# largest dolomedes scriptus you ever saw



## wolfs79 (Jan 3, 2013)

Hi just curious what's the largest dolomedes scriptus you have ever caught had or seen? I once caught a female who was with legspan of 4.25 inches. Just wondering if anyone has seem them bigger than this thanks.


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## Ciphor (Jan 4, 2013)

wolfs79 said:


> Hi just curious what's the largest dolomedes scriptus you have ever caught had or seen? I once caught a female who was with legspan of 4.25 inches. Just wondering if anyone has seem them bigger than this thanks.


If it had a leg span of 4 1/4 inches it was no _D. scriptus_.

This species on average has about a 6cm (2.3 inches) legspan and males max out around 3 inches.

4.25 would either be _D. tenebrosus_ or if in Florida _D. okefinokensis_

Reactions: Like 1


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## Vfox (Jan 4, 2013)

If I'm correct in identifying, this is a Dolomedes tenebrosus and it's not even more than two inches across. I have never seen one that large.


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## catfishrod69 (Jan 4, 2013)

^ That is a D. tenebrosus. I have had tenebrosus and triton females that were 3.5".


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## wolfs79 (Jan 4, 2013)

Either the people at bugguide are wrong or I am an idiot the spider I am talking about I measured myself leg tip to leg tip 4.25 inches. NOW MAYBE THEY WERE WRONG I don't know but they said it was scriptus I find them under large rocks along a river I live by. I will see if I can find my post with photo on bugguide.net and post the address here so you guys can have a look at it and see whay you think. The ones here average 3.5 inches or more with the jumbo ones being 4+ inch legspan or 1.5 inch body I will get some picks when I go out collecting late spring so I can show you guys they have real nice markings cool gray almost gray and pinkish color to them peace to all.


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## Vfox (Jan 5, 2013)

I'd be interested in seeing such a large specimen. Heck, I'd rather have one for myself than just see it, lol. My tiny D. tenebrosus is less than half that in leg span. She might be 2", I'll need to measure her sometime.


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## wolfs79 (Jan 6, 2013)

Hi yah they for whatever reason are massive here where I live like I said they average one inch -1.5 body 3.5-4 inch legspan.I will try to gey a pic for you one of them is on bug guide website she is about four inches legspan or 1.5 inch body. I know they say dolomedes tenebrosus and okefinokensis are considered to be the largest of us species but the scriptus here can rival them any day I have heard of 5 and even 6 inch tenenrosus and okefinokensis but I would have to see it to believe it. Seems like on the net for tenebrosus average 3 inches I have seen some pics of some that claimed to be five inches but like I said I would have to see it to believe it. They say to keep them real warm and feed them real heavy to grow them to massive sizes but I tried that they grow faster but also produce sacks faster which in the end shortens their life span. I am going to try some experiments. This summer using different food typez minnows crickets frogs etc and I have seen what they call them here dock spiders eat good sized frogs. I will keep you updated maybe someday I can even sell you some or do a trade with you I have not yet found a tenenrosus here although they are here in minnesota. I also am interested in some dolomedes vittatus well take care.


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## Ciphor (Jan 7, 2013)

_D. scriptus_ does not get over 3 inches. Sorry, but that is well documented.

Here wiki has its average legspan. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dolomedes_scriptus

Those references are creditable, even if wiki is not.


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## wolfs79 (Jan 7, 2013)

Listen I posted the pic of my spider experts looked at it from what they could tell it was scriptus they could be wrong I don't know. I will try and get the link for you that way you can look at it yourself because I would love to have a honest answer. When I posted pic of of her along with her size they did not say to me that's no way that's a scriptus they just thought it looked a lot like scriptus plus I find them under large rocks along a river from what I have read is tenenrosus likes more wooded areas by lakes but who knows I will try to get the pic for you theu do say tenebrosus can range a lot in color from state to state thanks take care.


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## catfishrod69 (Jan 7, 2013)

Yeah you should find us the link, or post the pics here. I wonder if you are possibly finding triton females. But they are pretty easy to ID.


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## Ciphor (Jan 7, 2013)

wolfs79 said:


> Listen I posted the pic of my spider experts looked at it from what they could tell it was scriptus they could be wrong I don't know. I will try and get the link for you that way you can look at it yourself because I would love to have a honest answer. When I posted pic of of her along with her size they did not say to me that's no way that's a scriptus they just thought it looked a lot like scriptus plus I find them under large rocks along a river from what I have read is tenenrosus likes more wooded areas by lakes but who knows I will try to get the pic for you theu do say tenebrosus can range a lot in color from state to state thanks take care.


Yes you posted on bugguide. I know the people who ID the spiders on that page. Lynette, who lives close to me and is a member of the seattle scarabs group, manages the arachnid section on bugguide.

Every expert will tell you the same thing if they are an expert. Spiders cannot be accurately ID'd in most cases by an image alone. Miss-ID's happen all the time. I can't count how many images I've seen with 4-5 move tags in the comments from someone IDing it to quickly. I can't even recall how many of my ID's have been reversed or moved back to family taxa.

Usually what you are getting on a site like this, or a site like bugguide, is a very educated guess. Microscopes are the only way to be certain unless it is a very distinct species, which fishing spiders are not.

Can you link me the bugguide ID?


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## wolfs79 (Jan 7, 2013)

Hi yah I wasn't trying to be rude or anything I just want to know what species it is when you go onto bugguide website just type in dolomedes scriptus I just was on the website and she is the pic on the top row last on the right when you click on it my info should say this size of spider 3.5 inches City found in hutchinson state minnesota. Let me know if you find it keep in mind she shed her skin so she went from 3.5-4 inches that's legspan I know they go by body but I like legspan let me know what you think she is all I can say is I know for sure the size she was you can also go to youtube and type in fishing spider eating frog their is a couple of videos of fishing spiders eating frogs the one you want is the one where the spider is on a dock and a guy comes on and talks about its a creature feature its a real cool video plus she is the exact same species I have whatever that is.


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## Ciphor (Jan 8, 2013)

wolfs79 said:


> Hi yah I wasn't trying to be rude or anything I just want to know what species it is when you go onto bugguide website just type in dolomedes scriptus I just was on the website and she is the pic on the top row last on the right when you click on it my info should say this size of spider 3.5 inches City found in hutchinson state minnesota. Let me know if you find it keep in mind she shed her skin so she went from 3.5-4 inches that's legspan I know they go by body but I like legspan let me know what you think she is all I can say is I know for sure the size she was you can also go to youtube and type in fishing spider eating frog their is a couple of videos of fishing spiders eating frogs the one you want is the one where the spider is on a dock and a guy comes on and talks about its a creature feature its a real cool video plus she is the exact same species I have whatever that is.


They do like frogs 

I like them!

I like to feed mine goldfish and tadpoles I find outside.


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## loxoscelesfear (Jan 8, 2013)

female scriptus total body length length = 21 mm. female tenebrosus tbl = 20 mm (Dondale & Redner, 1990 http://esc-sec.ca/aafcmonographs/insects_and_arachnids_part_17.pdf). The big brown fishers found far away from water are tenebrosus.  Female D. scriptus, female D. vitattus, and female  D. okefinokensis can all attain impressive legspans- 3-4 inches - but again, these species (especially scriptus and vittatus) are restricted to fast flowing streams, creeks, swamps, ponds, etc.


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## wolfs79 (Jan 8, 2013)

*Thanks for that info*

Thanks for that information I new scriptus could get huge or at least they do where I live..


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## Formerphobe (Jan 8, 2013)

I'm not familiar with D. scriptus, but the adults in the D. tenebrosus colonies that inhabit my garage and basement average 4 to 4.5 inch dls.


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## zonbonzovi (Jan 9, 2013)

http://bugguide.net/node/view/38828


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