Watch: Terrifying video shows giant tarantula dragging away an opossum to eat
A giant tarantula has been filmed dragging a young opossum away to its death in what is thought to be the first ever documentation of a spider preying on these small marsupials.
The team, led by evolutionary biologist Daniel Rabosky, was studying predator-prey interactions in the Amazon rainforest. To do this, they carried out night surveys by walking through the forest with flashlights and headlamps and scanning the foliage for signs of activity. One night, they heard “some scrabbling in the leaf litter.” When they illuminated the ground where the rustling was coming from, they saw the spider and opossum.
A wandering spider preying on a subadult Cercosaura eigenmanni lizard. Mark Cowan, in Amphibian & Reptile Conservation As well as spider attacks, the team also documented centipedes feasting on vertebrates. In one case the team saw a large scolopendrid centipede eating a dead coral snake. Study co-author Joanna Larson said: “Coral snakes are very dangerous and can kill humans. To see one taken down by an arthropod was very surprising. Those centipedes are terrifying animals, actually."
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
The 15 most expensive watches and accessories sold in Sotheby's Geneva auction, rankedSotheby's Geneva watch auction concluded on February 25. A Patek Philippe watch claimed the top spot. Here's a look at the 15 most expensive watches.
Read more »
Watch Michael Cohen excoriate Trump alleging crimes In OfficeIn a historic day in Washington, Donald Trump’s former lawyer, Michael Cohen, testifies against him in public under oath, before the House Oversight Committee. MSNBC Chief Legal Correspondent, Ari Melber, breaks down how in the extraordinary, unprecedented testimony, Michael Cohen excoriated Trump, and alleged he lied about hush payments, knew about Wikileaks emails, ran for profit and struck alliances to kill stories. Cohen's friend, Donny Deutsch, who spoke to him shortly after his testimony tells Ari Melber about Cohen's response to the hearing.
Read more »
5 standout moments from Michael Cohen’s testimony as he makes explosive allegations against Donald Trump5 standout moments from Michael Cohen's testimony as he makes explosive allegations against Donald Trump
Read more »
Watch Ocasio-Cortez lay groundwork for getting Trump's tax returns'Do you think we need to review his financial statements and his tax returns in order to compare them?' Ocasio-Cortez asked. Cohen said 'yes.'
Read more »
Share Your Favorite Female-Lead Movie Of All TimeWhat's Your Favorite Female-Lead Movie?
Read more »