Jan 13, 2010, 17:41 PM by User Not Found

Source FOX News With a lanky legspan of up to nearly a half foot a newly discovered spider species is the largest among its family of arachnids in

Source: FOX News 

With a lanky legspan of up to nearly a half foot, a newly discovered spider species is the largest among its family of arachnids in the Middle East.

The spider, now dubbed Cerbalus aravensis, was discovered in the dunes of the Sands of Samar in the southern Arava region in Israel by a team of biologists from the University of Haifa-Oranim. The scientists say C. aravensis is nocturnal and mostly active during the hottest months of the year.

It constructs underground dens that are sealed off with a lifting door made of sand particles glued together to camouflage the living quarters. The spider's legspan is estimated to be about 5.5 inches.

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