The brown huntsman spider has been identified as the fastest spider recorded, capable of reaching speeds up to 3.59 meters per second, or approximately 8 miles per hour. This discovery comes from a comprehensive study that synthesized data from 258 different spider species.
Scientists have compiled the most extensive dataset to date on spider running performance by combining new laboratory measurements with existing research. While the huntsman spider's top speed is less than a human's sprint, researchers caution that in a close encounter, the spider's quick acceleration could allow it to catch a startled person before they could reach full speed.
Spider Speed and Body Mass
The study, which was initially published as a preprint on bioRxiv, found a significant correlation between body mass and running speed across the surveyed species. Speeds ranged from a minimum of 0.018 meters per second for the 'money spider' to the huntsman spider's maximum.
To determine these speeds, researchers utilized a laboratory setup involving cameras and grid paper to precisely measure how quickly spiders traversed a set distance. The findings indicated that spiders classified as 'ground active hunters' were generally the fastest. This category includes species like huntsman, jumping, and wolf spiders, which actively pursue or ambush prey on the ground rather than relying on webs.
These ground-active hunters typically possess strong legs, rely on keen eyesight or vibration detection for hunting, and move faster relative to their size compared to web-building species. While the fastest specimen was native to Queensland, Australia, ground-hunting species such as the grey wolf spider and the great fox spider are found in the UK. Huntsman spiders have also been known to enter the UK as accidental imports.
Leg Architecture and Evolutionary Drivers
Overall, the research indicated that larger spiders tended to be faster, though exceptions exist. For instance, the tiny orange goblin spider, despite weighing significantly less than the brown huntsman, was only 18 times slower. Researchers suggest that physics dictates speed in principle, but lifestyles, such as the need to chase prey or evade predators, drive the evolution of adaptations that enable high speeds.
The brown huntsman spider's speed is attributed to its relatively large legs, which are not disproportionately heavy for its body size. Leanda Mason of Edith Cowan University noted that long legs act as a 'speed gear' for spiders. The study concluded that fast running is linked to leg architecture and evolutionary history, rather than solely size or whether a spider spins a web. Specifically, after accounting for body size and shared ancestry, the research found that fast running is associated with relatively longer legs, but not necessarily slender ones.
The slowest spider documented in the study, the money spider, is small, measuring about 1.5 millimeters in length, and has a top speed of roughly 0.04 miles per hour. The study also noted that a fear of spiders may be an innate survival trait, potentially dating back to early human evolution in Africa where venomous spiders were prevalent.