Spiders are often observed moving with deliberate slowness, yet some species possess remarkable speed. Their varied forms of locomotion range from web-building and ambushing to rapid pursuit and escape. While not all spiders are swift, a select few exhibit remarkable speed, making them among the fastest creatures relative to their size.
The World’s Fastest Spider
The Moroccan flic-flac spider, Cebrennus rechenbergi, is the fastest known spider. Discovered in the Moroccan Sahara, this arachnid can move at speeds up to 3.3 meters per second. It achieves its speed by running on its eight legs and through an unusual cartwheeling or flic-flac motion. When threatened, it can double its speed by performing these acrobatic flips, covering significant distances rapidly across the desert terrain.
This specialized rolling locomotion is an adaptation to its harsh desert environment, allowing it to escape predators like parasitic wasps more effectively. The flic-flac motion involves pushing off the ground with its legs and then tucking them in to roll, resembling a gymnast’s flic-flac maneuver.
Anatomy of Spider Speed
Spider speed is rooted in their unique anatomy and physiology. Their eight jointed legs allow for a wide range of motion. Each leg is composed of seven segments, providing flexibility and leverage for movement. The distal segments are equipped with specialized claws and scopulae (dense Tufts of hair) that enhance grip on various surfaces, aiding in rapid propulsion.
Spider leg movement is driven by an intricate hydraulic system rather than extensive musculature for extension. While flexor muscles contract to bend the legs, extension is achieved by increasing the hemolymph (blood) pressure within the cephalothorax, which then pushes the legs outwards. This hydraulic mechanism allows for powerful extensions of the legs, contributing to their ability to accelerate rapidly. The small size and light body weight of many fast spiders also contribute to their agility and explosive acceleration.
Speed in the Spider World
Speed serves important ecological functions for spiders, including escaping predators and ambushing prey. Rapid movement allows some species to quickly evade threats from birds, lizards, or other invertebrates. Conversely, speed is also an important tool for predatory spiders that hunt, enabling them to pursue and capture fast-moving insects or other arachnids.
Beyond the flic-flac spider, other notable fast species include wolf spiders and huntsman spiders. Wolf spiders (family Lycosidae) are ground-dwelling hunters known for their swift pursuit of prey, reaching speeds of around 0.6 meters per second. Huntsman spiders (family Sparassidae), such as Heteropoda maxima, are also known for their speed, moving at approximately 0.4 meters per second. While these speeds are impressive, they highlight that the flic-flac spider’s unique rolling mechanism provides a significant advantage, making it an outlier among other swift arachnids.