Bigfoot (spider) found hiding in Oregon cave

Molly Docherty, contributor

(Image: Griswold C. E., Audisio T., Ledford J. M.)

Bigfoot may still elude us, but its spider counterpart has turned up in a US cave. The creature is so unusual it could transform our understanding of arachnid evolution.

Arachnologists from the California Academy of Sciences, working with citizen scientists from the Western Cave Conservatory, came across the previously unknown spider in a cave in south-west Oregon - the stomping ground of the legendary bigfoot. The very real arachnid measures 4?centimetres across when its legs are extended.

(Image: Griswold, C. E., Audisio, T., Ledford, J. M.)

The spider has been named Trogloraptor, or "cave grabber", due to its cave habitat and incredible raptorial claws. These big feet suggest it is a fierce predator, but its prey and behaviour remain unknown.

Trogloraptor hangs from rudimentary webs on cave ceilings. Its anatomy is so extraordinary that it adds an entirely new family to the already species-rich arachnids. Trogloraptor appears to be a close relative of goblin spiders, but it has a number of novel features that challenge current views of arachnid evolution.

More of the creatures were found by researchers from San Diego State University in old-growth redwood forests. The true distribution of Trogloraptor remains unknown, but the fact that the creature had eluded discovery until now suggests many more may be lurking in the surrounding areas.

Journal reference: ZooKeys, DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.215.3547

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