Scientists Discover Giant Red Spider That Can Live for 20 Years

Australian scientists have just discovered a new species of arachnid, dubbed the giant trapdoor spider, in Queensland. It’s huge, bright red, and it can live for up to two decades.

Before you panic, we should note that trapdoor spiders aren’t considered a threat to humans. While they are venomous, their bites aren’t known to have any lasting effect on people, reports the BBC. Besides, hikers rarely encounter them; the spiders are nocturnal and spend most of their lives underground. And while they’re big for trapdoor spiders, they’re not as massive as, say, tarantulas or giant desert scorpions.

Female giant trapdoor spiders can grow up to two inches long. That’s about twice the size of other trapdoor spiders. Male trapdoor spiders are slightly smaller.

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Aside from its size and stunning longevity (up to 20 years for females), the other striking thing about the giant trapdoor spider is its color. The females are a translucent red with candy cane-like stripes ringing their upper legs. The males tend to be either dark brown or iridescent maroon in hue.

The bright coloring is likely an evolutionary adaptation to ward off predators. It works, too: Even Bear Grylls says eating bugs with this kind of coloration is off limits, no matter how desperate the survival situation. In spiders, bright reds typically indicate venom. In some other species, though, unusual hues can be the result of genetic mutation. Case in point: the hot pink grasshopper discovered in Arkansas last week.

Trapdoor spiders get their name from their unique hunting strategy. They hide in a burrow underground and cover the hole with a special door made from soil bound together with spider silk. When an insect wanders by, the spider lifts the door and leaps out, snatching the hapless prey. According to reporting from The Guardian, the spider is an important component of local ecosystems and helps maintain balance among insect populations on the forest floor.

Scientists hope that the discovery of the new species will help with future conservation efforts in Australia. While there’s more work to be done to understand the spider’s true population size, researchers suspect that it’s already endangered. Further research could help scientists figure out how to protect it from further decline.