Is it possible for oxygen to increase a tarantulas maximum size?

Scorpendra

Arachnoprince
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Feb 16, 2005
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Crackypelma?

I saw a show about prehistoric inverts. I don't remember everything about what was said, but there was more to the conditions back then than just high oxygen content. There was also something about a size limit existing on their body plans due to the need for oxygen transport structures to fit through the joints of the appendages.
 

ZergFront

Arachnoprince
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May 2, 2009
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I could be very wrong on a couple of points but I'd take it as a good thing. Selective breeding and animal genes interests me and corrections/further info would be taken as more than just two cents. :)

It would take many, MANY generations with selective breeding of only the largest specimens in the egg sacs. Since natural selection probably won't necessarily guarantee the success of the specifics the many generations of breeders would want.

It takes less time to domesticate certain animals but you'd still be long gone and domesticating is different than evolution. After learning so much about genetics and selection over those many years, we took far less time to domesticate foxes (Russia) than dogs.

Who knows, we cracked genes to influence the colors of reptiles. We may be able to crack a tarantulas genes sometime (just not soon. Not a lot of interest in research funding for that). Since it's not evolution though, it means these larger tarantulas would be the exact same species started and would be able to breed and produce fertile eggs with "normal" specimens.
 

AmbushArachnids

Arachnoculturist
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2oCHEVYo0

Arachnosquire
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Aug 29, 2010
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I do not personally think an increase of oxygen would have a direct affect on the tarantulas size. Maybe over a couple thousand/million years of doing it to offspring over and over again, but that is out of the question. Also, giving a T that much of a change in oxygen could idk, maybe cause it more harm then good due to the fact they have adapted to the oxygen levels found in the world today.

All in all possible, but HIGHLY unlikely...
 
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