Posted on 10/26/2009 1:23:42 PM PDT by JoeProBono
Meet the newest odd couple of the animal kingdom: the giant female and tiny male of the largest web-spinning spider known to science: Nephila komaci.
The female of the species has a leg span of up to 5 inches (12 centimeters), while the male—which spends much of its time clambering on its partner's back—barely reaches an inch (2.5 centimeters), a new study says.Part of a well-known group of golden orb-weaver spiders—which can spin webs up to three feet (one meter) wide—N. komaci was first identified in a South African museum collection in 2000.
But it wasn't until a 2007 field survey, which discovered three individuals in South Africa's Tembe Elephant Park, that scientists knew the spider still existed in the wild.
The newfound spider, detailed October 20 in the journal PLoS One, is the first addition to the Nephila genus since 1879.
Largest Web-Spinner a Rarity
N. komaci is likely rare within its small habitats in South Africa and Madagascar, researchers say, and females are much less common than males.
Much is still unknown about the species' biology, but study co-author and spider expert Jonathan Coddington suspects the female evolved her extreme size to thwart smaller predators and to be able to lay more eggs....
Oh, I’ve found worse in my bed after a drunken night. I have no idea how she got there though, the one I remember was much nicer. Obviously, someone switched ladies on me in the middle of the night. It was a conspiracy I tell you!
I recommend reading the article. These spiders have some unusual mating habits.
Do I even need to write it?
Kill it with fire....The spider not the spider woman.
Yikes! Unusual is one word for it... Brings to mind Jeff Goldblum’s line in The Fly, something about “insect politics”.... Shudder.
And when I came across this - “(Watch a video of the world’s largest spider.)” I couldn’t help saying aloud - “No thanks.”
Twas was born in Hawaii, (and yes, I do have MY birth certificate ; ), and my dear sweet ol’ madre said my somewhat controlled fear of spiders probably came from her putting me out on a blanket in the yard, with the banana spiders chilling overhead : o
Tatt
I knew you would...
Millions of them. Billions! You never know just how many spiderwebs/spiders are truly out there until you see them dew-spangled, hanging everywhere like pieces of net flung over a fence. Wait...they are nets. LOL
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