Chomphuphuang said making its home in bamboo had many advantages for the spider. Bamboo contains moisture that helps the spider maintain its temperature -- especially important for tarantulas, which molt and shed their exoskeleton. The slippery surface of the bamboo also deters predators.
"We examined all of the trees in the area where the species was discovered. This species is unique because it is associated with bamboo, and we have never observed this tarantula species in any other plant," he said
in a news release.
Taksinus bambus has adapted to life in the hollow stems of bamboo by constructing tube-shaped borrows with its silk as nest entrances. It also constructs silken tubes inside the bamboo into which it can retreat.
The tarantulas do not bore holes into the bamboo stems themselves. Instead, they depend on the assistance of other animals.
Bamboo is attacked by numerous animals, including beetles and worms, the study said. Or sometimes the bamboo cracks open as a result of changes in humidity.