New species of ant-eating spider with 'lock and key' genitals discovered
A Queensland scientist who discovered a new species of ant-eating spider with unique "lock and key" genitals has named the new arachnid after a friend and fellow scientist.
The spider species named Nosterella pollardi measures less than 1 centimetre in length and is only found Lord Howe Island off the coast of NSW.
The male ant-eating spider has specific genitals that work like a key fitting a lock with a well-developed hood that aids with reproduction, the ABC reports.
The tiny spider lives among ants and mimics their behaviour making it hard for the hive-minded insects to detect the predator among their ranks.
"They're also unique as they often make pheromones like ants so the ants can't detect them," said Dr Barbara Baehr, the Queensland Museum scientist who discovered the spider while researching specimens among the museum's collection.
The arachnologist decided to name the small brown spider after her friend, Associate Professor Peter Pollard, a microbiologist at Griffith University.
Prof Pollard said having a spider named for him was "the best next thing" to being named Australian of the Year.
