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It is no surprise that a giant fossil spider has been discovered in Australia – a country renowned for its unique arachnids. In June 2020, a team led by paleontologist Dr. Matthew McCurry uncovered a remarkable specimen at McGraths Flat, a newly documented fossil site in New South Wales that dates back to the Miocene epoch, roughly 11 to 16 million years ago.
Published in the September 2023 issue of the Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, the authors formally named the fossil Megamonodontium mccluskyi in honor of Simon McClusky, the discoverer. The fossil is split through the body wall, allowing scientists to examine its internal structure. Despite the damage, key features are evident: truncated‑looking tarsi and fluted ridges on the setae of the legs, characteristics that align closely with the Barychelidae family, specifically the modern Monodontium genus.
Although the specimen’s body length is just under an inch, it is roughly five times larger than its nearest living relative. Dr. McCurry emphasized the find’s significance, noting that only four spider fossils have ever been recorded in Australia. Dr. Robert Raven, an arachnologist and supervising author, highlighted that Megamonodontium mccluskyi is the largest spider fossil ever discovered in the country and the first from the Barychelidae family identified worldwide. The team also pointed out that it ranks as the second‑biggest spider fossil known globally.
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Australia is home to a variety of large spiders, including the iconic whistling spider, also known as the Australian tarantula, barking spider, or Queensland whistling tarantula. These spiders can reach body lengths between 0.8 and 4.3 inches, with leg spans that extend up to 7.8 inches.
The huntsman spider, often called the giant crab spider, is another common large species. Males typically measure about 0.6 inches and females about 0.8 inches in body length, but their long legs can stretch to nearly 5.9 inches, giving them an imposing appearance.
