The world’s oldest recorded spider built herself a hole, then just stayed there till age 43

Just how many walking sticks would an elderly spider require?

Researchers in Australia monitored what is most likely the world’s oldest spider on record, who died at age 43, outstripping the previous record-holder, a 28-year-old tarantula.

The lead researcher, Leanda Mason, said of the spider in question, “to our knowledge this is the oldest spider ever recorded, and her significant life has allowed us to further investigate the trapdoor spider’s behaviour and population dynamics,” according to a press release.

A sedentary creature, the female Gaius villosus trapdoor spider builds itself a tunnel in the ground and stays there, seldom wandering too far from its hidey-hole. Sounds pretty ideal to be honest. Read more…

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