A species of spider new to Britain has been discovered in Norfolk. But arachnophobes need not be worried as the eight legged creature measures just 1.6mm in length.

Eastern Daily Press: A species of spider never been seen before in Britain discovered at Winterton Dunes. Picture: James BassA species of spider never been seen before in Britain discovered at Winterton Dunes. Picture: James Bass (Image: Archant Norfolk © 2015)

The tiny arachnid – a species of money spider – was discovered in Winterton Dunes by nature lover Pip Collyer.

Mr Collyer, from Norwich, is a member of the Norfolk and Norwich Naturalists' Society (NNNS), former secretary of the British Arachnological Society and is the county's official spider recorder.

He was making a search of the dunes when he collected the small specimen. 'Neither I nor several of my colleagues could initially identify the spider,' he said. 'That's because it wasn't in any of the British identification books.'

The tiny creature was eventually identified by Dr Peter Merrett of the British Arachnological Society.

https://infogr.am/spiders-325150394

Mr Collyer found the mini marvel in December but it has taken so long to identify that news of its discovery in Britain is only now coming to light.

Tony Leech, chairman of the NNNS, said: 'Once again Norfolk proves to be the place to look for new species.'

The spider does not yet have a common name and is currently known by its Latin moniker – Syedra myrmicarum. It is a central and northern European species and lives a life closely associated with ants.

Mr Collyer is now keeping his eyes closely peeled for more specimens.

Marvellous money spiders

Considered to bring financial luck, money spiders are tiny arachnids.

But despite their small stature they make up the second largest family of spiders.

They are grouped into the Linyphiidae family and there are more than 4,300 described species worldwide.

Spiders in this family are commonly known as sheet weavers due to the shape of their webs, or money spiders in certain parts of the world, including the UK, Ireland,Australia, and New Zealand.

Their UK moniker comes from the superstition that if such a spider is seen running on you, it has come to spin you new clothes, meaning financial good fortune.

Have you found a strange creature? Email newsdesk@archant.co.uk