I know that this topic has had a mention or two before on these boards, but the subject of the giant spider that is said to lurk in the rainforests of central and west Africa seems to be one that holds some credibility.Critters with a five foot legspan capable of trapping small game!

As has been said before these creatures are well known to the Baka tribesmen of the region, although deforestation and civil wars in the area may well have put them out of business for good as no doubt they made tempting targets for rebels armed with automatic weapons!

Is there any photo evidence of these beasts?

Apparently not. Although the idea is still pending.

How is this?

I thought Megarachne Servinei was supposedly a sea scorpion....

I forget the name, but the largest confirmed species of spider is the diameter of a dinner plate (including legs). Huge, yes, but I don't think spiders could get as big as you're describing, due to their structures. I don't think exoskeletons work well on large animals.

Where did you get Megarachne servinei from?

Angrycrustacean is right, I doubt an exoskeleton would be strong enough to support such a large arachnid.

The largest known creature supported by an exoskeleton, I'm sure is a prehistoric sea scorpion named Hibbertopterus which was little under 5ft, and it was only able to grow to such a large size due to the fact that they were amphibious and spent most of their time in the water where their bodies didn't have to support so much weight.

I'm not saying they're not real, but very impobable in my opinion.

and doesn't a spiders respiratory physiology, becomes less efficient the larger it becomes? just wondering

^I'm not 100% sure for arachnids, but that is true for insects. Which is why long ago many insects were much larger than modern day insects, as the Earth has much higher oxygen levels.

Hey, check it out, I found this giant scorpion sighting:

http://phoenix.about.com/cs/wacky/a/aprilfoolscorp.htm

They say the scorpion was 4 ft long. If scorpions can get that big, why not spiders

scorpions CANT get that big! if you read the bottom of the page............ they state it was an april fools joke.

i say no more

damn, just when you thing people won't read that part

Though a giant scorpian really did exist millions of years ago. May I also say it was a sea scorpion, I can't really remember the name

Read my post ^ (#7).

I'm guessing increased oxygen levels, higher temperatures (resulting in a higher rate of metabolism) and the fact that they were semi-amphibious meant they were able to grow so large.

chuckle

Thanks

Raptor, AC, and Pax are all right. The largest arachnids ever were sea scorpions. The largest spider is the Goliath Bird-eater Spider, no larger than a dinner plate.

Their respiratory output DOES decrease with size...

Raptor, AC, and Pax are all right. The largest arachnids ever were sea scorpions. The largest spider is the Goliath Bird-eater Spider, no larger than a dinner plate.

Their respiratory output DOES decrease with size...

This is the Camel Spider and definitely bigger than a dinner plate. Found in Iraq.

There was a prehistoric spider, I can't think of the name, that was a land spider, that was something like 3 feet across. it was the largest spider ever, according to fossil records, and was only able to get that big due to the high oxygen content of the atmosphere at the time. That is the limiting factor of arthropod size now, how much oxygen is able to be absorbed into their tissues, since they don't have a complex ciurculatory system like higher animals. That's my 2 cents

I remain,
Adam Davis

Camel spiders are not actually spiders, that's a large misconception; they belong to the order of Solifugae, they're more closely related to Scorpions than spiders.

And they are no bigger than 5 inches (including leg span).

The picture you posted is actually two Camel spiders, and the scale is misleading. Compare their size to that of the sleeve of the man holding them, not the background, and you get a more realistic scale.

YUP, quite obvious there are two of them. I wonder then why it is not called a Camel Scorpion. Or at least call it Camel Spider Scorpion????

^Before any real study was done on them, people believed them to be spiders because of their appearance, and I guess it just stuck. They also go by the name of Wind Scorpion.

Yeah, I can relate to that. I mean who would call it a scorpion if you ever see one.

Beat me to it...

Okay ,for the umpteenth time, giant spiders are PHYSICALLY IMPOSSIBLE. There is no debate to this, it is just not possible. At all. End of story.

The goliath bird eater (theraphosa blondi) is the biggest species of spider, with a legspan of approximately 30cm. A spider cannot get much larger than this, it's exoskeleton would crush it's insides because it would be too heavy. Mygalomorphs are the family of spiders that include trapdoors, and "tarantula's" and the other, Araneomorphae (Mordern Spiders) don't grow larger than about 6cm in body length.

If i hear of one more idiot who believes the urban legend of the "Iraqi Camel Spiders" I'm going to hurl my computer out of window.... just because you read something on the internet doesn't mean it's true!

Edited for typo's...

Wouldn't it be cool if there was a spider that big out there somewhere? Like a "Food of the Gods" type scenario? Fact is giant spiders are cool, whether they're possible or not. Just as long as they stay in Africa.

Snuffy, everything big is fine as long as they stay in Africa

Too bad they can't grow that big.

FAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAKE!

^You're joking, right?

RACIST!

As long as they aren't in my house!

Yeah, I wouldn't want my daughter dating one either.

You're joking aswell, right?

Me? Yes.

Fake!

that was why I put these in the bottom of my post.

Isn't the largest spider the bird eating spider? I just hope that such a spider is not real. There would be alot of panic.

Hahahhahhahaa!

That photo is hilarious!

Please no more....

That spider looks a bit scared....

Ahhahahhahhaa

Hey look, if I had a spider that size in my house, I would be hunting it with that kind of artillery also.................and if I was that spider I would be scared to!!!!

If I had a spider that size living in my house, I'd be living somewhere else.

brilliant

hell i,d use a 12-gauge gas powered shotgun with armor piercing rounds

I think that giant spiders do exist, they just haven't find them (or those who have seen them couldn't bring proof with them).
I've been to the Amazon Jungle and the insects in there are HUGE. And mind you, I was around the not-so explored parts in the jungle. Imagine how many new surprises there must be in the unexplored parts of the jungle. The place is by itself enormous.

I've been there also...Thos insects are not that big...Plus, a spider is an arachnid

Giant spiders only exist in movies like Eight Legged Freaks.

Ok, I'll fix my statement.
I've been to the Amazon Jungle and insects AND arachnids are HUGE there. HUGE.