Spider-Man, Spider-Man, does what ever a spider can. And if you’ve even a passing familiarity with the superhero you’ll know he received his powers from a spider bite. But if you’re wondering just what kind of spider bit Spider-Man, here’s what you need to know.
What We Know About the Spider That Bit Spider-Man
In the main Marvel Comics universe, Earth-616, the spider that bit Spider-Man has only really been identified as a radioactive spider. Marvel has never really named a specific species. We can rule out a tarantula since those are larger than most and you’d see one of those landing on your hand.
But for all the writers who have worked on Spider-Man over the character’s 60 year history, there’s never been a concrete species name given. Fans have guessed at it but that spider-bite moment has been revisited a few times, each drawn by a different artist. So identifying it from a picture is not an option.
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Marvel’s Ultimate Spider-Man comic, set in a different universe, again had Peter Parker/Spider-Man being bitten by non-specific spider. It wasn’t radioactive, it had been injected with Oz, an Oscorp-created chemical, but it was just called an “arachnid.”
Even if Marvel was to specify the spider’s type in, say, the next issue of the Amazing Spider-Man, that would be rolled back a year or two later. So, as far as the main Marvel universe goes, Spider-Man was bitten by a radioactive spider.
The movies, though? That’s a different story.
What Kind of Spider Bit Peter Parker/Spider-Man in the Movies?
The current Marvel Cinematic Universe Spider-Man was bitten offscreen, so chances are we won’t find out exactly what spider bit him. But Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man movies and the Amazing Spider-Man duology give us more information.
In both franchises, the spider that bites Peter Parker is a new creation, a blend of two or more spiders. In the Amazing Spider-Man 2 it’s named as Araneus Oscorpeus, which you just know has been patented. The name Araneus suggests it’s an orb-weaving spider but it’s a combination of the below spiders, bred through a house spider.
- Phidippus Clarus – (brilliant jumping spider)
- Phoneutria Fera – (Brazilian wandering Spider)
The above information is on a screen during the sequence where Harry Osborn turns himself into the Green Goblin. You’ll have to pause and zoom in to spot it.
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The spider in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man doesn’t have a name, but it’s another genetic mash-up, a combination of spiders from three families. Those spiders are from the following families:
- Kukulcania (crevice weavers)
- Sparassidae (huntsmen)
- Agelenopsis (grass spiders)
Those are families, rather than a specific species but in both cases it’s more than the comics have confirmed. So, the answer to what kind of spider bit Spider-Man is that as far as the comics go, it’s just a radioactive spider.
If you’re looking for more on the character, check out our article on why symbiotes look like Spider-Man.
