The study found 18 new pelicans species

Researchers along with the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History have discovered 18 new pelican spiders.

Newly discovered species live in forests in Madagascar, an African island in the Indian Ocean, where many species of plants and animals live, including those not found anywhere. other on earth.

Zoologists Hannah Wood and Nikolaj Scharff conducted their survey using specimens collected during the fieldwork together with spiders found in an organized flora and fauna survey. by the California Academy of Sciences.

The odd point is that most pelican spiders only eat other spiders without eating anything else. The unique body morphology of the pelican spider is specially developed to easily consume other spiders.

Pelican spiders use long curved necks and mouth-like mouths to quickly pierce through prey. The long neck allows the pelican spider to hold its prey at a safe distance, without giving the prey a chance to counterattack on its body.

Wood said: "These spiders possess the most unique biological form in Madagascar."

The pelican spider belongs to the Archaeid family, named after their ancient origins. Some pelicans live in Madagascar discovered to be preserved in ancient amber. Wood told Smithsonian: "These spiders may have been in Madagascar since the time of Pangaean, 180 million years ago.

Madagascar is currently the living house of 26 pelican spiders, the latest 18 species published in ZooKeys magazine. But Wood hopes this number will increase even more.

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