Lethal Mediterranean recluse spiders found in Kanchanaburi
For the first time ever, lethal Mediterranean recluse spiders have been found living in Thailand probaly since World War II.
Experts from the Chulalongkorn University’s Centre of Excellence in Entomology have discovered about 500 of these spiders in a Kanchanaburibased cave. The experts believe that their ancestors might have come to the kingdom during the World War II.
Narin Chompoophuang, a doctorate student at the university’s Faculty of Science, told a press conference Wednesday that the cave sat along the Death Railway and was used for storing equipment for the railway construction during wartime.
So many prisoners of wars were forced to construct the railway that used to link Thailand to Myanmar.
“The recent discovery means there are now three highly venomous spider species in Thailand,” Narin said.
Two other highly dangerous spiders in the country are the brown widow spiders and Latrodectus sp.
