Siege of Australian Town Won by Tarantula Army A new species of tarantula is in town. Rather, they've taken over the town. The number of spiders roaming the streets of Maningrida, Australia is estimated to be 25,000. The town's human population is a little over 2,000. High populations of spiders usually equate to 200 or 300, says researcher Dr. Robert Raven. This amount, however, is unheard of. The spiders are not deadly, but a bite brings serious consequences due to the very long fangs this species of tarantula possesses. An aboriginal man in the area was bitten, and vomited for six to eight hours following the attack. At this stage, Dr. Raven can only speculate as to why the arachnids have chosen this spot to cluster. "Presumably, something is missing that would hammer them or there is something good ," he commented. This is, in fact, a brand new species of spider which have been unofficial named "diving tarantulas" for their penchant for submerging themselves underwater. This means drowning the spiders is not an option. The species, first discovered in 2006, remains officially unnamed. Perhaps Maningridus is a good beginning.