Species of electric blue tarantula discovered in Thailand

A “mesmerizing” species of tarantula Electric blue has been discovered in Thailand, according to new research.

A group of Thai researchers found the spider during an expedition to Phang-Nga province, in the south of the country, to research the diversity and distribution of animals in the region.

“(We found) a new species of tarantula that displays a mesmerizing blue-violet hue, reminiscent of electric blue sparks,” Narin Chomphuphuang, a researcher at the Department of Entomology and Phytopathology at Khon Kaen University, told CNN .

The study detailing the discovery was published in the scientific journal ZooKeys on September 18th.

The team that found the species living in a mangrove forest also included Thai wildlife YouTuber JoCho Sippawat, who authored the paper published last week.

Some members of the same team also discovered a previously unknown type of tarantula — now called Taksinus bamboos — that lived in the hollow stems of bamboo plants in Thailand last year.

The team auctioned off the right to name the new species to publicize the discovery and raise awareness and funds for the indigenous Lahu people of northern Thailand, a group of which Sippawat is a member. Chilobrachys natanicharum derives from the names of two executives from the company that won the nomination campaign.

“Blue is one of the rarest colors appearing in nature, which makes blue coloring in animals particularly fascinating,” said Chomphuphuang.

The researchers said this coloration comes from the arrangement of “biological photonic nanostructures, not pigments.”

This means that the electric blue coloring does not come from the presence of blue pigmentation, but rather “from the unique structure of your hair, which incorporates nanostructures that manipulate light to create this striking blue appearance,” Chomphuphuang explained.

The scarcity of blue in nature can be attributed to difficulties in absorbing and reflecting specific wavelengths of light. “To appear blue, an object needs to absorb very small amounts of energy while reflecting high-energy blue light,” which is challenging, he said.

According to the research paper, the tarantula’s unique coloration comes from two types of hair, “metallic blue and violet,” which are present on different parts of the body, including the legs, the chelicerae (pincer-like appendages on the front of the mouth) and the carapace (upper shell).

The coloring and other characteristics of the spiders varied according to sex and age. Young females and males have more violet-colored hair than metallic blue hair on parts of their bodies, the study added.

The newly discovered tarantula lives in tree hollows, making it difficult to capture, and researchers had to climb trees to attract it, Chomphuphuang said.

“During our expedition, we walked in the afternoon and evening during low tide, managing to collect only two of them,” he added.

According to the research work, Chilobrachys natanicharum had already been sighted in the commercial tarantula market, known only as “Chilobrachys sp. Electric Blue Tarantula”, but without any information about its characteristics or natural habitats.

Typically, tarantulas are terrestrial or arboreal, but Chilobrachys natanicharum can live in both environments, researchers said, demonstrating its adaptability.

However, with the decline of mangrove forests — largely caused by deforestation — Chomphuphuang says the electric blue tarantula is also one of the rarest tarantulas in the world.