Largest fossil spider found yet.

[dennilfloss]

I like spiders. I line fossils. I definitely like spider fossils.

Here is the largest such fossil found yet, a female golden orb-weaver with a 6" leg-span. It was found in China and belongs to a new species called Nephila jurassica This find extends the range of the Nephila genus by 130 million years, which makes it the longest-ranging spider genus known yet.

For comparison, here is an extant Nephila specimen.

http://www.floridanature.org/photos/Nephila_clavipes_5a,_Tallahassee_20021216.jpg

For once the whole academic paper is free, a rarity nowadays, so here it is for those interested.

http://rsbl.royalsocietypublishing....full?sid=d62866c0-1e79-4479-ae42-cb8e0b6e5c67

 

[Newbian]

The average human consumes an average of four spiders per year in his or her sleep.

I think a 6 inch one would wake many of us up.

 

[JTsyo]

I like spiders. I line fossils. I definitely like spider fossils.

Here is the largest such fossil found yet, a female golden orb-weaver with a 6" leg-span. It was found in China and belongs to a new species called Nephila jurassica This find extends the range of the Nephila genus by 130 million years, which makes it the longest-ranging spider genus known yet.

For comparison, here is an extant Nephila specimen.

http://www.floridanature.org/photos/Nephila_clavipes_5a,_Tallahassee_20021216.jpg

For once the whole academic paper is free, a rarity nowadays, so here it is for those interested.

http://rsbl.royalsocietypublishing....full?sid=d62866c0-1e79-4479-ae42-cb8e0b6e5c67

Do you snort them afterwards? D:

Not a big fan of spiders. I got a leave me alone, I leave you alone pact with them.

 

[nick1985]

Glad that thing was hit by an asteroid.

 

[Texashiker]

Someone stomp on it just to make sure its dead.

6 foot leg span? Holy crap, it probably ate dogs, cats, and people.

 

[waggy]

I think a 6 inch one would wake many of us up.

no no its bigger then you think. Each leg is 6 inch's..so the span would be larger then a foot... i would guess the body the size of a basketball?

i may be wrong though..

 

[Schfifty Five]

Someone stomp on it just to make sure its dead.

6 foot leg span? Holy crap, it probably ate dogs, cats, and people.

um what?

 

[Newbian]

um what?

Didn't you hear... those 6 footers make great cooking.

 

[Saint Nick]

Someone stomp on it just to make sure its dead.

6 foot leg span? Holy crap, it probably ate dogs, cats, and people.

INCH leg span...INCH

 

[Murloc]

yuck kill it with fire and magnets please

 

[LTC8K6]

INCH leg span...INCH

Yes, we have much bigger spiders today, I believe.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giant_huntsman_spider

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goliath_birdeater

That's just the biggest fossilized one.

 

[DesiPower]

Lets resuscitate or clone the mother ah heck then we can have a "Tarantula" (movie) kind of scenario in our hands!! it will be fun with all the latest guns and sh1t we have!!!

 

[HumblePie]

The longest leg would be about 6 inches on this spider. The body would probably be 3 to 4 inches around the largest part of the thorax. Still a big spider. Basically anyone remember the size of the spiders in Arachnophobia the movie? That's about the size of these spiders. The difference is these are orb spiders which are the big web weavers and not tarantulas like in the movie.

 

[LTC8K6]

The longest leg would be about 6 inches on this spider. The body would probably be 3 to 4 inches around the largest part of the thorax. Still a big spider. Basically anyone remember the size of the spiders in Arachnophobia the movie? That's about the size of these spiders. The difference is these are orb spiders which are the big web weavers and not tarantulas like in the movie.

Yes. Really big spiders today are ground spiders.

What would have been terrifying about this fossil spider is that it would have been hanging in a hell of a web. You'd have come around a corner and had that sucker on your face.

 

[BabaBooey]

Bet that big meaty bastard would have been good with some redhot ...:thumbsup:

 

[Anneka]

Now there's a spider that even spiderman would fear

 

[JTsyo]

Yes. Really big spiders today are ground spiders.

What would have been terrifying about this fossil spider is that it would have been hanging in a hell of a web. You'd have come around a corner and had that sucker on your face.

hey, it had to catch dinosaurs to eat.

 

[Sentrosi2121]

[Obligatory "Nuke it from orbit" post]

 

[Homerboy]

6" doesn't seem that big.
IIRC there are bigger spiders roaming in the jungles right now?

Research: Goliath Birdeater - These spiders can have a leg span of up to 12 inch (30 cm) and can weigh over 6 ounces (170 g).

 

[Homerboy]

[Obligatory "Nuke it from orbit" post]

ironically, this one DID get nuked from orbit (by an asteroid)

 

[Sentrosi2121]

Mission accomplished :salute:

 

[SAWYER]

I have a rock with a fossil in it, I wonder if it's worth anythng

 

[AMDZen]

Boring.

You would expect prehistoric spiders to be bigger than we have now

 

[Homerboy]

Boring.

You would expect prehistoric spiders to be bigger than we have now

They weren't.

 

[JTsyo]

Boring.

You would expect prehistoric spiders to be bigger than we have now

Past a certain point the weight increase due to size would be disadvantageous. Being small enough to climb on most surfaces and hand from web are strong survival advantages. Not to mention the food intake needed.