A spider belonging to the same genus that inspired the creation of Spider-Man is among six new arachnid species discovered in the Alentejo, and currently undergoing laboratory study.
In a statement, the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Lisbon (Ciências ULisboa) said the spiders, found in the Grândola area and “previously unknown to science”, have yet to receive official scientific names. However, specialists have already identified the genera to which the newly discovered species belong.
One specimen, identified at Herdade da Ribeira Abaixo, belongs to the Scytodes genus and is distinguished by its ability to spit venomous silk to immobilise prey. It forms part of the group of spiders that inspired the Marvel Comics superhero Spider-Man, created in 1962 by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko.
Of the remaining species, two belong to the Dysdera genus, commonly known as woodlouse spiders, which feed on pill bugs, while another two fall within the Harpactea genus, typically smaller, darker and more slender than Dysdera. A sixth species has been classified within the Pelecopsis genus, known for its stealthy hunting behaviour.
The discoveries were made by a team of specialists led by Pedro Cardoso, a researcher at Ciências ULisboa and the Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (CE3C), following fieldwork conducted between 2024 and 2025 at the research station located on the estate and linked to the faculty.
According to the statement, the station hosts “remarkable biodiversity”, with sampling sites equipped with sensors measuring soil temperature and humidity, as well as traps designed to capture animals from different species for scientific study.
The newly discovered spiders are now being analysed in the laboratory, where Cardoso is working alongside Miguel Sousa, a researcher and Master’s student in Conservation Biology, on the formal scientific description of the species.
“It will require time for detailed measurements, scientific drawings and comparisons with other species and specialist publications,” Cardoso explained, describing the process as “meticulous work carried out under the microscope”.
Researchers have already identified several distinguishing characteristics among the six species, ranging in size from two or three millimetres up to 10–15 millimetres, including differences in eye arrangement, spinnerets (the organs that produce silk), and leg structure.
“When I began analysing each of the six spider species, I couldn’t find anything similar in the taxonomic literature,” Sousa said. “After consulting other researchers, I realised we were dealing with entirely new species.”
Scientists believe the Serra de Grândola may have functioned over time as an isolated ecological “island”, allowing certain species to evolve differently from others sharing a common origin, making the area particularly valuable for scientific research.
Source: JN
