A face-sized tarantula was found in Sri Lanka. |
Although similar to other spiders found in the area, scientists believe it is different enough to be it's own species. One of the characteristics that makes this face-sized tarantula unique is it's colorful markings. It has a pink abdominal band and daffodil-yello and gray inlays on it's first and fourth legs.
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This is another form of “tiger spiders,” which belongn to the arboreal group. They are native to India and Sri Lanka. Like other tiger spiders, this face-sized tarantula is colorful, fast and venoumous.
The face-sized tarantula was named after a police inspector who helped the scientific team navigate Sri Lanka. The police inspector knew the area well in post-civil war northern Sri Lanka.
A face-sized tarantula was found in Sri Lanka.
Despite the scientific team in Sri Lanka believing this face-sized tarantula is a new species, not all scientists believe that is. Robert Raven, curator of the Queensland Museum in Australia, isn't convinced that the face-sized spider is a new species.