Eight Legs

The Eight Legs are a species of large, sapient, gregarious spiders which evolved on the planet Metebelis III and rule over the Human population there. Their ancestors were regular Earth spiders, which have been brought to the planet along with the original colony ships. After this, the amazing properties of the Metebelis crystals caused the spiders to mutate over a period of 433 years, resulting in their increased size, intelligent and psychic powers.

They are about the size of a small dog, with the exception of their ultimate ruler known as the Great One, which is truly gigantic and to which all the spider queens are subordinate. The Eight Legs are strictly carnivorous, usually feeding on sheep but also having a taste for the flesh of their Human servants (which they refer to as "Two Legs"). Like their ancestors, they produce web to immobilize their victims, although theirs doesn't seem to have adhesive properties.

The Eight Legs possess numerous psychic abilities, including telepathy, telekinesis and the ability to control the minds of Humans when clinging to their backs. They can become invisible; shoot off energy discharges, and teleport themselves through all of time and space, although the latter requires the coordinated focus of several members of the species.

Appearances

 * Doctor Who Season 11 - Planet of the Spiders (1974)
 * The New Eighth Doctor Adventures - "The Eight Truths" / "Worldwide Web" (2009)