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TorLin · 10-21-2009, 11:06 PM

Scientists Discover the Largest Orbweaving Spider in the World

By Annalee Newitz, 10:15 AM on Wed Oct 21 2009

http://io9.com/5385963/scientists-di...world/gallery/

2 more pictures at website.

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.

Cool SAD sufferer · 10-22-2009, 12:01 AM

That's amazing!

zomgz · 10-22-2009, 12:13 AM

oh god i feel sick looking at the picture lol! ><

Banzai · 10-22-2009, 02:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cool SAD sufferer

That's amazing!

tutliputli · 10-22-2009, 02:41 AM

Why, oh why, did I click on this? I'm *** scared of spiders...

Homersxchild · 10-22-2009, 08:33 AM

Wow, you can really see how huge it is when you look at the other pictures. Like the one where you can compare it with the bushes. Holy crap, I would not want that crawling in my bed. Thank god I don't live in South Africa.

Madison_Rose · 10-22-2009, 09:35 AM

Awesome! I really like spiders.

N3XT2NON3 · 10-22-2009, 09:50 AM

ugh, should've never clicked on this thread either lol

Tau Sin · 10-22-2009, 10:06 AM

That's awesome!

shyvr6 · 10-22-2009, 04:23 PM

I always get a shiver down my body when I see a spider for the first time.

layitontheline · 10-22-2009, 04:51 PM

Wow. The size difference between the male and female is insane. Awesome

Tungsten · 10-22-2009, 06:15 PM

Awesome. I wonder what the benefit of sexual cannibalism is in a species like this. Does the male provide some type of nutrition that she needs to produce healthy offspring? Freaky.

Actually I think I'd get by fine as a male Nephila komaci. The inability to get a date would totally work to my advantage in this case.

huh · 10-22-2009, 06:39 PM

I thought the spider I found in my shorts last week was big...but these are huge, lol.

spiderling · 10-22-2009, 11:00 PM

It's so unusual-looking, but beautiful.

steelmyhead · 10-22-2009, 11:01 PM

The web looks a lot like a fence.

SADuser · 10-23-2009, 06:59 AM

Stare at the patterns, and picture holding it around it's waist. Oh god, i cringed for 10 seconds, lol.

nubly · 10-23-2009, 09:12 AM

Quote:

is 40 mm long. But males of the species (pictured clinging to the underside of the female) are only 9 mm.

evolution does not bode well for males

lyssado707 · 10-23-2009, 12:58 PM

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

inna sense · 10-23-2009, 05:21 PM

this makes my skin crawl -_-

Roberto · 10-23-2009, 05:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by steelmyhead

The web looks a lot like a fence.

lol. Imagine having one of these in your backyard. =p

10-21-2009, 11:06 PM	#1 (permalink)
TorLin Status: MayTheForceBeWithYou Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: California Gender: Male Posts: 17,058	Evoution: Largest Orbweaving Spider Scientists Discover the Largest Orbweaving Spider in the World By Annalee Newitz, 10:15 AM on Wed Oct 21 2009 http://io9.com/5385963/scientists-di...world/gallery/ 2 more pictures at website. 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. __________________ MTFBWU (May The Force Be With You) - TORLIN AIM, MSN, YIM: T0RL1N Skype: Tor_Lin Visit me at; ToryLing.com \| LivingAnxious \| Facebook \| Myspace \| Last.fm

10-22-2009, 12:13 AM	#3 (permalink)
zomgz Status: Wherever The Winds Fly Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Washington Gender: Male Age: 19 Posts: 600	oh god i feel sick looking at the picture lol! >< __________________ Chained to the bottom of the ocean floor, it's like running underwater. Feel free to add me to: Myspace \| Facebook \| Mindviz

10-22-2009, 02:41 AM	#5 (permalink)
tutliputli Status: electric lady Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: England, UK Gender: Female Age: 23 Posts: 578	Why, oh why, did I click on this? I'm *** scared of spiders... __________________ Why leave me hanging on a star when you deem me so high?

10-22-2009, 09:35 AM	#7 (permalink)
Madison_Rose Status: conservative gay hamster Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: United Kingdom Gender: Female Age: 27 Posts: 1,307	Awesome! I really like spiders. __________________ Freethinker? Skeptic? Agnostic? Atheist? Not sure? www.the-brights.net

10-22-2009, 10:06 AM	#9 (permalink)
Tau Sin Status: Master deBater Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: California Gender: Male Age: 22 Posts: 165	That's awesome! __________________ :::: Me so tHorny! ::::

10-22-2009, 12:01 AM	#2 (permalink)
Cool SAD sufferer Status: SAS Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 356	That's amazing!

10-22-2009, 08:33 AM	#6 (permalink)
Homersxchild Status: Garr. Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: USA. Gender: Female Age: 18 Posts: 110	Wow, you can really see how huge it is when you look at the other pictures. Like the one where you can compare it with the bushes. Holy crap, I would not want that crawling in my bed. Thank god I don't live in South Africa.

10-22-2009, 09:50 AM	#8 (permalink)
N3XT2NON3 Status: Waiting 4 The Sky To Fall Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: NJ Gender: Male Age: 19 Posts: 313	ugh, should've never clicked on this thread either lol

10-22-2009, 04:23 PM	#10 (permalink)
shyvr6 Status: Makin Waves Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Somewhere on a map. Gender: Male Posts: 9,645	I always get a shiver down my body when I see a spider for the first time. __________________ Music

10-22-2009, 04:51 PM	#11 (permalink)
layitontheline Status: SAS Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Gender: Female Age: 20 Posts: 320	Wow. The size difference between the male and female is insane. Awesome

10-22-2009, 06:15 PM	#12 (permalink)
Tungsten Status: SAS Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Pennsylvania Gender: Male Age: 30 Posts: 1,124	Awesome. I wonder what the benefit of sexual cannibalism is in a species like this. Does the male provide some type of nutrition that she needs to produce healthy offspring? Freaky. Actually I think I'd get by fine as a male Nephila komaci. The inability to get a date would totally work to my advantage in this case.

10-22-2009, 06:39 PM	#13 (permalink)
huh Status: Statistical Anomaly Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: WI Gender: Male Age: 24 Posts: 1,037	I thought the spider I found in my shorts last week was big...but these are huge, lol. __________________ "It takes two to lie. One to lie and one to listen."

10-22-2009, 11:00 PM	#14 (permalink)
spiderling Status: Steadily going nowhere Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Bog of social ineptitude Gender: Female Age: 24 Posts: 34	It's so unusual-looking, but beautiful.

10-22-2009, 11:01 PM	#15 (permalink)
steelmyhead Status: mostly harmless Join Date: May 2009 Location: California Gender: Male Posts: 635	The web looks a lot like a fence. __________________ The trick is to experience, not anticipate.

10-23-2009, 06:59 AM	#16 (permalink)
SADuser Status: SAS Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Australia Gender: Male Age: 20 Posts: 111	Stare at the patterns, and picture holding it around it's waist. Oh god, i cringed for 10 seconds, lol.

10-23-2009, 12:58 PM	#18 (permalink)
lyssado707 Status: SAS Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Humboldt County, CA Age: 22 Posts: 3,228	Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh __________________ In Loving Memory, http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g1...6/P1000595.jpg http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g1...P1000480-1.jpg Marmalade January 1991-February 19, 2007

10-23-2009, 05:21 PM	#19 (permalink)
inna sense Status: SAS Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 3,146	this makes my skin crawl -_- __________________ duality in oness << new song click here for some songs i did with others