A scientific team from several Spanish institutions, including the Doñana Biological Station (EBD-CSIC), has identified the new species of huntsman spider, according to EFE.

The discovery represents the first record of the species in continental Europe, the EBD-CSIC reported in a statement.

The huntsman spider was previously known only in Africa, the Middle East, and some islands in southern Europe.

The species, measuring over a centimetre in length, was named "Cebrennus herculis" in honour of the mythological hero Hercules.

In Greek mythology, Hercules separated Africa and Europe, and thus the name represents the separation of the Iberian lineage of the hunting spider, Cebrennus, from its African relatives.

The discovery began with the capture of several spiders of the genus Cebrennus as part of a cataloguing project (the process of describing and identifying) arachnids from the coastal dunes of Valencia, Spain.

After cataloguing, six adult females and eleven juvenile spiders were identified.

Subsequently, two more spiders were captured in the Spanish cities of Granada and Albacete.

The samples were preserved in absolute ethanol and transferred to the Museum of Natural Sciences of Barcelona for conservation in Spain.

After several morphological and genetic analyses, it was confirmed that it was a species previously unknown to science.

Females and juveniles from Valencia were collected at different times of the year, in spring and autumn.

The scientific team suggests that Valencia spiders may have an extended breeding season or a longer reproductive period, with several generations per year.

Further studies are needed to confirm the extended breeding season.

The discovery of Cebrennus herculis demonstrates that ecosystems like the Mediterranean still harbour surprising and unknown biodiversity, according to EFE.

According to the same source, the discovery paves the way for future research that may reveal even more unknown species in the Iberian Peninsula.