The picture is real. The scorpions are only about 4-5 inches long. However, the perception is skewed. Look at the scorpion in relation to the soldier's sleeve NOT their legs...



>>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.