Massive Spider in southwest Florida ID!

[Herpetologydude]

Posted this in the gallery but got no hits,

Went to Corkscrew Swamp sanctuary in Naples Florida yesterday and got the surprise of my life in seeing this massive specimen! I estimate its leg span at being at least 5inches!

My best guess is something out of the Heteropoda genus but I'm really not sure.

 

[Malhavoc's]

Rough guess is honestly it looks like A dolomedes...
Pattern, shape, and near water, yeah, Deffiantly thinking A Dolomedes sp. (fishing spider)

quick comparison to bug guide..looks to be Dolomedes Tenebrosus.

http://bugguide.net/node/view/78500

my two cents

 

[Herpetologydude]

I actually saw a few Dolomedes out there, none where even half the size this guy was.

Maybe its just a species I'm not familiar with though.

Here is a BAD picture of one of the Dolomedes sp. I observed out there maybe 5 minutes before seeing the big guy.

 

[Malhavoc's]

Its funny actualy the white banded fishing spider ( D. Triton I believe) is actualy more often found atop of the water and moisture, where as the larger species, such as Ten.. Seem to be found away from the water and more on the trees structures and things around the water area.

there are several different species native to florida, good possibility that it is a different sp, or perhaps a juvienale of the one you found.

 

[Herpetologydude]

Yea I can definitely see the resemblance in that dolomedes sp. but THe Leg span on this critter was HUGE. I didn't think there where any dolomedes in America that got over 2 or 3 inches in terms of leg span.

 

[John Apple]

Ummm tenebrosus get to and in rare cases beyond a 4" l;eg span....that is for sure a dolomedes...looks kinda like scriptus but not sure

 

[jbm150]

Awesome shots of an awesome spider! I keep looking for big fishing spiders but have never seen one even close to that size.

I really need to get over to that Sanctuary, looks like a pretty cool place.

 

[Malhavoc's]

I dont know about america but some of our canadian varients can push 3-5 legspans depending on feeding and warmth that year.

 

[loxoscelesfear]

wow

Definitely Dolomedes. Not unusual to find females w/ 4 + inch legspans. Bet that was an awesome trek through a FL swamp.

 

[Herpetologydude]

Dolomedes it is then! haha. Thanks for all the help guys! My adrenaline was going a mile a minute I was so excited to find this critter!

My buddy who came with me is deathly afraid of spiders and proceeded to stand there with his hand over his mouth as I got closer and closer! lol

Needless to say he got this link sent over to his facebook later on

It's definitely a great place for Invertebrate observing though, saw at least 2 other Dolomedes species, Nephila species, Argiope species, and some others I wasn't able to positively identify.

I myself being a Herpetologist at heart enjoyed the various Turtle, Snakes, Lizards, and Gators also present.

And for anyone who might be an Orchid enthusiast the Ghost Orchids are blooming at this park right now which is what stimulated the whole trip!

Thanks again for the ID folks!

 

[John Apple]

Did you say orchid enthusiast....I lived in naples for a decade and have lifelisted 28 different sp. of orchids...at one time I had the most extensive collection of sp plants.......man I wish I was looking at a polyrhizza right now....I had three back in the 80's and when I left Florida for cooler climes...I transplanted them on a large cypress off old loop road

 

[zonbonzovi]

Oh buddy, very nice! I'll be down that way in a couple of weeks and was hoping find a spot to see some of the locals...the orchids are a bonus!

 

[ErikWestblom]

Awesome Dolomedes! I'm thinking Dolomedes okeefinokensis, and that should be in range... Looks just like my late D. okeefinokensis female...

 

[Travis K]

Good grief... Now I need to go looking for this sp of spider in the for sale section.

 

[Malhavoc's]

Dolomedes, fishing spiders/nursy web spiders are very common through out NA and even europe with many species to be had, if you cant find any in the F/s area, try your backyard/local streams.

 

[Protectyaaaneck]

Thats one neat looking spider. Thanks for sharing.

 

[TheTyro]

I've got a Dolomedes okefinokensis who's at 4 and a half inches in legspan right now, so yeah thats probably what your spider is! Todd Gearheart had mentioned that he had seen some pretty ginormous ones over in Florida too. If I were you I'd catch her!

 

[Herpetologydude]

I've got a Dolomedes okefinokensis who's at 4 and a half inches in legspan right now, so yeah thats probably what your spider is! Todd Gearheart had mentioned that he had seen some pretty ginormous ones over in Florida too. If I were you I'd catch her!

Well she is living in a wildlife sanctuary so that's a big big no no haha. But I'm not one to catch specimens from the wild really unless its to get a closer look then I immediately release them. Apparently she's gotten a reputation at Corkscrew, many people have reported her as a tarantula according to the front desk lady haha.

 

[syndicate]

Awesome Dolomedes! I'm thinking Dolomedes okeefinokensis, and that should be in range... Looks just like my late D. okeefinokensis female...

Agreed!
-Chris

 

[TheTyro]

Well she is living in a wildlife sanctuary so that's a big big no no haha. But I'm not one to catch specimens from the wild really unless its to get a closer look then I immediately release them. Apparently she's gotten a reputation at Corkscrew, many people have reported her as a tarantula according to the front desk lady haha.

Ahh, gotcha. Better to observe then! Thats pretty funny....it'd blow peoples minds to find out it isn't a tarantula, even though she really doesn't look like one at all.