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Tarantula Species Named After Johnny Cash

A new species of tarantula discovered in California has been named after Johnny Cash.

Aphonopelma johnnycashi lives near Folsom Prison, which the country legend made famous with his 1955 song Folsom Prison Blues.

The six-inch spider’s appearance also brings to mind the Man in Black singer, who favoured dark attire.

Dr Chris Hamilton, from the Florida Museum of Natural History, who christened the spider, said: “We often hear about how new species are being discovered from remote corners of the Earth, but what is remarkable is that these spiders are in our own backyard.

"With the Earth in the midst of a sixth mass extinction, it is astonishing how little we know about our planet’s biodiversity, even for charismatic groups such as tarantulas.”

Some 14 new tarantula species have been found in the US after a decade-long search in which scientists looked at 3,000 specimens.

None of the 29 species of tarantula in the US are considered dangerous despite their bites being venomous and painful.

Dr Hamilton described the creatures as “teddy bears with eight legs”.