>Stories about them may be untrue, but they DO exist. They are not spiders though but scorpions. They are around 5 inches.
>
>>>http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/06/0629_040629_camelspider.html
>>
>>Ahh... Yet another lie about Iraq. I guess I shouldn't be surprised. <bg>

".....In fact, the creatures in the photo aren't spiders at all. They're actually solpugids, or solifugids (aka camel spiders, aka wind scorpions). Along with spiders, they are members of the class Arachnida.

The eight-legged solifugids have no venom glands, and the largest species is no more than 15 centimeters (6 inches) long with its legs outstretched. ....."

These things are harmless - and they're not that easy to find either.