Australian Huntsman Spider Shatters World Speed Record

Spider Speed: A New Benchmark

According to НВ — Техно: Scientists have clocked a huntsman spider (Heteropoda) from Queensland, Australia, at 3.6 meters per second-roughly 13 km/h-in a speed-testing experiment. That performance beats the previous record of 1.7 m/s held by a Moroccan flic-flac spider. The findings were published on July 6 at 4:00 PM and are detailed in a study with DOI: 10.64898/2026.06.11.731532.

How the Experiment Worked

The lab setup used a camera and millimeter paper to precisely measure each spider's speed. Results showed that high speed is linked to relatively long legs rather than leg thinness. Ground-dwelling spiders posted the fastest relative speeds. For example, a tiny orange goblin spider weighs about 30,000 times less than the record-breaking huntsman, yet it runs only 18 times slower.

For context, the average human walking pace ranges from 6.4 to 9.6 km/h, highlighting just how fast these spiders can move in their natural environment. The previous record holder, the flic-flac spider, achieved its speed using a head-over-heels tumbling technique.

These results open new horizons in understanding spider physiology and behavior.

This research is important for grasping the evolutionary adaptations that help spiders survive in the wild. Studying their running speed could also have practical applications in biomechanics and robotics, where insights into their movement might inspire new technologies.

In addition to the remarkable speed of the huntsman spider, Australia is home to other fascinating arachnids, such as the catapult spider, which can launch ants with an astonishing force of 140 Gs. This showcases the incredible adaptations of spiders in the Australian ecosystem, further enriching our understanding of their unique survival strategies.