CLOSED: Arachnid fans: can you ID this spider found underwater?

I've tried to read and google and just can't even find a good starting point, now understanding that markings do not necessarily make an ID in the spider world. I'm not willing to look further into its anatomy to help in ID either, unless you tell me it's dead. Sorry.

This gal or fellow is under about 6 inches of water in a floral bucket. I will confess I haven't disturbed it, (other than taking a couple photos) to see if it's alive. I'd guess leg span to be about 1.75 inches x 2 inches but being underwater could magnify that a bit.

It is in the Cascade foothills, well beyond suburbia in near wilderness, just outside the garage. It might like floral preservative, slightly acid ph, slightly high in carbohydrates! Do you think if it were dead, it would be curled up or something? It's been splayed out like this for hours.

I appreciate any hints or positive ID attempts out there. Sorry the photo is blurry.

There are fishing spiders that can stay underwater for some time - although I think 30 minutes is the time most mentioned. I don't know what your spider is, but it could be in the Dolomedes genus....Sorry I couldn't be of more help.

Thanks for your post ceejaytown. I'm checking out the Dolomedes gang right now, although this one is under water, and has been for some hours now, maybe days. I've read that the fishing spiders gather airbubbles on their chest fur- (LOL I don't know spider anatomy!) A great adaptation no?

I've read more about and looked at more photos of spiders tonight than in my entire life. If I sleep a wink it'll be a miracle after some of the closeups seen. They really are fascinating and diverse.

Poochella,

I think you are looking at the underside of the spider, which is why identification is rather difficult. I think therefore that your spider is very definitely dead.

Ken

ROTFLOL Time to move it and see for sure!!

Kennedyh wins the nonexistent prize! Another arachnid fan on GW told me the same thing: upside down and likely dead. Sure enough, this a.m. I gently prodded the creature with a flower stem and found it quite upside down, and quite dead. I brought it out of the water and it wasn't nearly as attractive on the topside; pretty much plain brown and looked alot like our usual large brown house spiders ( ID unknown there too) that are about this time of year.

I feel kind of sad for the poor thing, it looked so nice in its final resting place, until I moved it.
Thanks for all your input though.

A learning experience! Now we know that dead spiders in water with floral preservative, slightly acid ph, slightly high in carbohydrates, can lie on their backs with legs splayed out as if they were alive. For quite some time. LOL!!!

And the moral of the story is: Don't swim in slightly acid, slightly high carb waters! Go for low carbs, always. LOL Although not ID'd, this mystery spider episode comes to a sad halt.