Venomous tarantula found in Mankulam

A new type of tarantula, about the size of a face has been found in Northern Sri Lanka, reported the wired.com

Scientists found the spider, with a leg span upto eight inches across, living in trees and a house of a doctor living in Mankulam.

"These are the tiger spiders, an arboreal group indigenous to India and Sri Lanka that are known for being colorful, fast, and venomous. As a group, the spiders are related to a class of South American tarantula that includes the Goliath bird-eater, the world's largest" Wired.com reported.

Covered in beautiful, ornate markings, the spiders belong to the genus Poecilotheria, known as "Pokies" for short.

The new spider, named as Poecilotheria rajaei, after a Sri Lankan police inspector who helped the team in the navigation in northern Sri Lanka.

The report says, the spider differs from similar species primarily in the markings on its legs and underside, which bears a pink abdominal band.

The spider's unique leg markings include geometric patterns with daffodil-yellow and grey inlays on the first and fourth legs.

It has been first seen during a Sri Lankan arachnid survey led by Ranil Nanayakkara, co-founder of Sri Lanka's Biodiversity Education and Research.

The scientist found enough spiders - including the ones hiding in a hospital - to assemble a detailed description of the new arachnids.

"They are quite rare," Nanayakkara was quoted saying on Wired.com.

"They prefer well-established old trees, but due to deforestation the number have dwindled and due to lack of suitable habitat they enter old buildings," Nanayakkara said. News360.lk