In Photos: Fish-Eating Spiders Around the World

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Fish-Eating Spiders Are Everywhere

(Image credit: Craig Harrison, Hertford, UK; Nyffeler, et al. PLoS ONE 9(6): e99459. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0099459)

A scientific review found that fish-eating spiders lurk near ponds, swamps and rivers on every continent except Antarctica. In this image, an adult fishing spider, likely of the species Ancylometes rufus, lifts a small catfish out of the water in a marshy area of Ecuador's Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve.

Clever Fishing Spider

(Image credit: Peter Liley, Moffat Beach, Queensland; Nyffeler, et al. PLoS ONE 9(6): e99459. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0099459)

This clever fishing spider (Dolomedes facetus), which can run on water, was caught with a pond fish (of the genus Xiphophorus) in its maw in garden near Brisbane, Australia.

Six-Spotted Fishing Spider

(Image credit: Machele White, Lady Lake, Florida; Nyffeler, et al. PLoS ONE 9(6): e99459. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0099459)

A six-spotted fishing spider (Dolomedes triton) was photographed feeding on what's likely mosquitofish (Gambusia holbrooki) in a garden pond near Lady Lake, Florida.

Giant Swamp Fishing Spider

(Image credit: Misti Little, Stagecoach, Texas; Nyffeler, et al. PLoS ONE 9(6): e99459. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0099459)

A giant swamp fishing spider (Dolomedes okefinokensis) chows down on a mosquitofish in a swamp in Big Cypress National Preserve, Florida.

Six-Spotted Fishing Spider

(Image credit: Patrick Randall, Fort Bragg, North Carolina; Nyffeler, et al. PLoS ONE 9(6): e99459. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0099459)

Another six-spotted fishing spider devouring a fish on edge of small, slow-moving stream near Fayetteville, North Carolina.

South American Fishing Spider

(Image credit: Ed Germain, Sydney, Australia; Nyffeler, et al. PLoS ONE 9(6): e99459. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0099459)

An adult male of the Ancylometes genus (possibly Ancylometes rufus) caught a tiny ray-finned fish near Samona Lodge, Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve, Ecuador.

Wandering Spider

(Image credit: Alfredo Dosantos Santillan c/o Amazonia Expeditions, Tampa; Nyffeler, et al. PLoS ONE 9(6): e99459. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0099459)

A wandering or ctenid spider (of the Ancylometes genus) eats a characiform fish in the Tahuayo River area in Peru.

Fish Dinner

(Image credit: Juan Esteban Arias A., Cali, Colombia; Nyffeler, et al. PLoS ONE 9(6): e99459. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0099459)

A fishing spider (of the Trechalea genus) pulls its meal onto stone at the edge of shallow stream near Quebrada Valencia in Colombia.

Waterside Meal

(Image credit: Jacques Jangoux, Belem, Brazil; Nyffeler, et al. PLoS ONE 9(6): e99459. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0099459)

Fishing spiders, like this one, also take their meals on the banks of Rio Maicuru in the Brazilian state of Pará.

Megan Gannon
Megan Gannon
Live Science Contributor
Megan has been writing for Live Science and Space.com since 2012. Her interests range from archaeology to space exploration, and she has a bachelor's degree in English and art history from New York University. Megan spent two years as a reporter on the national desk at NewsCore. She has watched dinosaur auctions, witnessed rocket launches, licked ancient pottery sherds in Cyprus and flown in zero gravity. Follow her on Twitter and Google+.