5 New Species of 'Shimmering' Goblin Spider Discovered-Volboratella teresae.

This image shows a female spider of the species Volboratella teresae. Credit: Charles E. Griswold, California Academy of Sciences View full size image

Five new species of tiny, shimmering spiders have been discovered in Madagascar, according to a new study.
The new species belong to the family of goblin spiders, which are extremely small arachnids with body lengths ranging from about 0.04 to 0.12 inches (1 to 3 millimeters).
In the study, researchers looked at 326 spider specimens they had previously collected in Madagascar over the course of a few years. After examining the spiders' physical characteristics, such as their genitalia, the investigators determined that the animals should be classified as five species under a new genus that they named Volborattella.


"It is a remarkable discovery — a genus comprising a number of species previously unknown to science, unknown to the world," said study author Charles E. Griswold, curator of arachnology at California -READ MORE LINK-