A team of researchers at the University of Idaho has discovered a new spider species in the state’s remote forests and named it to honor the university’s athletic tradition. The species, Hexura vandal, was formally described and published August 31, 2026, in the scientific journal ZooKeys.
The discovery marks the first known occurrence of the genus Hexura in Idaho. The spider was found in a pocket of isolated moist coniferous forest within the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests near Kooskia along the Lochsa River. Doctoral student Arnau Calatayud-Mascarell, an international student from Valencia, Spain, discovered the specimen on September 8, 2024, during fieldwork at a nearby campground. After the initial find, the team spent two additional hours searching the same location and confirmed the species’ presence in the area.
Small, Dark Spider Fills Biodiversity Gap
The Hexura vandal is a nickel-sized spider with dark coloration and appears visually distinct from other known Hexura species documented in the Pacific Northwest. Prior to this discovery, the genus Hexura was known only from Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia, Canada. The spider’s discovery expands the genus’s known range and fills a gap in the understanding of arachnid distribution across the region.
The research team also included Ethan J. Briggs, a former postdoctoral researcher, and Chris Hamilton, an associate professor in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences. Hamilton’s laboratory focuses on mygalomorphs, a group that includes tarantulas, trapdoor spiders, Australian funnel-web spiders, and pygmy funnel-web spiders. Hamilton emphasized the broader significance of the find, telling ZooKeys that “I think people assume that the U.S. has been pretty well picked over and we have an idea of all of the species in the U.S., and that’s not true at all.”
Calatayud reflected on the significance of the discovery for his academic career. “I think it’s the perfect ending of my stay here at the University of Idaho,” he said in a statement accompanying the research publication. The naming of the species after the Vandals mascot honors the university’s athletic program and represents a unique connection between scientific discovery and institutional identity.
Potential for State Spider Designation
Idaho currently has no official state spider, which distinguishes it from many other states that have designated a representative arachnid as a symbol of state biodiversity. The discovery of Hexura vandal could potentially prompt consideration of an official designation, though no such action has been announced by state officials.
The species’ restricted habitat and apparent endemism—its presence only in a specific geographic area—underscore the importance of protecting Idaho’s forested ecosystems. The Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests, where the spider was discovered, encompass over 2.2 million acres of diverse habitat in central Idaho. Conservation of these moist coniferous forest pockets is essential to ensure the survival of species like Hexura vandal that depend on specialized environmental conditions.
What Comes Next
The formal publication in ZooKeys opens avenues for additional research into the species’ ecology, distribution, and conservation needs. Future fieldwork may reveal whether the spider occurs in other locations within Idaho or adjacent regions, or whether its range is truly limited to the campground area near Kooskia. The discovery also highlights the ongoing importance of basic biodiversity research at universities and the role that graduate students and postdoctoral researchers play in expanding scientific knowledge.
The University of Idaho’s emphasis on field-based research and discovery aligns with its broader mission in agricultural and life sciences. The naming of the spider after the Vandals mascot brings recognition to the university’s research contributions and connects academic achievement to institutional pride.
For more on University of Idaho research efforts, see the university’s work on AI applications in cereal crop breeding.