A spider named for Stephen Colbert has a genome about 50% larger than ours
Many spiders reach their maximum size about this time of year, having spent the summer eating, which helps explain their starring role in Halloween decorations. Researchers at the University of California, Davis, have found that one particular trapdoor spider, Aptostichus stephencolberti, which is about the size of a quarter, is big in another way: It has an outsized genome.
In 2008, research scientist Jason Bond at the University of California, Davis, named a trapdoor spider after comedian Stephen Colbert due to the spider's large size. The spider, known as Aptostichus stephencolberti, boasts a genome approximately 50% larger than that of humans, which measures 4.6 gigabases. This makes its genome the second largest among spiders, though not the largest overall.
The spider's large genome is primarily composed of repetitive sequences, accounting for 77% of its genetic material. Despite its intimidating genome size, the spider poses no threat to humans, as its venom is harmless to people. Trapdoor spiders like Aptostichus stephencolberti are found exclusively in coastal dunes along the Northern California coastline, from San Francisco Bay to Monterey.
Researchers are studying the spider's genome to better understand the genetic diversity of species and how factors such as climate change, fire, and urbanization may impact these populations.
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