What was the biggest spider?
Theraphosa blondi (Goliath bird eating spider) is regarded as the largest spider in history at 12 inches in diameter. However, a specimen over 10″ is extremely rare and several other species can reach this size too, so that may not be accurate. Megarachne servinei turned out to be a Eurypterid, not a spider. Eurypterids, often called “sea scorpions” were about as related to spiders as horse shoe crabs (they are in the same subphylum; Chelicerata). This was discovered too late to correct the BBC documentary Walking with Monsters, who gave a rather silly interpretation of spider behavior anyway.
