What has eight legs, looks like an hourglass and is completely terrifying? That would be this extremely rare Chinese spider, recently discovered by a Sichuan man on his farm near Chengdu.
The arachnid is one of the first spiders to be recorded in China, and has only been spotted six times since its rediscovery in 2000.
According to reports, the spider was discovered on November 14 and is a Chinese hourglass spider.
Li Wenhua was tending to his farm when he found the arachnid. At first the farmer did not realize it was a spider — instead he thought it was a cultural relic. After researching his find on the Internet, Li discovered it was a Chinese hourglass spider. After hearing the news, his neighbors gathered at Li’s home to witness the unusual spider.
Zhao Li, the head of the Insect Museum of West China, has confirmed to Chengdu Business Daily that the arachnid is a Chinese hourglass spider, and that it is very valuable.
"The spider has very high value in scientific research," Zhao said. "It is an extremely rare species in Sichuan. I had spend great effort trying to find it, but I didn't see one."
The spider also fits the description of a Chinese hourglass spider outlined the ancient book, Er Ya. The book dates as far back as the fifth century BC, supposedly making it the oldest surviving Chinese dictionary.
The Chinese hourglass spider is a type of trapdoor spider. They live underground in burrows that are covered by trapdoors made from mixtures of soil, sand, silk and/or plant material, making them even more difficult to find.
When asked what he is planning on doing with the spider, Li said he is intending on selling it as a pet for a good price.
[Images via Daily Mail]
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