Electric Blue Tarantula Species Discovered in Thailand's Forests

Entomologists in Thailand have discovered a new species of blue tarantula called Chilobrachys natanicharum with a unique "blue-violet hue resembling the color of electrical sparks." The blue color is caused by structural colors that evolved independently at least eight times in tarantula species. This new species was found in southern Thailand's mangrove forests and evergreen forests, where they live inside tree hollows. The spider was chosen in a national auction and is named after a real estate company's executives who sponsored the naming.