• Two new species of peacock spiders discovered in south-east Queensland have been nicknamed Skeletorus and Sparklemuffin.
• Peacock spiders are so named due to their bright colours and dance-like courtship rituals.
• The spiders were discovered by Madeline Girard, a student at the University of California, and a friend who joined her in the field.
• Girard named the spiders due to the bluish and red stripes on its abdomen (Sparklemuffin) and white markings on a black background (Skeletorus), resembling a skeleton.
• It is reported that these spiders are very small, typically measuring between 3 and 7 millimeters long.
• Peacock spiders are known for their mating dances, whereby the male typically raise a single leg to the female and its spinnerets flick around rapidly. 

Read more:

http://news.discovery.com/animals/skeletorus-and-sparklemuffin-the-newest-spiders-150302.htm

http://www.sciencetimes.com/articles/3414/20150302/skeletorus-and-sparklemuffin-species-discovered-seriously-colorful-spiders.htm

http://www.sci-news.com/biology/science-sparklemuffin-skeletorus-maratus-peacock-spiders-australia-02550.html

by