Case file · Cryptid
Iraq war 'giant camel spider' photo
In 2004 a photo of two huge-looking camel spiders held by a US soldier in Iraq spread by email, with claims that they ran at 25 mph, screamed and ate the stomachs of sleeping camels.
2004 CE · 33.30, 44.40 · status: explained
The account
The image fed a wave of war folklore among soldiers.
The sceptical view
Forced perspective made the spiders look larger; solifuges grow to about 15 cm, run about 16 km/h at most, are not venomous and do not attack camels.