Did You Know? Meet Israel’s Newest Inhabitant
Posted on: January 13, 2010

A new species of spider – the largest of its kind in the Middle East boasting a 5.5-inch leg span – has been discovered by biologists at the University of Haifa. Unfortunately, the arachnid is facing a disappearing habitat. Cerbalus aravensis was found in Israel’s Samar sand dune, which is rapidly shrinking due to rezoning for agriculture and other uses. “The discovery of this new spider illustrates our obligation to preserve the dune,” says Dr. Uri Shanas, who headed the team of scientists. You can read more about this big bug at Science Daily and the Jerusalem Post.