Are there giant spiders in Australia?
Megadolomedes
Megadolomedes is a genus of spider in the family Pisauridae. The genus contains only one species, Megadolomedes australianus, commonly known as the giant water spider. It is one of Australia's largest spiders, with a legspan of up to 18 cm. Found near creeks and ponds, it is capable of running on water. Food includes small fish, tadpoles and aquatic insects. Air is trapped on body and leg hair, allowing them to stay underwater for long periods of time.
List of creatures in Primeval
The giant spiders are, despite appearances, not true spiders (order Araneae), but a species of Solifugae, a distinct arachnid order. The name derives from Latin, and means "those that flee from the sun". The adults are up to wide, by 1 m long, because the lush rainforest of the Carboniferous saturates the atmosphere with oxygen, allowing them to grow larger than modern arthropods. They have pincers instead of fangs – like the modern day camel spider, only much bigger. They also have long pedipalps, which function as sense organs similar to insects' antennae and give the appearance of the two extra legs. Pedipalps terminate in reversible adhesive organs. They do not appear to make webs or produce venom but they nest in large groups and are very defensive of their offspring.