A new study has found that invertebrates like spiders and centipedes eat an unexpectedly large number of vertebrates like frogs, snakes, and even a small opossum, in the Amazon.
Michigan News reports a University of Michigan-led team of biologists has documented 15 rare and disturbing predator-prey interactions in the Amazon rainforest including keep-you-up-at-night images of a dinner-plate-size tarantula dragging a young opossum across the forest floor.
The study "details instances of arthropod predators - mostly large spiders along with a few centipedes and a giant water bug - preying on vertebrates such as frogs and tadpoles, lizards, snakes, and even a small opossum."
National Geographic reports, "one night survey revealed a sight none of the researchers had seen before: a tarantula the size of a dinner plate preying upon a small opossum."
The opossum had already been grasped by the tarantula and was still struggling weakly at that point, but after about 30 seconds it stopped kicking, researcher Michael Grundler, a PhD student said.
Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package. 