# Behold, the Trogloraptor! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 17, 2012, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/behold-the-trogloraptor/631817 "2012-08-17T20:30:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2012, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/behold-the-trogloraptor/631817/1 "2012-08-17T20:30:59Z")
New species of cave spider with claws found in Oregon, dubbed the [Trogloraptor](http://www.scientificamerican.com/gallery_directory.cfm?photo_id=1AC9C7D1-F12B-0179-DF7FE9529D8EF93D). > [@](#): > > The spider somewhat resembles the brown recluse, famed for its flesh-necrotizing venom—but at four centimeters, Trogloraptor is about twice as large. In fact, this spider is an entirely new critter—just look at those legs, each ends in a curved, scythelike claw. I think I’ll delete spelunking from by bucket list. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2012, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/behold-the-trogloraptor/631817/2 "2012-08-17T20:40:36Z")
My first thought: does it Burninate? Although I know it’s supposed to hint “troglodyte,” as in cave dweller. Kinda bothers me though: whence the “raptor” part? Is it supposed to mean fierce velociraptor or like a bird of prey. I hope not the former, _Jurassic Park_ has annoyingly changed the definition. (Not to mention what people think a velociraptor is, a six foot tall intelligent killing machine, and not a possibly feather-covered think as high as your waist.) I still might not spelunk, but whew! “not likely to be venomous to humans.” I skimmed and saw “flesh-necrotizing venom” and “area near me.” ---
**Author:** ![Gagundathar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a183cd/32.png) [@Gagundathar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gagundathar)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2012, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/behold-the-trogloraptor/631817/3 "2012-08-17T20:43:21Z")
A entire new FAMILY of spiders! That is dang amazing. Cave Robber. Sounds like a D&D monster. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2012, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/behold-the-trogloraptor/631817/4 "2012-08-17T21:32:04Z")
As if the SyFY Channel doesn’t have enough source material for movies as it is. ---
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2012, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/behold-the-trogloraptor/631817/5 "2012-08-17T21:36:55Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > Kinda bothers me though: whence the “raptor” part? Is it supposed to mean fierce velociraptor or like a bird of prey. I hope not the former, _Jurassic Park_ has annoyingly changed the definition. Well, “raptor” is “robber”, but I don’t see anything particularly robber-like about its hypothesized behaviors. The article says the name was inspired by the claws, and the way they’re curved does make them look rather like hawk talons. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2012, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/behold-the-trogloraptor/631817/6 "2012-08-17T22:23:27Z")
Go nerds! Go nerds! WOOT! A whole new family of spiders, in long-ago-settled and civilized southern Oregon! That totally fucking rocks! I’ll be looking carefully in caves here in Nevada for a cousin spider, too. If I find one, I’m gonna name it the Meustrogloamicuspedispedis. ---
**Author:** ![Sudden\_Kestrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecd19e/32.png) [@Sudden\_Kestrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sudden_Kestrel)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2012, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/behold-the-trogloraptor/631817/7 "2012-08-17T22:42:22Z")
[QUOTE=Scientific American] The closest known relatives to this clawed creepy-crawler come from the Oonipidae, or **goblin family** of spiders. [/QUOTE] Emphasis mine. Now that’s a family that could give the Kardashians a run for their money. ---
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2012, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/behold-the-trogloraptor/631817/8 "2012-08-18T20:41:29Z")
Everything they say about this species is terrifying, even when they’re trying not to be: > [@OP's article](#): > > Before arachnophobes get too nervous, though, Griswold notes that the spiders are not likely to be venomous to humans. In fact, they’re quite shy. Working with live specimens, he’s observed that their behavior is distinctly unaggressive and their main interest is escaping the light as quickly as possible. So…there’s a species of spider which diverged 130 million years ago, and hangs from ceilings with scythe-like claws, and even though it’s new to science similar specimens have recently been found in other habitats around the world. But not to worry; it craves the night and only becomes a fearsome predator when cloaked in shadow. Sleep well. ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2012, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/behold-the-trogloraptor/631817/9 "2012-08-19T12:53:53Z")
And the trogloraptor comes in the night!!!