8-eyed creature foraging in bamboo forest turns out to be hairy new species in China
Scrounging around a bamboo forest in China, an eight-eyed creature searched for food. Something shook the plants, and the animal suddenly found itself eye-to-eye-to-eye-to-eye-to-eye-to-eye-to-eye-to-eye with scientists.
The scientists stared right back — and discovered they were looking at a hairy new species.
Researchers ventured into a bamboo forest in Guiyang City to study the area’s wildlife, according to a study published Aug. 8 in the Biodiversity Data Journal. The “scenic spot” had a small stream running through the center.
Beating the “twigs and branches,” researchers knocked several foraging spiders loose, the study said.
They captured the animals and, taking a closer look, discovered a new species of spider: Pancorius guiyang, or the Guiyang jumping spider.
The Guiyang jumping spider is small, reaching about 0.4 inches in size with females slightly larger than males, the study said. It has eight eyes, with the smallest pair measuring only about 0.004 inches in size.
Although both are covered in small hairs, male and female Guiyang jumping spiders vary in color, photos show. Male spiders have a black and white coloring with some red-brown patches. Female spiders have a tan and brown coloring with orange-red patches.
Researchers reportedly “matched the male and female together” through DNA analysis.
The new species was identified as distinct based on its body shape and genitalia, the study said. Further DNA analysis of the new species was not provided.
Researchers named the new species after the area where it was discovered, the study said. Guiyang City is in Guizhou province and about 1,200 miles southwest of Shanghai.
The research team included Weicheng Yang, Yufeng Zhou, Dongxue Gu and Hao Yu.
This story was originally published August 8, 2023 at 5:31 PM with the headline "8-eyed creature foraging in bamboo forest turns out to be hairy new species in China."
