The Top 40

We fear the species might be endangered

Jeez, they say that like it's a bad thing.

My thought exactly, Mumblix.
My fear is that it is only endangered and not extinct.

You have no hearts. I, for one, am extremely concerned for these least of Gaia's children. They, too deserve their niche in the great biosphere, and should not have that niche destroyed by right wing fundamentalist capitalist republican war mongers just so they can build another bunch of 7-11's, and McDonald's on Madagascar. We should all sacrifice what we can- drink less water maybe, or perhaps turn off the lights a little earlier, drive a little less, stop smoking, and don't eat any more meat. If we all make do with just a little less we can save the spiders of Madagascar. The good karma alone would make it worthwhile.

JWM

JWM: since I don't believe in karma, don't particularly care about your last reason. I note that the prior two sentences contain the prescription that you dole out for a number of problems unrelated to spiders, and assume that you know that such universal cures are typically the domain of quacks. Again, going back: "deserve"? how? and who grants that? you? certainly not the "right wing fundamentalist capitalist republican war mongers" who are, by your plural, more numerous than you, and therefore have more votes. I know, democracy is such a burden when you believe in revealed truth...

Finally, of course, we do have hearts. They brim over with love for our spouses, children, siblings, teams, and country. And, oddly enough, for the mute inglorious world which we transform for the benefit of those whom we love into a life we share. Why you're worried about spiders worries us a bit. Whom, in the list, have you neglected to make room for these monstrosities? Whom would you deprive of an afternoon's picnic for it?

Is the photo spider reproduction, and does the female then have the male for dinner as some in the spider world are known to do?

Arnold:

(gotcha) ;)

JWM

That's a good one, JWM - when I saw the comment without your nick on the sidebar, I was wondering whether it was a joke. Then I saw who wrote it :D

The reason why they are probably "endangered" is because they show up in people's houses in Madagascar.

WOW i had to do a reseach paper on spiders

aaaaaaaaaaaaaakhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

This is a beautiful species of spider and I certainly do hope the scientists can find a way to save them. They do have the right to survive and shouldn't be driven into extinction because of man. But after saying that, just like the dinosaurs, we all have a limited time to roam the earth.

cool

I'm wondering if my .45 would be enough to kill it!?

JWM, those 'Least of Gaia's children may have a place just as soon as they learn to operate a 7-11 franchise.

Let me back up a bit, after visiting uncounted 7-11's, I'd say they're already operating them. Or a relative is.

It's the littlest spiders which are the most lethal, but my DNA says it's ok to kill them all just to be sure.

“Our data suggest that the species is not abundant, its range is restricted, and all known localities lie within two endangered biodiversity hotspots: Maputaland and Madagascar.”

Those two hotspots of biodiversity are separated by 600 miles of Madagascar Channel -- it appears that they're not only big and ugly, they also *fly*...