A new species of tarantula, Trichopelma grande, has been discovered in western Cuba by researchers David Ortiz of Masaryk University, Czechia, and Elier Fonseca of the Cuban Zoological Society, Cuba. The charismatic addition to the Trichopelma genus is remarkable for its size and unique features, making it the largest and hairiest of its kind.

The Greater Antillean islands (Cuba, Hispaniola, Jamaica, and Puerto Rico) are a natural laboratory for studying speciation. Although these islands were once connected and share many geographical characteristics, they have been separated for millions of years. This prolonged isolation with natural barriers allows each island’s species to evolve in their own unique directions.

These conditions have led to explosive diversification in various groups, resulting in highly endemic species with unique adaptations. Spiders, particularly tarantulas, show remarkable diversification in this region.

  • @[email protected]
    1•1 month ago

    Mildly interesting fact, what English speakers call tarantulas are called mygales in French, while the term tarentule is reserved for a specific species from the region or Taranto in Italy.

    It’s a false friend that is really easy to get wrong, and is often confusing. As a native French speaker I thought “wait, there’s no tarantulas in the Americas”, only to realize that there are, in English.