Exceptional People: Nopkrit Krityahun Achieves Major Academic Milestone with Published Tarantula Research

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Nopkrit Krityahun (Nashi), a Year 12 student at Shrewsbury International School Bangkok Riverside, has achieved a significant academic milestone with the co-authored research paper in the Journal of the British Tarantula Society. His work documents the first record of the tarantula genus Omothymus in Thailand, expanding scientific understanding of species distribution in Southeast Asia.

Below, Nashi shares more about his research journey:

This research paper, published in the Journal of the British Tarantula Society, marks the first recorded finding of the tarantula genus Omothymus in Southern Thailand. Omothymus schioedtei, a species belonging to this genus, was previously believed to occur only in Malaysia. However, with this publication, its known range has now been extended northward into Thailand, making it the second tree-dwelling tarantula genus in the country alongside Taksinus.

The specimen was collected by my friend and our first author, Phooree Phoorahong. I examined it and compared its physical traits, while our co-author, German researcher Volker von Wirth, conducted comparisons with existing museum specimens. The results confirmed a clear match between our specimen and the original Omothymus schioedtei described in its first discovery. In summary, our article documents and compares the physical characteristics of related specimens in order to identify ours with certainty.

The specimen has since been deposited at the Chulalongkorn University Museum of Zoology, where I had the opportunity to meet Professor Natapot Warrit. He later introduced me to his students, Dr. Varat Sivayyapram and Mr. Chawakorn Kunsete, who kindly offered advice on preparing and refining our article.

This discovery is significant for understanding the biodiversity and distribution of spiders in Southeast Asia, particularly in areas bordering national parks in southern Thailand. Our research also highlights the importance of conservation efforts beyond protected areas and provides a valuable foundation for further studies on arboreal tarantulas in Thailand. I hope that this work will inspire others my age to respect and appreciate the natural environment of our country, as a deeper understanding will ultimately lead to stronger conservation efforts.

To read more about Nashi’s research: Click here