From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
A new and large species of spider has been found living in Queensland, Australia, and researchers say it's in need of protection.
Rare and colourful, the tarantula-like creature is a type of golden trapdoor spider belonging to the genus Euoplos, which since 2017 has been the subject of an extensive research program, according to a study published March 15 in the Journal of Arachnology.
Now called Euoplos dignita, the species was first discovered in the early 20th century, near the towns of Monto and Eidsvold, but it remained undescribed and unnamed due to a lack of research, said study author Michael Rix, principal curator of arachnology at the Queensland Museum Network, via email.
For years, there have been only a handful of Euoplos dignita specimens in the Queensland Museum's collection, all but one of which were collected before the 1970s. There were no known males among them — which posed a significant obstacle for Rix and his research team.
Having a male specimen is important for being able to identify and name a species within the Mygalomorphae order, which Euoplos spiders are part of, said Paula Cushing, senior curator in vertebrate zoology at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. Cushing, who is also secretary of the American Arachnological Society, wasn't involved in the study.
"Oftentimes, in order to figure out if what you're looking at is new to science, you almost always, with spiders, have to examine the genitalia," she added.
So the researchers needed new genetic material they could test from a living male specimen — which meant they had to find one.
They finally spotted what they were looking for on a roadside in the Eidsvold-Monto region after a three-day search in May 2021. It was the first collection of the species since the 1990s.
After comparing their find to other specimens in the museum's collection, the research team officially described Euoplos dignitas. Dignitas is "Latin for dignity or greatness, in reference to the really spectacular nature of this spider," Rix said in a YouTube video published by the Queensland Museum Network. "It's a big, beautiful species."
Females of the species have a red-brown carapace, burrow-building behaviour and can grow to 2 inches long, which is "very large" for this type of spider, according to the study. The males have a "striking 'honey-red' carapace and legs," and their abdomens are grayish brown.
"These spiders are pretty cool because they are so long lived. Some trapdoor mygalomorphs can live for literally decades," Cushing said. "The longest-lived trapdoor tarantula was 43 years old."
Protection is needed for this rare species, the researchers also found. When the researchers located the male Euoplos dignitas specimen, they observed that most of the roadside habitats that would typically be available for this species had been cleared for agriculture or highly disturbed, which is "extremely destructive for trapdoor spiders, their burrows and the integrity of their habitat," according to the researchers.
"Until detailed survey work is completed, we won't know how many remaining populations exist," Rix said. "But the natural range of the species is small (and) highly fragmented, and we were only able to discover one living (specimen) at the time."
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
The National Post is reporting that Rex Murphy, the pundit and columnist who hosted a national call-in radio show for decades, has died.
Another suspect is in custody in connection with the gold heist at Toronto Pearson International Airport last year, police say.
Careful attention to government statements and legislation is required to get a handle on the level of risk British Columbians’ information is under, as investigators probe multiple breaches under a continued barrage of attacks.
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
A Conservative government led by Pierre Poilievre would not legislate on, nor use the notwithstanding clause, on abortion, his office says, as anti-abortion protesters gather on Parliament Hill.
Hailey and Justin Bieber are going to be parents. The couple announced the news on Thursday on Instagram, both sharing a video that showcases Hailey Bieber's growing belly.
Studies have shown that ultraprocessed foods can have a detrimental impact on health. But 30 years of research show they don’t all have the same impact.
The Oscar-winning team behind the nearly US$6 billion blockbuster 'Lord of the Rings' and 'The Hobbit' trilogies is reuniting to produce two new films.
A Listowel, Ont. man, drafted by the Hamilton Tigercats last week, is also getting looks from the NFL, despite only playing 27 games of football in his life.
A small Ajax dessert shop that recently received a glowing review from celebrity food critic Keith Lee is being forced to move after a zoning complaint was made following the social media influencer’s visit last month.
The Canada Science and Technology Museum is inviting visitors to explore their poop. A new exhibition opens at the Ottawa museum on Friday called, 'Oh Crap! Rethinking human waste.'
The Regina Police Service says it is the first in Saskatchewan and possibly Canada to implement new technology in its detention facility that will offer real-time monitoring of detainees’ vital health metrics.
The stakes have been set for a bet between Vancouver and Edmonton's mayors on who will win Round 2 of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
A grieving mother is hosting a helmet drive in the hopes of protecting children on Manitoba First Nations from a similar tragedy that killed her daughter.
A chicken farmer near Mattawa made an 'eggstraordinary' find Friday morning when she discovered one of her hens laid an egg close to three times the size of an average large chicken egg.
A P.E.I. lighthouse and a New Brunswick river are being honoured in a Canada Post series.
An Ontario man says he paid more than $7,700 for a luxury villa he found on a popular travel website -- but the listing was fake.