What specifically about the physics of the situation is making you suspicious? I’ve worked in an invertebrate lab, admittedly primarily with ants, and nothing about this raises alarm bells.

[–] blackbrook@mander.xyz 0 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)

I imagine the weight of that turtle to be considerably more than that frog.

Also how do you think that spider is holding that turtle? Just what do you think has a grip on what?

Also zoom in and notice the odd gray smudging along the spider leg that is in front of the turtle shell. I'm no Photoshop expert but that looks suspicious to me.

[–] andros_rex@lemmy.world 0 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)

Spiders routinely hold onto 100x more than their weight. Are you basing any of this on a knowledge of invertebrate biology? Ants can do similarly impressive feats - that’s something I will stand firmly by, as someone who’s name is in papers in ant research.

My actual degree is in physics too, and I’ll say that often things that seem counterintuitive are entirely supported by physics ;)

[–] blackbrook@mander.xyz 0 points 2 weeks ago

Every picture of a fishing spider I can find is holding its (smaller than this turtle) prey at the water's edge, not dangling upside down with it in midair. They hunt by walking on the water, not by dangling and snatching from above. Are we to believe it caught its prey the normal way and then walked it up to that awkward position?