I'm going pretend this is AI and move along. With climate change we are affecting their eating habits. Soon they may wise up and decide humans will make a better meal then turtles and fish.
I don't think it's a change in their eating habits, these spiders are known to catch fish, frog, salamanders or basically anything that size you'll find near water. Just rare to see and snap a picture of one with a turtle.
Yeah, many larger spider species will go after smaller vertebrates. Goliath bird eaters (South American) will go after snakes much larger than they are - despite the name, they aren’t inclined towards birds though.
Yep, they are generally opportunistic and can be quite brazen. But most of the time they'll go after easier, smaller prey.
I used to have a goliath birdeater and it was entirely fed on crickets. We tried a baby mouse once, but it was a huge mess to clean up and they don't need nor prefer it.
Don't spiders actually sort of rather drink their prey than eating it? We digest food inside us, spiders just vomit up shit onto paralysed prey that liquifies it so the spider can just sort of slurp it up.
So I wonder how he'll do with a turtle. It's easy enough to imagine on a fish, but...
Even if that particular picture was AI (I don't think it is), there is nothing surprising or exaggerated going on here. More like it's a rather rare/undocumented behaviour. Bit it's totally within the capabilities of a fishing spider.
Yeah I’ve looked a bit harder and I see the spider shape a bit better now (from underneath), the slight motion blur in places would suggest not AI but I’m not totally convinced. From a quick search these spiders aren’t that big so that must be a very baby turtle, and I don’t know what’s going on around the mouth but it doesn’t look right, nor does the interference pattern of the ripples.
Agreeing with me would make a lot of people a lot more comfortable 😅
The sizes make sense - the turtle is on the smaller end and likely a juvenile, but both seem appropriately sized - the spiders can grow that big, especially if female.
I found this in a group for spider enthusiasts - these are the kinds of geeks that will look at a spider leg and get it down to class. AI is not good at generating invertebrate species specific traits yet. While this is pretty spectacular - not a daily event - these are both species that can be found in the same area, and these spiders will attack vertebrate pray.
It's not a spider preying on a vertebrate that is hard to believe, it is the lifting. Even ignoring the physics of the situation, I don't think fishing spiders hunt that way.
People act like they've forgotten that there are other ways than AI to fake an image.
What specifically about the physics of the situation is making you suspicious? I’ve worked in an invertebrate lab, admittedly primarily with ants, and nothing about this raises alarm bells.
I imagine the weight of that turtle to be considerably more than that frog.
Also how do you think that spider is holding that turtle? Just what do you think has a grip on what?
Also zoom in and notice the odd gray smudging along the spider leg that is in front of the turtle shell. I'm no Photoshop expert but that looks suspicious to me.
Spiders routinely hold onto 100x more than their weight. Are you basing any of this on a knowledge of invertebrate biology? Ants can do similarly impressive feats - that’s something I will stand firmly by, as someone who’s name is in papers in ant research.
My actual degree is in physics too, and I’ll say that often things that seem counterintuitive are entirely supported by physics ;)
25-28mm body length is quite a considerable size. I think a cousin of these is often dubbed the "UK's largest spider", even though it technically isn't. But they are up there. Yes, the US has tarantulas, giant house spiders and some larger wolf spiders, but Dolomedes is up there as well.
Unfortunately, no... I've seen one of those things, and they're honestly kind of scary to stumble across in the wild. They're huge, and they can swim.
I do agree that this picture looks weird, but I think it's just a weird picture. The spider is hanging backwards, with his belly facing upwards (that little nubbin at the back of the abdomen usually angles down), but the way that he's lifting his head to bite the turtle makes it look like his body is facing the other way. As for the ripples, it looks like he's lifted the turtle high enough that we're getting a shot of them without the water directly below them. The ripples look like they're probably relatively calm water 5-10ft behind the spider, which is why they don't match up with the action in the photo.
I would love to upvote something so fascinating as a sudden change or extreme rarity in ecology, but unfortunately I cannot in good conscience because doing so also promotes animal gore fetishists that exist in unfortunate numbers on general forums, youtube, etc.
I know about the types of communities you are talking about, but there is a difference between people who purposefully put animals together to cause them to kill each other for entertainment and taking striking pictures of natural predation.
I just watched a video of an Australian water rat eat the heart of a toad, as an adaptation to prey on invasive species with mostly toxic organs. That is pretty cool, and the shock value helps with the educational aspect.
There’s a difference between that and “let’s put a snake and a spider in the same confined environment to watch them kill each other for fun.” Or god, the monkey torture people.
Animals eat each other, and learning about them will require confronting this fact. I think this photo is educational, not lurid. Most people know very little about spiders, and I hope that my posting this picture got people to think more about the natural world. It is shocking, it does provoke a visceral reaction, but it also prompts questions. I am probably going to use it as a phenomenon to explore the next time I work with a student on biology.
Remember a couple weeks ago when you noticed people keep downvoting your comments for no reason, and I suggested it was because they recognize your username?
Thanks, I hate it.
Poor turtle :( he's just a little fella
How strong is that spider that it can lift a turtle? Will one nuke be enough?
Let's see how strong they are under a blanket of napalm.
"Laughs in australian"
That's nothing ...
That’s crazy, and awesome.
Sleep tight.
Not entirely accurate, there are some save zones in North- an West Alaska.
What does red mean?
Red is land, white represents where the spiders are.
We've lost Canada and Mexico to the spiders already...
https://xkcd.com/1530/
This comment is full of spiders. Using darkmode just hides them in the dark
But how do they fish on land?
Don't read so well, do ya?
Who said that? Who's talking?
Spider.
That would be very disheartening if I lived in America
They are in many countries. But they are not scary.
Why limit it to the US? Dolomedes is international.
Also yes I will sleep tight, knowing these adorable and accomplished spiders are out there living their best lives.
there's the slight alleviating factor of most people not living in lakes
But the spiders is Australia are worse right? Thats how I justify sleeping at night. Tell me its true.
....and with closed mouth
Nope, southern US. Found in a local group.
Great find! There are various members of Dolomedes in other countries. Some specialise in rivers, other lakes.
Nope, that's a north American species.
In Australia the don't have so little Spiders
https://www.india.com/viral/viral-video-trending-little-girl-fearlessly-plays-with-huge-spiders-leaves-internet-shocked-5601436/
......
Not us this time... though we do have spiders that catch fish, snakes, lizards and birds
Sure you do, you got the same genus of fishing spiders. In fact, Australia has 14 of them (the US has 3).
Well....
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/redback-spider-snake-australia-eastern-brown-deadly-venom-a8811046.html
I thought golden orb weavers would occasionally trap birds in their webs. I've definitely seen skinks caught in redbacks webs too
Not sure on the snakes and fish tho
I'm going pretend this is AI and move along. With climate change we are affecting their eating habits. Soon they may wise up and decide humans will make a better meal then turtles and fish.
I don't think it's a change in their eating habits, these spiders are known to catch fish, frog, salamanders or basically anything that size you'll find near water. Just rare to see and snap a picture of one with a turtle.
Yeah, many larger spider species will go after smaller vertebrates. Goliath bird eaters (South American) will go after snakes much larger than they are - despite the name, they aren’t inclined towards birds though.
Calories are calories.
Yep, they are generally opportunistic and can be quite brazen. But most of the time they'll go after easier, smaller prey.
I used to have a goliath birdeater and it was entirely fed on crickets. We tried a baby mouse once, but it was a huge mess to clean up and they don't need nor prefer it.
Theridiidae are usually the most notourious for catching much bigger prey.
Fascinating is not the word I would use to describe that
How about 'fucking nuts, dude'?
Neither are humans, but there is always a first
I know your age range just from the master of disguise reference
Saw that shit in theatres. As well as Baby Geniuses 2 and Meet the Spartans.
You're my exact age 31. And 32 in a few months
Turtle, turtle, turtle...
Haven’t thought about that movie in forever
Excellent video on it
"I wouldn't call it funny, per se, but I remember it..."
This is basically the plot of IT.
Ofc not, turtles aren't fish!
Don't spiders actually sort of rather drink their prey than eating it? We digest food inside us, spiders just vomit up shit onto paralysed prey that liquifies it so the spider can just sort of slurp it up.
So I wonder how he'll do with a turtle. It's easy enough to imagine on a fish, but...
It's a guilty pleasure that I love The Matter of Disguise.
This is AI right?
Right?!
…it is though - the ripples make no sense, nor does the ant-spider in size or shape.
This is not AI.
Even if that particular picture was AI (I don't think it is), there is nothing surprising or exaggerated going on here. More like it's a rather rare/undocumented behaviour. Bit it's totally within the capabilities of a fishing spider.
Yeah I’ve looked a bit harder and I see the spider shape a bit better now (from underneath), the slight motion blur in places would suggest not AI but I’m not totally convinced. From a quick search these spiders aren’t that big so that must be a very baby turtle, and I don’t know what’s going on around the mouth but it doesn’t look right, nor does the interference pattern of the ripples.
Agreeing with me would make a lot of people a lot more comfortable 😅
The sizes make sense - the turtle is on the smaller end and likely a juvenile, but both seem appropriately sized - the spiders can grow that big, especially if female.
I found this in a group for spider enthusiasts - these are the kinds of geeks that will look at a spider leg and get it down to class. AI is not good at generating invertebrate species specific traits yet. While this is pretty spectacular - not a daily event - these are both species that can be found in the same area, and these spiders will attack vertebrate pray.
I tried to click the link, but after having to identify motorcyles and busses 5 times in a row ... I gave up. Maybe I'm a bot.
Good thing I have an actual book!
Yeah. My spider book was given to a middle schooler more than a year ago :(
TIL! Appreciate the somewhat scary education.
It's not a spider preying on a vertebrate that is hard to believe, it is the lifting. Even ignoring the physics of the situation, I don't think fishing spiders hunt that way.
People act like they've forgotten that there are other ways than AI to fake an image.
Here’s one eating a frog.
What specifically about the physics of the situation is making you suspicious? I’ve worked in an invertebrate lab, admittedly primarily with ants, and nothing about this raises alarm bells.
I imagine the weight of that turtle to be considerably more than that frog.
Also how do you think that spider is holding that turtle? Just what do you think has a grip on what?
Also zoom in and notice the odd gray smudging along the spider leg that is in front of the turtle shell. I'm no Photoshop expert but that looks suspicious to me.
Spiders routinely hold onto 100x more than their weight. Are you basing any of this on a knowledge of invertebrate biology? Ants can do similarly impressive feats - that’s something I will stand firmly by, as someone who’s name is in papers in ant research.
My actual degree is in physics too, and I’ll say that often things that seem counterintuitive are entirely supported by physics ;)
25-28mm body length is quite a considerable size. I think a cousin of these is often dubbed the "UK's largest spider", even though it technically isn't. But they are up there. Yes, the US has tarantulas, giant house spiders and some larger wolf spiders, but Dolomedes is up there as well.
Credit "Spiders of North America" by Sarah Rose.
I was meaning in relation to the average turtle but I take your point and appreciate the info. What’s the book out of interest?
Totally my bad, I should have given credit anyway.
It's "Spiders of North America" by Sarah Rose.
"body length" is quite a poor way to communicate the size of a spider, you really want legspan.
Arachnologists everywhere disagree :)
Unfortunately, no... I've seen one of those things, and they're honestly kind of scary to stumble across in the wild. They're huge, and they can swim.
I do agree that this picture looks weird, but I think it's just a weird picture. The spider is hanging backwards, with his belly facing upwards (that little nubbin at the back of the abdomen usually angles down), but the way that he's lifting his head to bite the turtle makes it look like his body is facing the other way. As for the ripples, it looks like he's lifted the turtle high enough that we're getting a shot of them without the water directly below them. The ripples look like they're probably relatively calm water 5-10ft behind the spider, which is why they don't match up with the action in the photo.
I would love to upvote something so fascinating as a sudden change or extreme rarity in ecology, but unfortunately I cannot in good conscience because doing so also promotes animal gore fetishists that exist in unfortunate numbers on general forums, youtube, etc.
That's...dumb.
It really is
The line has to be drawn somewhere, no? There is overlap between legitimate curiosities and malice in this case.
I know about the types of communities you are talking about, but there is a difference between people who purposefully put animals together to cause them to kill each other for entertainment and taking striking pictures of natural predation.
I just watched a video of an Australian water rat eat the heart of a toad, as an adaptation to prey on invasive species with mostly toxic organs. That is pretty cool, and the shock value helps with the educational aspect.
There’s a difference between that and “let’s put a snake and a spider in the same confined environment to watch them kill each other for fun.” Or god, the monkey torture people.
Animals eat each other, and learning about them will require confronting this fact. I think this photo is educational, not lurid. Most people know very little about spiders, and I hope that my posting this picture got people to think more about the natural world. It is shocking, it does provoke a visceral reaction, but it also prompts questions. I am probably going to use it as a phenomenon to explore the next time I work with a student on biology.
where's the gore
There is a dead little turtle dangling by its neck.
so what do you think gore means
Remember a couple weeks ago when you noticed people keep downvoting your comments for no reason, and I suggested it was because they recognize your username?
Cool Cool