A scientific team from several Spanish institutions, including the Doñana Biological Station (EBD-CSIC), has identified a new species of huntsman spider.
The discovery marks the first record of the species on the European mainland, the EBD-CSIC announced in a statement.
The huntsman spider was previously known only in Africa, the Middle East, and some southern European islands.
The species, measuring over one centimeter in length, has been named “Cebrennus herculis” in homage to the mythical hero Hercules.
In Greek mythology, Hercules separated Africa and Europe, and hence the name reflects the separation of the Iberian lineage of the huntsman spider, Cebrennus, from its African relatives.
The discovery commenced with the capture of some spiders from the Cebrennus genus as part of a project to catalog (the process of describing and identifying) spiders from the coastal dunes of Valencia, Spain.
Subsequent to the cataloging, six adult females and eleven younger spiders were identified.
Further captures of two more spiders were made in the Spanish cities of Granada and Albacete.
The samples were preserved in absolute ethanol and transferred to the Natural Sciences Museum of Barcelona for conservation in Spain.
After various morphological and genetic analyses, it was confirmed that this was a species previously unknown to science.
The females and juveniles from Valencia were collected at different times of the year, during spring and autumn.
The scientific team suggests that the spiders from Valencia may have an extended breeding season or a prolonged reproductive period, with multiple generations per year.
Additional studies are necessary to confirm the extended breeding season.
The discovery of Cebrennus herculis demonstrates that ecosystems like the Mediterranean still harbor surprising and unknown biodiversity, according to EFE.
The discovery paves the way for future research that may reveal even more unknown species in the Iberian Peninsula.
