Scientists Discover the Largest Orbweaving Spider in the World

[Ji@nBing]

Yesterday researchers announced the discovery of the largest web-spinning spider in the world. Nephila komaci, which spins meter-wide webs, is 40 mm long. But males of the species (pictured clinging to the underside of the female) are only 9 mm.

The spider was discovered in South Africa, and a group of researchers officially described the species in a paper published in PLoS One yesterday evening. Spiders in the Nephilia family all exhibit what's called extreme sexual size dimorphism - in other words, the females are a lot larger than the males, and usually eat the males after mating with them. You can see from these images that the males of N. komaci really are so small compared to the females that they could be mistaken for a post-coital snack.

The researchers also analyzed the evolution of these spiders, and concluded that what we're seeing is a tendency towards female gigantism rather than male dwarfism. Because the female spiders survive better the larger they get, they have evolved to be huge. The males, on the other hand, wind up passing along their sperm to the next generation if they mature early (i.e. when they are smaller) and can climb really well. And thus, you get tiny males and giant females.

Link

Dear god, I'm going to have nightmares about this tonight. It just shouldn't be!!!!

[Fred Derf Veteran]

If I were a male in the Nephilia family then I'd be perfectly content to stay a virgin.

[Rob2687]

Looks crunchy

[Azusa]

just when i thought i'd seen big bad uns just got rid of this one tonight.

[+Audioboxer Subscriber²]

Every time I click a topic about spiders, I always wish I hadn't clicked it :(

[Mannlich]

This thread is taking over my neowin ;)

[Rappy Veteran]

This thread is taking over my neowin ;)

just like the giant spiders!

[zhangm Supervisor]

Hmm, a 4 cm spider. That's...nice.

It is still less than 2 inches long.

[Inklin]

ACK!! :x I feel sick now and will have nightmares tonight lol. just gross. imagine walking into that web?

[vincent]

I've had guns pointed at me before, and it still doesn't scare me as much as spiders

[Ji@nBing]

Hmm, a 4 cm spider. That's...nice.

It is still less than 2 inches long.

Yeah, but look how wrong it looks!!

[+Audioboxer Subscriber²]

I've had guns pointed at me before, and it still doesn't scare me as much as spiders

[Green_Eye]

Now I am known for not being scared of spiders but HOLY F***!

[Fred Derf Veteran]

^^ :D

/me waits for somebody to ask if it was photoshopped

[Green_Eye]

LMAO! :laugh:

[Andre S. Veteran]

I've had guns pointed at me before, and it still doesn't scare me as much as spiders

Most spiders are completely harmless to humans. Most guns are not. ;)

[Ji@nBing]

I've realized I just don't like creatures with thoraxes. Spiders, ants, whatever it may be, if it's got a thorax, I don't want anything to do with it!!!

[zhangm Supervisor]

I've realized I just don't like creatures with thoraxes. Spiders, ants, whatever it may be, if it's got a thorax, I don't want anything to do with it!!!

Spiders don't have thoraxes.

[LightIdea]

Spiders don't have thoraxes.

Uhhh... yes they do.

http://www.mcwdn.org/Animals/Spiders.html

They are like the other arthropods in that they have an outside skeleton made of chitin, they have jointed appendages and the three body regions of the head, thorax and abdomen.

[Lamp0]

Is there a reason why humans find spiders so creepy?

[ylcard]

I've realized I just don't like creatures with thoraxes. Spiders, ants, whatever it may be, if it's got a thorax, I don't want anything to do with it!!!

So you don't like yourself ? And have nothing to do with yourself either ?

Also I want to point out that all guns are harmless to humans, it's the idiot holding the gun that's the problem.

[toadeater]

It kind of reminds me of the Antlions from Half-Life.

And Headcrab Sushi...

[YounGMessiah]

wow that spider is crazy..females are slowly taking over our world! on the real!

[qdave]

Scary thing! Impressive spiderwebs though.

[Azusa]

Gah just had a small spider use me as some sort of lading pad.