Researchers in Mexico have identified a new species of spider with venom that is capable of rotting human flesh.
A team from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) found the spider, dubbed Loxosceles tenochtitlan, in the Valley of Mexico—a highland plateau in the center of the country where Mexico City is located.
The arachnid belongs to a genus, or group of species, known as Loxosceles—which are commonly referred to as recluse spiders, violin spiders, brown spiders, fiddle-backs or reapers. They are known for their venomous bites which, while not fatal, can cause necrosis in the skin, leaving a permanent scar.
According to the UNAM team, Mexico has the highest diversity of Loxosceles spiders in the world being home to around 40 of the 140 known species. The researchers say the newly identified species is the first that's considered native to the Valley of Mexico region.
The team led by Alejandro Valdez-Mondragón from UNAM's Institute of Biology said that there were already records of Loxosceles tenochtitlan—although scientists had previously assumed that these specimens represented the already-known species Loxosceles misteca. This species is native to the the Mexican states of Morelos and Guerrero, although it has been introduced into the Valley of Mexico.
"As [Loxosceles tenochtitlan] is morphologically similar to [Loxosceles misteca,] it was initially thought that it had been introduced to this region by the shipping of ornamental plants. But when doing molecular biology studies of both species, we realized that they are completely different," Valdez-Mondragón said in a statement.
https://www.newsweek.com/spider-veno...mexico-1476701
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