This Unusual Spider’s Genome Is Roughly 50% Larger Than a Human’s

Stephen Colbert’s Namesake Spider Reveals Spiders Lost DNA Sequence Most Animals Keep

A trapdoor spider named for Stephen Colbert has a new genome showing spiders lost a chromosome-capping DNA sequence most animals keep.

This Unusual Spider’s Genome Is Roughly 50% Larger Than a Human’s

Scientists have sequenced the unusually large genome of a trapdoor spider named after comedian Stephen Colbert, uncovering surprising features of its DNA. A spider no bigger than a quarter has a genome roughly 50% larger than the human genome. Known as Aptostichus stephencolberti, this elusive trapdoor spider lives beneath California’s coastal dunes and carries 4.6 [...]