New tarantula species discovered in southeastern Arizona, study says

Scientists said a new species of tarantula spider was recently discovered in the Chiricahua Mountains in southeastern Arizona.

The spider is formally named Aphonopelma jacobii after Michael A. Jacobi who helped find several of the first specimens that led to the discovery of the new species. The creature is relatively small as far as tarantulas go and has a black and gray color with fiery red hairs on its abdomen.

It’s the 30th species of tarantula to be documented in the United States.

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“We often hear about new species being discovered from remote corners of Earth, but it is remarkable that these spiders are found in our own backyard, albeit in somewhat difficult-to-access areas of our backyard," Dr. Chris Hamilton, an assistant professor at the University of Idaho who co-led the study on the new species, said in a statement.

The study published in ZooKeys said the spider has been able to survive bitterly cold winters in its high-elevation habitats of the Chiricahua Mountain. But climate change has forced the spiders to adapt to more humid mountain tops and could threaten their existence.

Tarantulas are plentiful in California and Arizona, but they are most often seen during their mating season when males emerge in the fall and wander in search of females.