Animals

Newly discovered tarantula after Johnny Cash named

Because Country-legend Johnny Cash always wore black, missed by scientists in a newly discovered and very, very black tarantula without further ADO, its name.

Only just in advance: This tarantula is not dangerous! Rather something “like a Teddy bear on eight legs”, the researchers say that the fluffy thing was discovered and are now after US country singer Johnny Cash have named. The black spider is now Aphonopelma johnnycashi – apparently because Johnny Cash gladly wore black (they called him “Man in Black”), but also because the animals in the vicinity of a prison was found by Cashs Song “Folsom Prison Blues” was made famous.

Aphonopelma johnnycashi is one of 14 Vogelspinnenarten biologists to Chris Hamilton from Auburn University in Alabama discovered. The occasion was a tarantulas count, to check how many and what types there are actually in the United States.

The result: Less than expected. Instead of 50 species, there are only 29 of which were 14 scientists previously unknown. And don’t worry: All of the tarantulas in the U.S. are harmless. As I said, they’re more like fluffy Teddy bears on eight legs.

“Man in Black” Johnny Cash, in front of the “Folsom Prison”