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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2009
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World's Biggest Web-Spinning Spidey Found

Rare African orb-weaver spins 3-foot webs

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(Newser) – A gargantuan new species of orb-weaving arachnid found in South Africa is the biggest web-spinning spider ever discovered, scientists say. The female Nephila komaci has a leg span bigger than a man's hand and spins webs more than 3 feet wide, the BBC reports. Arachnophobes will be glad to hear that the species is very rare and has only been found in small pockets of forest.

"They look like they're all legs. They live in webs, so they're spindly, relatively delicate spiders," said one of the scientists who identified the new species. "If you were standing there, you wouldn't say that," he added. "You would probably freak out. Most people do."

Nephila komaci is believed to be the biggest web-spinning spider known to science.
Nephila komaci is believed to be the biggest web-spinning spider known to science.   (Matjaz Kuntner)
Scientists plan to study the evolutionary processes that caused the female Nephila komaci to become so much bigger than the relatively puny male of the species.
Scientists plan to study the evolutionary processes that caused the female Nephila komaci to become so much bigger than the relatively puny male of the species.   (Matjaz Kuntner)
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They've probably outgrown most of their predators. - Smithsonian arachnologist
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14 comments
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long7000
Oct 21, 09 5:48 AM CDT
Creepy! Reply
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DarkFrancis
Oct 21, 09 6:10 AM CDT
Um...golden orbs in Australia? They can spin webs 18-19 from the tops of trees and 6 feet across. Reply
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-1
IN RESPONSE:
Doctor_Zaius
Oct 21, 09 6:12 AM CDT
I think they're talking about the size of the spider and not the web.
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+6
IN RESPONSE:
my-name-here
Oct 21, 09 7:44 AM CDT
@dark, This spider is in the golden orb weaver family.
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IN RESPONSE:
DarkFrancis
Oct 21, 09 3:40 PM CDT
Yeah, I meant the Australian variety...but I was off the mark anyway.
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