Big spiders - an arachnophobe's nightmare
At the moment, scientists have studied more than 40000 species of spiders. All of them have different sizes, weight, color, lifestyle. Some varieties have impressive dimensions and when meeting with them, people fall into a state of panic and horror.
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Big spider - the horror of an arachnophobe
Among the wide variety of arachnids, there are different representatives. Some are neighbors with people from houses, while others hunt in caves and deserts. They have a different purpose, as well as the ambiguous attitude of mankind towards them.
People are divided into several headquarters:
- those who are terrified of any spider;
- those who are afraid of strangers, big and terrible;
- those that are neutral to arthropods;
- exotic lovers that get spiders at home.
Below is a top list of the largest spiders in size.
Hunter spider or heteropod maxima
Heteropod maxima.
The span of the paws reaches 30 cm. The body of the arthropod is about 4 cm. The color is usually brownish-yellow. There are dark spots on the cephalothorax. Belly darker than cephalothorax with 2 small indentations. The hue of the chelicerae is reddish-brown. Pedipalps with dark spots.
Habitats - caves and crevices of the rocks of Laos. The spider's lifestyle is secretive. Activity occurs only at night. The arthropod does not weave webs. It feeds on large insects, reptiles and other spiders.
There is a huge demand for the hunter spider. Many collectors of exotic insects and animals dream of this species. Demand is growing every year. As a result, the number of heteropod maxima decreases.
The venom of the spider is toxic and the bite can lead to serious consequences.
Theraphosa blond or goliath tarantula
Goliath tarantula.
Habitat influences coloration. Most often, the color palette consists of gold and brown shades. In rare cases, there is a black color. Weight can exceed 170 grams. The body is 10 cm long. The span of the limbs reaches 28 cm. The length of the fangs is about 40 mm. Thanks to fangs, they can bite through the skin without difficulty. However, spider venom does not lead to serious consequences.
Habitat - Brazil, Venezuela, Suriname, French Guiana, Guyana. Spiders prefer the Amazon rainforest. Some representatives live in a swamp or in wet ground.
The diet of Theraphosa blond consists of earthworms, large insects, amphibians, crickets, cockroaches, mice, frogs. Of the natural enemies, it is worth noting the tarantula hawk, snake, and other spiders.
We can definitely say that the Goliath tarantula is the largest spider on the planet. The spider is very popular. Many people keep it as a pet. However, if you consider the size with the span of its paws, it takes second place after the hunter spider.
giant crab spider
Giant crab spider.
Some representatives of this species have a record leg span of 30,5 cm. Its twisted limbs make it look like a crab. Due to this structure of the paws, the spider has a high speed of movement in all directions. The color is light brown or grey.
The giant crab spider feeds on insects, amphibians, and invertebrates. Lives in the forests of Australia. The animal is not poisonous, but its bite is painful. He prefers not to attack people, but to flee.
Salmon pink tarantula
Salmon tarantula.
This representative of arthropods lives in the eastern regions of Brazil. The color is black or dark brown with a transition to gray. The name of the spider is due to an unusual shade at the junction of the body and limbs. The belly and paws are covered with hairs.
Body length up to 10 cm. Size with paw span 26-27 cm. Spiders are very aggressive. They feed on snakes, birds, lizards. When attacking, they shed poisonous hairs from their paws.
horse spider
Horse spider.
Spiders are jet black in color. Light gray or brown tint available. Juveniles are lighter. The body does not exceed 10 cm. The size with a paw span is from 23 to 25 cm. The weight of the arthropod varies from 100 to 120 grams. They live in the east of Brazil.
The horse spider's diet consists of insects, birds, amphibians, and small reptiles. The spider has a fast reaction. It instantly strikes prey with a lethal dose of poison. For humans, the poison is not dangerous, but can cause allergies.
Conclusion
Despite the huge size of spiders, many of them are not dangerous to humans and can even be beneficial. However, when meeting with spiders, you should still be careful not to touch them. In case of a bite, first aid is provided.
