Forgot password
Enter the email address you used when you joined and we'll send you instructions to reset your password.
If you used Apple or Google to create your account, this process will create a password for your existing account.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Reset password instructions sent. If you have an account with us, you will receive an email within a few minutes.
Something went wrong. Try again or contact support if the problem persists.
Spider-Man
(Marvel)

What Kind of Spider Bit Marvel’s Spider-Man?

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.

Recommended Videos

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.

Related: How Many Spider-Man Versions Are There?

An image of Peter Parker being bitten by a spider as part of an article on the kind of spider that bit him to make him into Spider-Man
(Marvel)

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.

An image from the Spider-Man movies as part of an article revealing what kind of spider bit Peter Parker.
(Sony/Marvel)

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.

Related: Is Spider-Man 2099 a Vampire in Spider-Verse?

 Araneus Oscorpeus spider in Spider-Man
(Sony/Marvel)

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.


The Escapist is supported by our audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission.Ā Learn more about our Affiliate Policy
Author
Image of Chris McMullen
Chris McMullen
Chris McMullen is a freelance contributor at The Escapist and has been with the site since 2020. He returned to writing about games following several career changes, with his most recent stint lasting five-plus years. He hopes that, through his writing work, he settles the karmic debt he incurred by persuading his parents to buy a Mega CD. Outside of The Escapist, Chris covers news and more for GameSpew. He's also been published at such sites as VG247, Space, and more. His tastes run to horror, the post-apocalyptic, and beyond, though he'll tackle most things that aren't exclusively sports-based. At Escapist, he's covered such games as Infinite Craft, Lies of P, Starfield, and numerous other major titles.