A new species of spider, affectionately nicknamed the Ballista Spider, has recently been discovered in the remote forests of Queensland, Australia.
What makes this species unique is that it not only exclusively targets the aggressive green tree ant but also uses an unconventional tactic to hunt its prey:
Namely, the Ballista Spider builds a veritable silken catapult that hurls its prey nearly a foot into the air at a rate of 4,300 feet per second squared.
The spider is yet to be formally named, but belongs to the genus Propostira, which is notorious for its unique evolutionary adaptations.
