One of the newly discovered species of whip spider found in the Amazonian rainforest. (Image credit: Guipponi & Miranda)

One of the newly discovered species of whip spider found in the Amazonian rainforest. (Image credit: Guipponi & Miranda)

Eight new species of the Whip spider have been found in the Brazilian amazon, underscoring how little is known about biodiversity in this rainforest. However half of the newly discovered species’ habitat is threatened by human activity from dams and mining.

Original research paper published in PLOS ONE on February 17, 2015.

Names and affiliations of selected authors

lessandro Ponce de Leão Giupponi, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Zoologia, Departamento de Invertebrados, Laboratório de Aracnologia,Museu Nacional, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil