The world's fastest spider tops 3.5 metres per second

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  Evolutionary biomechanics of maximum running speed in spiders (Araneae)    Abstract Background Maximum running speed is a central performance trait, linking morphology, physiology and behaviour to fitness. It is shaped by physical capacity and ecological selection but may also be constrained by ancestry. To examine how these forces interact across macroevolutionary timescales, we conducted an allometric study in a hyper-diverse arthropod taxon—spiders (Araneae). Results Drawing on running performance data for 258 species from 64 of the 139 extant spider families, we integrated phylogenetic comparative methods and biomechanical modelling to disentangle the effects of body size, ancestry, leg morphology, ecological guild and preferred locomotor orientation. Maximum running speed varied substantially, both across body mass and among species of similar body mass. By accounting for body mass with a recent biomechanical model, we show that size-specific performance carries ...

Transcriptomic and proteomic analyses reveal the diverse components in the venom of a recently described spider species Macrothele washanensis

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Transcriptomic and proteomic analyses reveal the diverse components in the venom of a recently described spider species Macrothele washanensis

Abstract

Spider venom has been shown to possess a variety of pharmacological activities with promising applications in biomedical and agricultural sciences. However, the molecular structure and functions of these toxins have only been revealed for a few species. In this study, we unveiled the venom composition of Macrothele washanensis venom for the first time using transcriptomics, proteomics, and bioinformatic analyses. A total of 147,492,716 Illumina valid reads were obtained from the transcriptome of the venom glands, and 3,010,024 unigenes were assembled to predict 69 putative toxin sequences, which were classified into 25 toxin superfamilies based on cysteine motifs. Crude venom proteomics analysis identified 43 toxin proteins, including 15 peptide toxins and 28 proteases, including the CAP (CRISP/Allergen/PR) protein family, acetylcholinesterase, metalloproteinases, hyaluronidase, and dermonecrotic toxin. In conclusion, the results of the present study revealed the composition of the venom of M. washanensis, and several peptide toxins with potential medical, such work provides the foundation for further research on the molecular functions of these venom components as well as applied studies for the use of such compounds.
Zhang, M., Cai, W., Yang, M., Zhang, M., Tembrock, L. R., Yang, Z., Liu, H., & Yang, Z. (2025). Transcriptomic and proteomic analyses reveal the diverse components in the venom of a recently described spider species Macrothele washanensis. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part D: Genomics and Proteomics, 55, 101491. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cbd.2025.101491