Spiders come in all shapes and sizes, with over 47,000 known species. Some spiders blend in with their surroundings, while others have bizarre and unusual traits. When it comes to finding the weirdest spider, there are a few contenders that stand out for their strange appearances and behaviors.
Weird Spider Traits
Here are some of the qualities that make certain spiders seem exceptionally strange:
- Unusual body shapes or appendages
- Bright, vivid colors or patterns
- Odd behaviors like jumping, gliding, or swimming
- Bizarre hunting techniques
- Strange habitats like underwater or in caves
- Venoms with unique properties
- Atypical web designs
- Ability to mimic ants or other insects
Spiders with one or more of these weird traits certainly stand out from more ordinary species. When ranking the most bizarre spiders, those with multiple strange qualities rise to the top.
The Contenders for Weirdest Spider
Here are some of the spiders in the running for the title of “weirdest spider”:
Diving Bell Spider
The diving bell spider (Argyroneta aquatica) lives almost its entire life underwater. It is the only known spider adapted to an aquatic lifestyle. These spiders spin air-filled diving bells out of silk to breathe underwater. They fill the bells with air carried down from the surface by trapping air in the hairs on their abdomens and legs.
Tailless Whip Scorpion
Whip scorpions, like the giant tailless whip scorpion (Damon diadema), are not true scorpions. They have no stinger and are harmless to humans. Their long whip-like front legs are used to sense prey at night. Their unusual crab-like appearance sets them apart from all other arachnids.
Mirror Spider
The mirror spider (Thwaitesia sp.) is covered in reflective hairs that make it appear silver. When it exposes its legs, the mirror-like surfaces flash brightly to startle predators. These tiny spiders build specialized silk retreats on trees and rocks in Australia.
Pelican Spider
The pelican spider (family Archaeidae) has a long neck-like structure supporting massive chelicerae (fangs). The “neck” can stretch to reach prey at a distance. These small spiders look like miniaturized monsters due to their unusual proportions.
Gooty Sapphire Ornamental Tarantula
The Gooty sapphire ornamental spider (Poecilotheria metallica) is a stunning blue color. Its vibrant, iridescent coloring is unlike any other spider species. This tarantula’s habitat is limited to a small forest region in India, adding to its exotic allure.
Goliath Birdeater Tarantula
The goliath birdeater (Theraphosa blondi) is the world’s largest spider by mass and size. These enormous tarantulas can have leg spans up to 12 inches. Their size and hair-covered bodies give them a formidable appearance.
Spiny Orb Weaver
Spiny orb weavers like Gasteracantha cancriformis have brightly colored, bulbous abdomens covered in spikes. The spiky shape mimics ants and deters predators. The striking abdominal patterns also serve as a warning to animals that might disturb the web.
Assassin Spider
Assassin spiders like the pelican spider use camouflage and ambush tactics to catch prey. They have raptorial front legs adapted for seizing victims quickly. Some species like the assassin bug (Archaeidae) have oddly shaped cephalothoraxes that aid their hunting strategy.
Darwin’s Bark Spider
Darwin’s bark spider (Caerostris darwini) weaves enormous webs that can span rivers, lakes and streams. Their orb webs are the largest in the world, reaching up to 82 feet across. These spiders can produce strands of silk 10 times stronger than Kevlar.
The Top 3 Weirdest Spiders
Based on all these contenders, here are the 3 spiders that take the title of “weirdest” based on their combined strange traits and appearances:
| Rank | Spider | Weird Traits |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Diving Bell Spider | Lives underwater, builds air bubbles to breathe |
| 2 | Tailless Whip Scorpion | Whip-like legs, crab-like appearance |
| 3 | Mirror Spider | Covered in reflective hairs that flash brightly |
#1: Diving Bell Spider
The diving bell spider’s entirely aquatic lifestyle makes it the clear winner for the weirdest spider. Its ability to build underwater air chambers using silk is an adaptation unmatched by any other spider. Living its life submerged, hunting prey underwater, and even mating within its diving bells certainly qualifies this spider as the most bizarre.
#2: Tailless Whip Scorpion
Whip scorpions like Damon diadema rank as the next weirdest spider. Their whip-like pedipalps and crab-like appearance make them look like a cross between different arthropods. They are not spiders in the strict sense and have their own taxonomic order, Amblypygi. Their unique form is difficult to categorize, landing them in second place for strangest spider.
#3: Mirror Spider
Small mirror spiders earn third place for weirdest spider based on their dazzling reflective coating. Their specialized hairs manipulate light in an unusual way to generate flashes, making them tiny disco balls of the arachnid world. This together with their reclusive habits and silk retreats puts them high on the bizarre spider list.
Honorable Mentions
While those three top the ranking, several others deserve honorable mentions for their weirdness factor:
- Pelican spider
- Gooty sapphire ornamental tarantula
- Goliath birdeater tarantula
- Spiny orb weaver
- Assassin spider
- Darwin’s bark spider
These and other contenders showcase the diversity of strange traits and appearances in the spider world. From mimics to massive sizes to stealth hunters, spiders have evolved a variety of bizarre adaptations to fill specialized niches.
Why Are Spiders So Weird?
What makes spiders prone to such unusual qualities compared to many other animals? Here are some reasons why spiders frequently rank high on the weirdness scale:
- They occupy a unique evolutionary branch distinct from other arthropods.
- There are many species filling a wide variety of ecological roles.
- They rely more on behavioral adaptations than morphological changes.
- Their appearance and behavior are linked to specialized hunting strategies.
- Bright colors, patterns, and shapes help them survive against predators.
- Venoms and silks allow for innovation not seen in other animals.
With over 40,000 species filling every habitat on the planet, spiders have evolved many ways to hunt, hide, attract mates, defend themselves, and exploit resources. This leads to an incredibly diverse array of forms and functions that we find bizarre compared to more familiar animals.
Weird Spider Facts
Beyond the strange spiders already mentioned, here are some additional unusual facts about spiders:
- Some spiders feed on plant nectar and pollen rather than hunting prey.
- Spider silk is one of the strongest materials known, stronger by weight than steel.
- Jumping spiders have excellent vision and can see colors, unlike most other spiders.
- Tarantulas use their abdominal hairs to defend themselves by kicking up irritating bristles.
- Web-building spiders recycle their own webs, consuming the old silk to reuse the proteins.
- The largest known fossil spider, Mongolarachne jurassica, had a leg span over 8 inches wide.
- Spider brains can extend into their legs, unlike the central nervous systems of vertebrates.
In Closing
The world of spiders contains endless variation, from the ordinary to the extraordinary. When ranking weirdness, characteristics like aquatic living, unusual shapes, bright colors, and bizarre hunting strategies make certain spiders stand out from the pack.
Diving bell spiders, whip spiders, and mirror spiders all represent pinnacles of strangeness due to their uncommon adaptations. But many other spiders display qualities that stretch the imagination. Evolution has crafted these arthropods into an impressively diverse array of forms.
The next time you see a spider, take a closer look at its uniqueness. Understand that for every common house spider, there are hundreds more species with odd traits we can barely comprehend. Appreciate spiders for their diversity and remember that weird is just the beginning when it comes to arachnids.
