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'Rare and giant' spider species discovered in Queensland
A rare and giant species of spider only found in a regional part of Queensland has been discovered.
The Euoplos dignitas is a large trapdoor spider that lives in open woodland habitats and builds burrows in the black soils of the Brigalow Belt in Central Queensland.
Scientists at the Queensland Museum have given the new species a name to pay tribute to its large size.
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"The name Euoplos dignitas is derived from the Latin dignitas meaning dignity or greatness and is reflected by the impressive size and nature of the spider," Dr Michael Rix said.
"This species is known from only a very few locations around Eidsvold and Monto in Central Queensland and has lost much of its habitat to land clearing, which makes it likely to be an endangered species."
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The discovery comes after work by Queensland Museum scientists as part of Project DIG to find and document new species in the state.
"This new spider species is a great example of Queensland Museum's ground-breaking research," the state's arts minister Leeanne Enoch said.
The new species has now been published in the Journal of Arachnology.
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