Ancient Tarantula from North Africa Now Part of Turkey's Fauna

A tarantula of the "Ischnocolus valentinus" species, discovered 34 years ago near Aydın's Bafa Lake and preserved in a German museum collection, has been added to Turkey's fauna following scientific research. This species is predominantly found along the coast of North Africa and is not present anywhere else in Turkey. This has led scientists to consider the possibility that the tarantula may have been introduced to the region through ancient maritime trade around 500 BC.Prof. Dr. Ersen Aydın Yağmur collaborated with foreign researchers studying tarantula species in the Senckenberg Museum's inventory, focusing on the specimen from the Bafa region. It was confirmed that the tarantula belongs to the "Ischnocolus valentinus" species, marking the first recorded instance of the "Ischnocolus" genus in Turkey.The absence of any other populations of this genus in Turkey, despite extensive fieldwork over the years, suggests that the species may not have naturally dispersed to the area but was instead introduced by humans in the past. Given that the "Ischnocolus valentinus" species is mostly found along North African coasts, and the discovery site near Bafa Lake was once part of the ancient port city of Herakleia around 500 BC, it's plausible that the tarantula was transported to the area through ancient maritime trade.