Obama Gains Celebrity Status With Spider
Newly Discovered Spider Named After Obama
Obama Spider (Photo by Jason Bond)
President Barack Obama has earned an itsy-bitsy honor.
Another cool quirk that comes with being the President of the United States… You get a spider named after you. After discovering 33 new species of spiders in the Southwestern United States, researches have named one after President Barack Obama.
This news coming just days after our 44th U.S. President was named Time Magazine’s Person of the Year.
The newly discovered species, which bears the commander in chief’s name, is called Aptostichus barackobamai. Good luck pronouncing that one, so we will just stick to calling the newly discovered spider the Barack Obama trapdoor spider. This spider is a type of trapdoor spider that is known for burrowing underground and protecting its layer via a trapdoor made of silk.
The 33 new species of spiders were discovered by Auburn University Museum of Natural History and department of Biological Sciences.
Why A Spider?
The Amazing Spider Man and Obama (Photo credit: iamdavidmoore)
There are few details as to why this spider is named after president Obama. Many believe it is because the President is a huge fan of Spiderman in which he once graced the cover.
Not The First Species Named After President Obama
This isn’t the first time a newly discovered species has been named after the President. In 2012, a spangled darter fish was given the official name Etheostoma obama, because of the President’s efforts in the areas of clean energy and environmental protection. Then there’s the recently named and identified “Obamadon,” which is a lizard from the Late Cretaceous era.
President Obama also has dozens of city streets and schools named after him as well. For the complete list, click here.
The Barack Obama Trapdoor Spider: Aptostichus barackobamai
Researchers describe the Barack Obama Trapdoor Spider as one of the most beautiful trapdoor spiders in which they have ever worked with. The spider has gorgeous tiger-striping on its abdomen and measures about 15 millimeters long. It also lacks the spines on its outermost leg segments found on most other trapdoor spiders.
Trapdoor Spiders
Trapdoor spiders are seldom seen because they spend most their lives in underground burrows. As their name suggests, they build protective trapdoors made from soil, sand and silk, in which they hide behind. They will wait at their burrow entrances at night, until some unperceptive insect comes moseying by. The spider then jumps out, biting the unfortunate insect, and then drags it back into the bottom of its burrow.
Other Celebrities With Spider Names
You have officially reached celebrity status when you get a cool spider named after you! Along with President Obama, other famous people have officially reached celebrity status by being having spiders named after them. A few include: Stephen Colbert, Angelina Jolie, and U2’s front man Bono.
For a full list, click here.
Spider Control
As a bug guy I think it’s pretty cool to have a spider named after you; but having spiders inside your home is completely un-cool, especially is they are the dangerous Black Widow or Brown Recluse spiders. If you are seeing spiders, get spider control from Bulwark Exterminating!
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