Bad word for arachnophobes : nowhere is safe from the eight - legged critters . If you think you might be able to head for the hills them on a tropic island 100 of kilometers off the coast of South America , then I ’m pitiful to say you ’d be wrong . It turn out that those wanderer live on the beautifully idyllic Robinson Crusoe Islandprobably flew there . Yep , you read that rightfulness .
name after the eponymic novel that is base on an 18th - century boater stranded on the island , Robinson Crusoe is located 670 kilometers ( 416 naut mi ) off the west coast of Chile . shape from a volcanic eruption roughly 4 million twelvemonth ago , it mean that all life now living on the relatively young lump of rock candy has had to get there from somewhere else .
For plant , some species have developed seed that can withstand the harsh stipulation of the ocean , while birds obviously have little offspring cross the area . But other dry land - based creature usually need a helping hand , either hitching a drive on avian innovator or sailing the sea on plenty of vegetation . But the ghost spiders of Robinson Crusoe had other idea . They made the journeying using kites made of silk , a behavior fuck as “ ballooning ” .
They ’re not the only species of arachnid , or invertebrate for that issue , to use this method acting of locomotion , which is often apply by spiderlings as a way to scatter from the nest . But it seems that it sure assist the spiders ' ability to colonize the island where few other creatures lived . This meant that when the creepy-crawly crawlies arrived , they in effect had the run of the situation , with small else in competition .
This , the researchers surmise , is the reason why there are so many species of ghost spiders present on Robinson Crusoe . When the squad , from Argentina ’s National Scientific and Technical Research Council , first started looking for the arachnoid in 2011 , they discoveredfour novel metal money , and since havefound another three , which are still yet to be named .
But as if fly to the island from the mainland was n’t eldritch enough , the scientists have also detect another oddity among the wanderer . It appears that the critter have unco small genitals , too . The reasons for this are still indecipherable , but it is probably related to their fascinating mating rite , the researcher suggest . After a petty bit of ramification stroke , the spider then “ interact with their mouth ” .
Flying , kissing spider , anyone ?
