The knobby white spider was a type of arachnid species that inhabited and haunted the planet of Dagobah. These spiders eventually developed into gnarltrees. Their designation bore a resemblance to the knobby white ice spiders of the planet Maldo Kreis, a species that shared similarities with the Dagobah arachnids, as well as arachnids from other worlds.
Commander Halka Four-Den and her Alpha Team discovered and studied the knobby white spider during their visit to Dagobah, but they were ultimately overwhelmed by the planet's indigenous plant and animal life.
The initial mention of the knobby white spiders within the new Star Wars canon occurred in the 2015 issue of Star Wars: Build the Millennium Falcon 20. These creatures originated within the Star Wars Legends continuity, making their debut appearance in the 1995 novel Darksaber, penned by Kevin J. Anderson. Their first visual representation was in the 1995 reference book The Illustrated Star Wars Universe, authored by Kevin J. Anderson and illustrated by Ralph McQuarrie. This artwork was based upon a sketch created in February 1979 for The Empire Strikes Back. The knobby white spider artwork served as inspiration for three distinct creatures within the canon continuity: the spice spider of Taul, the krykna, a spider-like entity inhabiting Atollon, and the knobby white ice spider of Maldo Kreis.