The new species of spider found in the depths of Brazil's caves in Minas Gerais was named after the iconic "Lord of the Rings" character Gollum, also known as Smeagol.
The new species of "landumoema smeagol", is a troglobitic harvestman spider believed to be the first blind species of this genus, and like something out of an arachnophobes' nightmare.
The creepy crawly's ghostly, golden color and spindly, long legs could be likened with Smeagol's unnerving look while it crawls.
The research findings published in the journal Zookeys, revealed that the certain spider found in the Minas Gerais caves differed from two previous discoveries of landumoema spiders discovered by researchers Ricardo Pinto-da-Rocha and Marcos R. Hara back in 1996 and 2008, respectively.
According to one of the authors, adult spiders show solitary habits; "on one occasion, one individual was feeding in litter, apparently scavenging carcasses of invertebrates".
"Projects for the installation of small hydroelectric dams and limestone extraction for cement production represent potential impacts on the immediate environment" researches said. "...the extent of occurrence area of the species allied to the deforestation in the cave surroundings must place this species in a threatened category considering the IUCN criteria," the researchers added.
"The specific epithet refers to the hobbit named Smeagol, created by J.R.R. Tolkien, being the original name of Gollum - the dweller of the caves located below the Misty Mountains of Middle-earth of the Lord of the Rings book," the researchers wrote. While Shelob, the feared actual giant cave spider in J.R.R. Tolkien's novel was not considered by the scientists as basis for the name- they did not specify as to why.
In J.R.R. Tolkien's book, Smeagol was corrupted by the One Ring and later named Gollum after his habit of making "a horrible swallowing noise in his throat", making him the iconic alter ego of Smeagol. He was introduced in the 1937 children's fantasy novel The Hobbit, and became an important supporting character in its sequel, The Lord of the Rings.
