- A new lab study has identified the Australian jungle huntsman spider as the world's fastest arachnid, achieving speeds of almost 3.6 metres per second.
- Conducted by researchers from Germany’s University of Greifswald and Imperial College London, the study tested over 160 live spider species and incorporated data from nearly 100 more.
- The research found a general correlation between a spider's running speed and its body mass, with larger spiders tending to run faster unless their abdomen is excessively heavy.
- Despite this, significant speed variations were observed among spiders of similar body mass, with some tiny species, such as the orange goblin spider, demonstrating exceptionally high speeds for their size.
- Fast running performance was also linked to having relatively longer legs, and factors like a spider's hunting style and movement orientation were found to influence its speed.
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