Tuesday March 19, 2024 – Pensoft Publisher, a world class academic publisher, announced the Top 10 new species of 2023 from over 100 living things published in Zookeys. The “Electric-Blue Tarantula” (𝑪𝒉𝒊𝒍𝒐𝒃𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒉𝒚𝒔 𝒏𝒂𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒖𝒎) from Thailand, is ranked the first. The interesting thing about this tarantula is its alternate shiny deep blue and purple colors, which occur from the nano-structure of the tarantula’s hair, instead of from the color pellets as other living creatures normally have. And more, the deep blue and purple colors of the electric-blue tarantula are most scarcely found in living things.
The publishing of the electric-blue tarantula is from the research study led by Asst. Prof. Narin Chompoopuang, Ph.D., a lecturer of the Department of Entomology and Plant Disease of the Faculty of Agriculture, Khon Kaen University. Asst. Prof. Narin joined Josho, a famous YuTuber and a research team from Khon Kaen University, including Mr. Chawalit Songsaengchote, Mr. Patipan Sri-ranan and Mr. Paween Piyatrakoonchai. The team found this new tarantula in 2023, the first tarantula found in a mangrove forest area in Thailand. The tarantula found is categorized in the 𝑪𝒉𝒊𝒍𝒐𝒃𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒉𝒚𝒔 genus and in Selenocosminae family. The research report of this was published in the international research journal, Zookeys, on September 18, 2023.
Asst. Prof. Narin Chompoopuang, Ph.D., a lecturer of the Department of Entomology and Plant Disease of the Faculty of Agriculture, Khon Kaen University said in the interview after the ranking that he was very glad and proud, for it is the first time in Thailand to be ranked the first for the newly discovered species by Pensoft.
“I hope this success will inspire those interested in the study of taxonomy, which is the basis in studying everything about living things. If we are determined to carry out work in what we are interested in, one day the attempts will finally bring us success.”
Asst. Prof. Narin finally said that with the interesting point about this research, the research team has extended the study with lecturers in the Department of Physics in order to find out about the nano-structure of the Tarantula’s hair that makes it release the shiny deep blue and purple colors. The knowledge would lead to development of nano-materials for use in coating surfaces so that they would give the shiny and reflecting characteristics. In the future, we may find this property on different equipment or fashion attires.
For the present instruction of the Department of Entomology and Plant Disease now, the Faculty is offering a course on Arachnology, and is the only faculty in Thailand to offer this course. It is believed that the electric-blue tarantula will be another model that can be taught to the students to learn from different dimensions, both taxonomy and ecology as well as application of knowledge about tarantula. In addition, the study will also inspire young researchers in Khon Kaen University.
More details about the electric-blue tarantula are available at: https://th.kku.ac.th/158122/
The full paper is available at: https://blog.pensoft.net/2024/03/19/celebrating-taxonomic-discoveries-top-10-new-species-of-2023
Chomphuphuang N, Sippawat Z, Sriranan P, Piyatrakulchai P, Songsangchote C (2023) A new electric-blue tarantula species of the genus Chilobrachys Karsh, 1892 from Thailand (Araneae, Mygalomorphae, Theraphosidae). ZooKeys 1180: 105-128.
News: Phanit Khatnak