Just discovered spider species found in Israel. It's already endangered!

William Atkins
Tuesday, 12 January 2010 02:28

Science - Biology

Israeli biologists have discovered for the first time a large species of spider that lives in the Middle East, specifically, in the dune in the Sands of Samar, a kibbutz (collective community) in the southern region of the Arava desert within Israel. The bad news is its habitat is being destroyed by human encroachment!


The newly discovered spider species was discovered by a team of biologists from the Department of Biology at the University of Haifa at Oranim, a university of Israel.

The newly discovered spider species—called Cerbalus aravensis—was found in the dune near the kibbutz called Samar, which is located in the Araba valley in the far southern portion of Israel.

Samar is also near to the city of Eilat (Israel’s most southermost city) which is located at the northern tip of the Red Sea on the Gulf of Eilat. Samar is also near the Israel-Jordon border.

C. aravensis has a body span of about 3.8 centimeters (1.5 inches) and a leg span of about 14 centimeters (5.5 inches).

It is a nocturnal spider, being active usually only during the daylight hours and commonly during the times when the temperatures are the hottest in the arid region of Israel.

According to the discovery team, the spider species lives underground in camouflaged dens that it seals off with doors made of sand particles glued together.

Other physical characteristics of the C. aravensis are still being discovered as the scientists continue to study its new spider species.

Page two shows a slideshow of the spider.