Chilobrachys natanicharum shines in blue.
A spider researcher and a YouTube star ventured into a mangrove forest in Thailand and made an astonishing discovery – a new species of tarantula. This isn’t a plot out of a movie, it’s real. The spider they found is called Chilobrachys natanicharum, and it is a breathtaking electric blue arachnid about the size of a person’s palm.
JoCho Sippawat, a YouTube sensation with 3.25 million subscribers, documents his wildlife expeditions in Thailand. On this particular adventure, he teamed up with spider researcher Narin Chomphuphuang from Khon Kaen University. The duo had previously collaborated in 2022 to identify another new species of tarantula that lives in bamboo stalks.
Chilobrachys natanicharum is the focus of a recently published study in the journal ZooKeys. While it was already known that the spider existed due to its presence in the pet trade, little was known about its habitat and natural behavior. A study conducted in 2022 on the exotic pet trade revealed that over 1,200 species of arachnids were being traded online, with tarantulas being one of the most affected groups. The electric blue tarantula’s eye-catching appearance makes it a highly sought-after commodity.
The researchers stumbled upon the spider in a mangrove tree. “This is the first time a tarantula species has been found in a Thai mangrove forest,” said Pensoft, the publisher of ZooKeys, in a statement on Thursday.
A human hand gives a sense of the size of the electric-blue tarantula.
The spiders were not easy to locate. “These tarantulas live in hollow trees, and capturing an electric blue tarantula is challenging due to the need to climb trees and coax them out of the complex network of hollows in humid and slippery conditions,” explained Chomphuphuang. “During our expedition, we walked in the evening and at night during low tide, managing to catch only two of them.”
Although the blue tarantula has a rare coloration, it is not the only one of its kind. Another species called Poecilotheria metallica, also known as the peacock tarantula, is a critically endangered forest-dwelling spider found in India. It has a darker shade of blue compared to Chilobrachys natanicharum.
The vibrant blue coloration of Chilobrachys natanicharum is due to a trick of light. “The striking blue appearance of our tarantula is achieved through the unique hair structure, which contains nanostructures that manipulate light,” said Chomphuphuang.
Often, new species are named after their discoverers or even celebrities and fictional characters. In the case of Chilobrachys natanicharum, the naming rights were sold in a charity auction that benefited the Indigenous Lahu hill tribe in Thailand. A property company won the auction and named the tarantula after the combined first names of executives Natakorn Changrew and Nichada Changrew.
The study provides a detailed physical description of the spider, but much remains unknown about Chilobrachys natanicharum, especially regarding its conservation status. Deforestation and collection for the pet trade are potential threats to the species. The researchers urge for monitoring of the spider’s population, the establishment of protected areas, and the involvement of legal breeders in Thai tarantula conservation projects. “Taking these steps is crucial to prevent further decline in tarantula populations and ensure their preservation for future generations,” the study concluded.
