A new spider species, scientifically named Guriurius minuano, has been discovered in South America, bringing the total number of known spider species worldwide to 50,000.
Guriurius minuano recognized as the 50,000th spider species in the world. (Image: sciencealert.com).
The Guriurius minuano spider was officially listed in the World Spider Catalog, an organization based at the Natural History Museum in Bern, Switzerland, on April 6.
Guriurius minuano belongs to the Salticidae family and is found in southern Brazil, Uruguay, and Argentina. It is commonly known as the “jumping spider” due to its ability to leap up to six times its body length. This species was discovered by arachnologist Kimberly S. Marta and her colleagues in Brazil and is named after the ancient Minuane indigenous people.
The first scientific descriptions of spiders were made in 1757. After 265 years, the number of identified spider species worldwide has reached 50,000. However, with the continuous discovery of new spider species, researchers believe that there could still be 50,000 other spider species yet to be discovered in nature, and the process of uncovering these species may take up to 100 years.
According to the Natural History Museum in Bern, spiders are the most important predators in terrestrial ecosystems on Earth, highlighting the need to properly assess their ecological significance. Spiders consume approximately 400 to 800 million tons of insects each year, playing a crucial role in regulating insect populations. Therefore, spiders also have significant importance for humans.
