I'm the only one that thinks that is stupid?

I'm the only one who thinks this is stupid?

Ok, i know Megarachne servinei wasn't a spider, was an aquatic crustacean related to the brontoscorpions and everything, and that the biggest spider that ever existed is T. Blondi, LP or whatever you like to discuss.

But let's just imagine it was a spider and existed like BBC Walking With Monsters showed, ok? (in terms of appearance) I don't think ANY spider would behave like showed on the series. I mean, it's like it thinks "If i get on that hole on the top i will kill it" And it attacks the lizard like Sweeney Todd killing judge Turpin. Walks like a dog loosen from its chain, keeps stridulating for no reason and can't stop quiet. Runs half of the forest after the lizard.

I don't know, i want truly arachnophiles opinions.

Link to the BBC video. There is another one with a small participation from the spider but it's not very pertinent:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WdVF9tU9Bbs&feature=related

EDIT: The reason they put a non-existing animal in the series was because the Megarachne was wrongly classified as a spider, the episode was produced, and in the final phase of the producing it was correctly reclassified as a protoscorpion cousin or something.

That video made me laugh more then anything else. I love the mechanical lizard XD

Well, speculation into the behavior of prehistoric spiders is rather subjective.. and you can't use modern arachnid behavior to refute what they projected, (not saying I agree with it).. So if you're going to speculate to interest the casual viewer, why not make it exciting?

As for the hunt, some spiders are known to plan means of attack, and show signs of intelligence... If suitable food happened to be more scarce, a chase would be worthwhile for a meal of that size.

In the end.. no, I don't find it stupid, as its done to entertain.. but its quite farfetched.

-Sean

Pretty far fetched indeed IMO. We may not know about the behavior of a prehistoric spider but we know enough about physiology to say that some aspects of the hunting behavior are way off. If a modern tarantula's book lungs are too inefficient for them to run more than a few feet at a time then i'd doubt a specimen from 300 million years ago could either.

It's set up like a trapdoor spider w/ a burrow, tripwires and all but then it runs across the jungle chasing its prey. Like any ambush predator arthropod, if the spider doesn't snag its prey right outside the burrow it would retreat and wait for the next chance, not just run after it. I also noticed it didn't grapple with the prey item at all, just stood over it and bit repeatedly. Boooguuuuussssss...

Still, it's nice to see spiders getting some attention on sciencey TV, correct or not.

I thought that section was rather poorly done as far as the behavior simulation is concerned. I mean, everything we observe about spiders today is that they move really fast, in short bursts, and attack stuff they see instinctively. Even the spiders that chase stuff down don't trot along or attack through barriers to speak of.


Spiders have changed relatively little since the time portrayed in the film. I would think that if there were very large spiders they would behave much like spiders today, mostly holding perfectly still. Attacking very swiftly and giving up immediately if the prey item gets outside the range of its tactile and visual senses.

It's hard for people visualizing animals we've never seen not to put in some of the traits we exhibit, like comparatively slow motion, problem solving, etc. The huge difference between us an arachnids is what makes their behavior seem unpredictable to us while other animals (like gerbils) that are more similar we can read their body language a bit better and infer how they feel and what they are going to do. I suspect their portrayal of more similar animals to us is more accurate, although a lot of what they portrayed was basically speculation.

etown_411 said:

we know enough about physiology to say that some aspects of the hunting behavior are way off. If a modern tarantula's book lungs are too inefficient for them to run more than a few feet at a time then i'd doubt a specimen from 300 million years ago could either.

It's set up like a trapdoor spider w/ a burrow, tripwires and all but then it runs across the jungle chasing its prey. Like any ambush predator arthropod, if the spider doesn't snag its prey right outside the burrow it would retreat and wait for the next chance, not just run after it. I also noticed it didn't grapple with the prey item at all, just stood over it and bit repeatedly. .

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That's exactly my point. Even with more oxygen on atmosphere, i doubt it would run more than 10 feet, and jumping on the way like the film.

Radamanthys said:

That's exactly my point. Even with more oxygen on atmosphere, i doubt it would run more than 10 feet, and jumping on the way like the film.

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Especially given the size of the creature. It is very unlikely that it's behavior has changed that much.

given that more oxygen was avalible it is possible that maybe in some far feched way that the spider was able to sprint for some distance. However this greater access to oxygen in no way would improve the senses of the spider thus I do not think that there would be such a difference in hunting styles from an acient spider to a modern one the spiders sensory apperatus is simply not built for any other mode of life.

Ok, i know Megarachne servinei wasn't a spider, was an aquatic crustacean related to the brontoscorpions and everything, and that the biggest spider that ever existed is T. Blondi, LP or whatever you like to discuss.

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Actually, Megarachne was a Eurypterid, or "sea scorpion". Eurypterids were not crustaceans, but were a group of creatures related to the Arachnids and horseshoe crabs (same subphylum; Chelicerata).

Brontoscorpio, as far as I can research, was a giant meter long prehistoric scorpion.

As far as I have read, T. blondi is still the largest spider known to have ever existed.

I found the clip exaggerated, yet the behaviours seen are far from impossible.
I personally saw a T chase a prey over a long distance (H incei over 50 cm+), dive on it from a heigh of at least 8" (P cambridgei), dig it a light speed (P regalis juvie, throwing a plume of earth in the air in the process) and probing an extended leg thru a layer of bark and then upturn it to catch the hidden feeder gecko underneath.

Of course, all of the above was exceptional occurrence that I was lucky to witness ( I will put a movement-activated camera in there!!!) but it shows me that their abilities are beyond what they usually show!

I don't understand how this would make me more afriad of spiders, and yeah it is stupid and pointless.

Jees they need to get some facts strait:evil: and this is suppose to scare me??? just imagine a 20ft T.Blondi that would make me crap my pants

traxfish said:

Actually, Megarachne was a Eurypterid, or "sea scorpion". Eurypterids were not crustaceans, but were a group of creatures related to the Arachnids and horseshoe crabs (same subphylum; Chelicerata).

Brontoscorpio, as far as I can research, was a giant meter long prehistoric scorpion.

As far as I have read, T. blondi is still the largest spider known to have ever existed.

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yeah, perhaps crustacean wasn't the best word. Arthropod was more like it. Thanks for the info

Moltar said:

Still, it's nice to see spiders getting some attention on sciencey TV, correct or not.

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Sorry to resurrect this thread, but I've been recently interested in arachnid evolution lately.

If you like shows with prehistoric things, BBC has a great show called "primeval." I just finished season 5. In S01 episode 2, they featured a bunch of megarachne and an anthropleura (largest pede that ever lived). Prehistoric Park with Nigel also has a prehistoric scorpion and anthropleura. :-D

"Anyone have a really big slipper?" ROFL!