New spider family, Trogloraptor marchingtoni (© California Academy of Sciences/AP)

Newly discovered spider is given name as sharp as its claws

8/20/2012

Arachnophobes, avert your eyes. (But don’t hide in a cave!) Scientists have discovered a new sharp-clawed, cave-dwelling spider in southwestern Oregon and old-growth redwood forests that is so different from any arachnid previously identified they’ve assigned it its own family, genus and species – and given it a pretty kick-ass name: Trogloraptor. The super-creepy 1.5-inch spidey, which may have ancient origins and whose name means “cave robber” in Latin, uses its deadly claws to snap up passing prey. Thankfully, experts say it presents no danger to humans and is in fact quite shy. Which is good news for spelunkers everywhere. [Source]

Check out the msnNOW.com homepage to read more trending stories.

most recent

What's the scariest spider you've ever encountered?