YouTuber discovers a new species of tarantula in Thailand

The tarantula discovered in Thailand lives in bamboo and is so different from others that it has been declared a new genus and species.

When JoCho Sippawat, a wildlife enthusiast and YouTube starWhen a young man in the northwest of Thailand found an unusual spider near his home, he knew he had found something special.

He quickly sent a photo of the spider to arachnologist Narin Chomphuphuang of Khon Kaen University, who helped confirm what Sippawat had hoped for: it was a new species of tarantula.

Sippawat, whose nature YouTube channel has 2.5 million followers, first encountered the black-and-white fluffy spider during a trip to the forest near his home in Tak province, Thailand.

Zongtum "JoCho" Sippawat (left), with arachnologists Wuttikrai Khaikaew, Kaweesak Keeratikiat, Narin Chomphuphuang and Chaowalit Songsangchote.

After scientists collected specimens and conducted field surveys in the area in July 2020, the spider was officially declared new to science.

Sippawat and the scientists he worked with were surprised to find that the tarantula nests inside the bamboo stalks.

This behaviour has never been documented before in tarantulas, a family of over 1,000 different species.

The new spider, named Taksinus bambus, is so different from all other known tarantulas that it has been declared a new genus and species.

The team named the new tarantula after the Thai king Taksin the Great, who ruled Tak province in the 18th century.

The tarantula Taksinus bambus. Photo: JoCho Sippawat

Details of this recent discovery are published in the journal ZooKeys.

"These animals are truly remarkable," wrote Chomphuphuang, who co-authored the study, in a blog post.

"These are the first known mygals with a bamboo-based ecology.

Most Southeast Asian tarantulas live on the ground or in trees, but this is the first tarantula to live exclusively on a single specific plant, according to Katie Hunt of CNN.

Sippawat first found the spider in the Asian bamboo stalks, inside their silk-lined shelters.

Arachnids create tube-like silk burrows either in the ends of branches or in the hollow culms of bamboo.

The newly recognised spider is the only known tree tarantula in Thailand, the study authors note.

"This species is unique because it is associated with bamboo, and we have never observed this species of tarantula in any other plant," writes Chomphuphuang.

"It is no exaggeration to say that they are now the rarest tarantulas in Thailand.

The scientists behind this work explain that, although the new species of tarantula grows inside bamboo, it cannot drill or bore through the stems on its own.

Instead, the Taksinus bambus depends on other animals, such as the bamboo borer beetle, the bamboo worm and the carpenter bee that nests in bamboo, to penetrate the plant, reports Matthew Hart for Nerdist.

The discovery of a new tarantula highlights the importance of protecting Thailand's biodiversity, much of which remains undocumented.

"Our main mission is to study and save the biodiversity and wildlife found in these forests from extinction, especially the species-specific microhabitats," explains Chomphuphuang.

"The first step is to inform people about these species and their locality.

Secondly, this forest area must be managed and protected for wildlife.

Source: Smithsonian Magazine