A large spider was discovered in Australia

Researchers in Australia have made a big discovery: a large species of trapdoor spider found only in central Queensland.

The spider was called Euoplos gentitas, a name “derived from the Latin letters meaning dignity or greatness, Reflects the size and wonderful nature of the spiderScientists at the Queensland Museum said in a statement.

The spider lives in open woodland habitats and builds its burrows in the black soil of the Brigaloo Belt in central Queensland, on the northeastern coast of Australia.

Scientists said this species has lost much of its habitat due to land clearing, making it likely an endangered species.

While the Australian team didn’t say how big their discovery was, Trapdoor spiders typically have bodies up to 1.5 inches long in underground nests, according to National Geographic. They are tropical hairy spiders, and their bites can cause pain and swelling in humans.

according to BritannicaSpiders build burrows in the ground and build silk-hinged doors. The spiders then feed by quickly opening the trap door and catching unwanted insects that pass through.

In a video released to announce the Australian discovery of the giant, fearsome reptile, Michael Ricks, lead curator of anthropology at the Queensland Museum Network, said experts were excited to “scientifically document this new species”.

The research is exciting because “you never know what you’re going to find,” said Dr Jeremy Wilson, Research Assistant in Genealogy with the Queensland Museum Network, in the video.

Naming new species has positive real-life ramifications, Wilson said, because known species mean “that they can be protected.”