Tarantula Species With Penis That Dwarfs Body Discovered By Stunned Scientists

Scientists have stumbled upon four new species of tarantulas whose males have such outrageously long genitals that they had to invent an entirely new genus to classify them: Satyrex, named after the mythological satyr—half-man, half-goat, all libido—and the Latin word for king, rex. The males of the newfound species boast palps (spider sperm-delivery appendages) that stretch up to four times the length of their upper bodies and rival their legs in size. Most species top out with palps twice the length of their head and thorax combined. But in Satyrex ferox, the largest and fiercest of the bunch, the male’s palps clock in at a full 2 inches—nearly half its leg span. Researchers believe these exaggerated organs evolved as a survival tactic, keeping males at a safer distance from their famous