Deadly tarantula, discovered in Sierra Nevada desert, has a strong taste for violence; Males have unique genitalia

A new species of tarantula spider has been discovered in the Sierra Nevada desert and experts believe that the spiders have a strong taste for violence. Researchers from universities in Colombia and Uruguay discovered the spider that has been named Kankuamo marquezi, after the country's Nobel Prize-winning author Gabriel Garcia Marquez. The species likes to get up, close and personal with its victims.

The terrifying new tarantula has poisonous hairs protruding from its body and measures about four inches in length. It was discovered lurking in the mountains of Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta on Colombia’s Caribbean coast. The spider’s “family” name, Kankuamo, honours a threatened indigenous people from the region where it was found.

While other tarantulas in its subfamily defend themselves by launching poisonous hairs from their backside, this tarantula’s stinging hairs are not thrown but cause irritation when touched. The spiky bristles may prove to be deadly for smaller mammals and will leave humans with an extremely irritating itch. The newly-discovered spider likes to throw jabs and get on the inside.

“Urticating hairs are used as defense against natural enemies. These hairs are different from hairs covering the body of tarantulas because they have a penetrating tip, which allows the hair to embed in the skin or mucous membranes and cause irritation,” biologist from the University of the Republic in Uruguay, Carlos Perafán, told The New York Times in an email.

The researchers, after careful inspection, identified unique genitalia in the males. This made them realise the spiders belonged to a completely different genus. The discovery has raised interesting questions around the evolutionary pressures which caused the spider to grow its unique spikes. The research was published in the journal ZooKeys.

Experts had previously identified six types of urticating hairs on tarantulas. Kankuamo marquezi adds a seventh.