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The new daddy longlegs species Cryptomaster behemoth was discovered in Southwest Oregon. (Credit Dr. James Starrett)

Scientists have apparently discovered a new species of Daddy Longlegs that belong to an arachnid group known for being comparatively huge.

The new species, named the Cryptomaster behemoth, was located in the mountainous and forested regions of southwest Oregon, according to Live Science.

An article published in the journal ZooKeys, titled "A new monster from the southwest Oregon Forests," explains how scientists came across the previously unknown creature.

The Cryptomaster leviathan (Credit Dr. James Starrett)

Scientists first discovered the Cryptomaster leviathan, a cousin of the new arachnid species, in 1969 in Gold Beach.

The body of the creatures are only 4 millimeters wide, but as the species is much larger than those of the same suborder group it was named Leviathan after a biblical monster. The arachnids are known to be tough to find and typically hide under logs and forest debris, hence the name Cryptomaster as well.

Decades later, scientists found more of the Cryptomaster leviathan in the Cascade Mountains and elsewhere in Oregon. This prompted further research on if there was a new species within the Cryptomaster group that had not been recognized.

The expedition, led by scientists from the University of California Riverside and San Diego State University, resulted in the discovery of the Cryptomaster behemoth, another member of the large suborder. Similar to its arachnid cousin, the behemoth was named after a large monster present in the Book of Job, a news release stated.

The behemoth species differs because it lacks two tiny spines present on the penis of the Cryptomaster leviathan, according to the report. DNA samples extracted from animal legs also showed that new species has more genetic diversity, but a smaller habitat range, than the Cryptomaster leviathan.

However, both of the species have a larger version and smaller one, scientists found, though it's unknown why. Scientists have documented where the leviathan and behemoth species have been counted across southwestern Oregon.

Many more species of arachnids belonging to the same diverse suborder are probably still yet to be discovered, scientists said.

"This research highlights the importance of short-range endemic arachnids for understanding biodiversity, and further reveals mountainous southern Oregon as a hotspot for endemic animal species," scientists wrote in the article.

The full report is available here.

--Laura Frazier

lfrazier@oregonian.com

503-294-4035

@frazier_laura