity around us and that many more species on the planet await discovery," he added.
Source: Sanctuary Asia.
