Possibility of the existence of the Congolese giant spider

Spiders might exist that have crawled out of nightmares. They're called the "J'ba FoFi" (giant spider, pronounced ch-bah foo fee) in Central Africa.

Many people might define a giant spider as one that's bigger than their hand. Some may think bigger and envision the horrifying Goliath 'bird eating spider' that dwells in the darker corners of the ancient Amazon rain forest. That eight-legged terror spans a whopping 14-inches.

Unfortunately, those people aren't thinking big enough.

The size of the Congolese Giant spider-when its legs are included-is said to be up to five feet across.

According to cryptozoologists (researchers that investigate unknown creatures that have not been recognized by orthodox science), most of the J'ba FoFi dwell in the Congo. Natives tell stories of the giant web-nests the spiders build, similar to a trap-door spider.

www.helium.com...

So I'm not much of a Cryptozoologist, but like many folks on ATS I find stories such as this one very interesting. I do believe there are species on this planet that have avoided detection or at least being photographed. So I thought I'd bring it to the attention of some more experienced members on here in the hope to gain some insight. In particular I would like to know if Terrence Aym has any sort of reputation in peddling garbage stories, and also how reliable is the testimony of William J. Gibbons, the lead researcher in the story?

"R.K. Lloyd and his wife were motoring in the Belgium Congo in 1938 when they saw a large object crossing the trail in front of them. At first, they thought it was a cat or monkey, but they soon realized it was a spider with legs [spanning] nearly 3 feet [across]."

The claims are quite wide ranging, not just from this couple but also many natives of the Congo, including a tribe of pygmies. All viewpoints and additional information will be greatly appreciated!

I suppose its possible, as much as it makes me shudder thinking about it. Imagine how the pygmies must have felt if they truly came face to face with one of these. I feel an expedition is in order........count me out though

I don't think it's possible unless this particular spider has a different internal structure to all other spiders. All spiders have an exoskeleton as opposed to an endoskeleton like mammals so there would need to be some kind of rigid structure which is not found in other spiders to prevent all their internal organs from crushing each other. There is also an issue with the way spiders metabolise oxygen, they don't use haemoglobin but utilize a different chemical. basically this means that the larger the spider, the larger the tracheas would need to be and a spider of the size talked about here would be all trachea due to the relatively low levels of oxygen in the atmosphere.

of course evolution may have been able to come up with a solution so I'm not saying it's impossible, just impossible to our current understanding of all known spiders.

Well, considering the fact that we find so much new species when we thought we knew everything....

I think this may be plausible.... and also a verry good reasson for me to not visit Congo.... well, at least not without a machinegun..... lol

Originally posted by Chonx
I don't think it's possible unless this particular spider has a different internal structure to all other spiders. All spiders have an exoskeleton as opposed to an endoskeleton like mammals so there would need to be some kind of rigid structure which is not found in other spiders to prevent all their internal organs from crushing each other. There is also an issue with the way spiders metabolise oxygen, they don't use haemoglobin but utilize a different chemical. basically this means that the larger the spider, the larger the tracheas would need to be and a spider of the size talked about here would be all trachea due to the relatively low levels of oxygen in the atmosphere.

of course evolution may have been able to come up with a solution so I'm not saying it's impossible, just impossible to our current understanding of all known spiders.

I forget where I read it, but spiders can grow as large as their environment allows them to. I know this doesnt counter-act your point about exoskeletons being inefficient over said size but...who knows.

I do know ive seen a "wolf spider"...you know those small, white black and grey furry ones that jump on their prey. They are always around in the summer. Ive seen one in a greenhouse that was the size of a golfball, no joke.

reply to post by epitaph.one


well, in earlier periods of Earth's history, the oxygen content of the atmosphere was higher allowing for huge insects and arachnids. The method of processing oxygen which they use is not very efficient so the oxygen content in the air becomes a size limiting factor for them. But like I said, maybe nature has found a way around it. Life is constanly suprising us so maybe...just maybe...

Scary thought though! being eaten by a giant spider has got to be up there with the worst possible ways to go!

Most biologists will tell you that there's not enough oxygen in the atmosphere for an invertebrate to grow that large these days.
Personally I think nature can probably find a way.

We know so little about our own backyard.

We are finding more and more new species each and every day. So a discovery of something like this honestly would not surprise me any.

S&F

[edit on 12-8-2010 by CheapShotArtist]

Whether the Congo spider is real, or a myth remains to be seen. And hopefully, whomever the researcher is hunting for it will see the spider before it sees him.

I've seen a couple of huge ones before, about 6 inches or so, totally freaked. I don't even like the little tiny ones.

Never going to Africa. No way. Not after that story.

reply to post by Chonx


That's an interesting thought that I had myself whilst reading the article! This section goes some way to addressing it;

As some entomologists have rightly pointed out, spiders of that size would have to overcome the limitations of their exoskeletons. In addition to that hurdle, many of the more primitive arachnids have a primitive book-lung respiratory system. Modern spiders, however, often have a trachea and book-lungs. That combination allows for a smaller heart, more efficient blood flow and greater speed and stamina. If the Congolese giant spiders exist, they would most likely have both trachea and book-lungs.

I heard a theory aswell that the gravitational force acting on the Earth used to be weaker allowing for larger organisms. But I don't know how true that is, most likely a whole topic to itself.

Catch_a_Fire that would be a lot worst for the little guys for sure!

reply to post by Big Raging Loner


I started this thread a while back and I think it pertains to this subject.

Insects in high O2 Environments

It has a couple links about insects being larger in high o2 environments and that gravity plays a role in their maximum size.

Originally posted by Arkady
Most biologists will tell you that there's not enough oxygen in the atmosphere for an invertebrate to grow that large these days.

That is true, not given the current 'general design'. (Did I just write design? Ew!)

Personally I think nature can probably find a way.

While it is definately possible for evolution to produce a spider that might have a major advantage like that, you can bet that we would have seen *many* species carrying the same or similar features. You wouldn't have one species with a radical different design, without some intermediate species.. And a major advantage as that, would also result in the spreading of the advantagous species from a closed up area...

So, I don't think they exist, but it is a nice new discussion IMO.

The thought of humongous mammal eating spiders just gives me the creeps. Yikes. How about those desert spiders over in Iraq (not technically spiders though) but yuck.

A discovery of something that we'd all thought be impossible otherwise would not shock me in the least. We know so little about our planet.

I don't think people should dismiss this out of hand, just because of how bizarre it sounds.

Let's not forget that the ''5-feet'' claim is most likely a gross exaggeration.

The Congo rainforest is very dense and largely unexplored ( at least by Westerners ). It's not implausible for a species to be isolated in that area.


The platypus is an example of an animal that sounds rather implausible, if you were completely unaware of its existence !


[edit on 13-8-2010 by Sherlock Holmes]

reply to post by Arkady


Nature always finds its ways of surprising us.

im scared of house spiders............

wtf man

wow this is weird I just heard about these stories yesterday and wondered if anyone had done a thread on this,here it is lol

There is also a monsterquest episode on giant spiders

[edit on 13-8-2010 by eyeswilldeceive]

[edit on 13-8-2010 by eyeswilldeceive]

I thought the limiting factor stopping insects/arachnids from growing any larger was the strength of their exoskeleton,apparentley unless supported by water exoskeletons can not get any larger than the largest spiders known today

Unless they grow an endoskeleton in which case there is no stopping unless the amount of oxygen comes into play

My heart is racing...

Nightmares tonight?