New species of tarantula named after country music legend Johnny Cash

Scientists have named a new species of tarantula after country music legend Johnny Cash.

Aphonopelma johnnycashi was discovered in California near Folsom Prison – which the musician made famous in his song Folsom Prison Blues, recorded in 1955.

The colouring of the spider, which measures up to six inches across, also brings to mind the “man in black”, who favoured dark outfits. Mature males have solid black bodies.

It was one of 14 new tarantula species found in the US, all members of the Aphonopelma family.

Dr Chris Hamilton, from the Florida Museum of Natural History, who named the spider, said: “We often hear about how new species are being discovered from remote corners of the Earth, but what is remarkable is that these spiders are in our own backyard.

“With the Earth in the midst of a sixth mass extinction, it is astonishing how little we know about our planet’s biodiversity, even for charismatic groups such as tarantulas.”

WARNING… the spider is pictured below….

The new species Aphonopelma johnnycashi (Dr Chris A Hamilton/PA Wire)

The team spent more than a decade searching for tarantulas in locations ranging from scorching deserts to frigid mountains in the American south-west.

In total, the scientists looked at nearly 3,000 specimens – the most comprehensive taxonomic tarantula study ever conducted.

Their findings, published in the journal ZooKeys, revealed 29 US tarantula species, 14 of which were new to science.

The spiders ranged in size with some being no bigger than a small coin and others, like A. johnnycashi, having leg spans of six inches or more.

Their bite, though venomous and painful, is not considered dangerous.

Dr Hamilton stressed that despite their fearsome appearance, US tarantulas were harmless. He described the creatures as “teddy bears with eight legs”.

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