Terrified of spiders?

Spiders can be scary enough when they’re visible, but a new species spotted in Mexico is able to hide itself by creating its own camouflage.
     The guerilla spider has been named Paratropis tuxtlesis and is capable of perfectly covering its body with dust and soil collected from wherever it happens to be hiding.
     The thin coating means the spider blends in with its surroundings, keeping it safe from predators, as well as making it easier to pounce on unsuspecting prey.
      Researchers from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) hailed the discovery of the spider that's capable of vanishing from view as 'a sensation'.
     They said the arachnid was a member of the Paratropididae family, of which nine species are now known to exist in South America and Central America.
     The camouflaging spider was discovered in the natural protected area of Los Tuxtlas, in the south-eastern Mexican state of Veracruz.
     It is distinguished from other species because it has rough skin, like scales, that are used by the animal to attract floor particles which in turn give it perfect camouflage,’ said the university.
    ‘In order to make sure its vision is not obstructed by its camouflage of dirt, the spider has eyes that are raised up higher than usual so that it can see over the covering.’
    The university said they first identified immature spiders of the new type in 2010, and then found adults, which are typically around four inches long, a year later.
But, the discovery has only just been published in medical journal ZooKeys.
     Professor Oscar Federico Francke, who led the university's research team, said the name Paratropis tuxtlensis came from the geographical location where the spiders were discovered.
     ‘If you do not look carefully, you can lift a stone up and look and not see that the spider is there,’ continued Professor Francke.
     ‘In fact you can often only see them when they move which may well be why they escaped notice so long.’