UBC launches "Name that Spider" contest to mark International Biodiversity Day, May 22

UBC’s Beaty Biodiversity Museum is asking Canadian arachnid fans to help name a species of jumping spider discovered last year by museum scientists in the jungles of Ecuador.

The 5mm-long adult male spider is the only known representative of the species. Like all jumping spiders, it has four large eyes on the front of its face, four more on the top of its head, and a unique diagonal yellow stripe on its jaws.

Contestants can learn how scientists discovered the spider, scientific conventions for naming new species and submit their entries from May 22 to August 22, 2011.

For videos and photos of the spider and to enter the contest, visit: http://beatymuseum.ubc.ca/spider-contest

The contest, and the BC Biodiversity Passport Challenge, are part of the Museum’s summer programming exploring biodiversity in forests, wetlands, oceans and urban environments. For more information and museum hours, visit http://www.beatymuseum.ubc.ca/

-30-

Contact

Katie Teed
UBC Beaty Biodiversity Museum
Cell: 604-834-8646
E-mail: katie.teed@ubc.ca

mr-11-078