Arthropods form a very varied and numerous group that includes different orders, such as the Araneae. Spiders are distributed throughout the world, except in Antarctica, so they are a cosmopolitan group. There is a great diversity of species.
Despite the fear that they tend to generate in many people, most of them are not a danger to human beings, since only the poison of some species can be harmful to us. In addition, they play a very important role in ecosystems. In this article on our site we review the list of the world's largest spiders
Goliath spider (Theraphosa blondi)
The Goliath spider is considered the largest in the world. It is definitely a giant spider. It has an average weight of 170 grams and an average length of 13 cm, although it can reach a wingspan of up to 30 cm Although it is also known as a "bird-eating" spider, and it could if it decided, its diet is based on rodents, insects, frogs, worms and even snakes, which it hunts with agility, jumping on them and inoculating its poison. Once the victim has been immobilized, it takes it to its burrow.
The habitat of this arachnid is located in the north of South America, in forests and rain forests of Brazil, Guyana, French Guiana, Suriname and Venezuela. It has mainly nocturnal habits and its venom is not lethal to humans.
Giant hunting spider (Heteropoda maxima)?
It is a species native to Laos and is also considered a giant spider because it has the longest legs longest in the world Its body measures an average of 4.6 cm, but the wingspan of its legs can be between 25-30 cm, a truly impressive measure. The identification of this species has been relatively recent and has been located in caves in the aforementioned country. Has cannibalistic habits, especially the females, who devour the males after copulation. Read our article if you are interested in how spiders reproduce.
Salmon Pink Tarantula (Lasiodora parahybana)
It is one of the largest tarantulas in the world. The males have larger legs than the females, being up to almost 30 cm, while the latter are more voluminous, thinking about 100 grams. The salmon-pink tarantula is endemic to Brazil and lives in Brazil's forests, on the ground, under leaf litter, inside logs or in burrows.
It is not usually aggressive at first contact, but if it feels threatened, it does not hesitate to cause a painful bite It hunts its prey stalking them to then inject the poison and feeds mainly on insects, small reptiles and amphibians. Do you know that not all spiders follow the same diet? We tell you in this article what spiders eat.
Giant Baboon Tarantula (Hysterocrates gigas)
Also called the red baboon tarantula, it is native to Africa, specifically Cameroon, where it lives in tropical rain forests. It can present different colors and its body measures, on average, about 10 cm, with a wingspan of the legs that reaches 20 cm
Like many Old World tarantulas, its body is covered with non-urticating hairs It is a nocturnal and quite aggressive animal. It actively hunts its prey, even in the water. It has a varied carnivorous diet, feeding on other invertebrates, including spiders, rodents, reptiles, and fish.
Sri Lanka Giant Tarantula (Poecilotheria rajaei)
Recently discovered, this species is undoubtedly one of the largest spiders in the world. Native to Asia, the wingspan of its legs reaches 20 cm and, although its poison is not lethal for people, it is for rodents, lizards and small birds. It has arboreal habits and makes quick and agile movements when hunting its prey. Its future is uncertain due to the damage to its habitat.
Desertas wolf spider (Hogna ingens)
It is a large arachnid native to Europe, specifically endemic to Portugal. Given its size, it is often called a tarantula, although it does not really belong to this group. The wolf spider has a body length of between 4-5 cm, with males being slightly smaller than females. Its wingspan is usually 7 cm, but it can reach up to 12 It is a carnivorous and even cannibalistic animal, especially the females.
These giant spiders are active hunters, consuming mainly other invertebrates, such as beetles and millipedes, but they are also capable of feeding on other insects and lizards. Wolf spider venom can be harmful to people. Given its current population status, it is considered critically endangered
King Baboon Tarantula (Pterinochilus murinus)
This species belongs to the true tarantulas, which are usually large spiders. It is also known as orange baboon tarantula and is native to Africa. It is very aggressive Although it is not lethal to humans, its bite is very painful.
Females are larger than males, with a wingspan of 15 cm Males are half as long. Their bodies are covered with hairs, a common trait in the group, however, unlike the American species, these are not stinging. It is an animal that is often inappropriately kept as a pet because of the attractive colors exhibited by the varieties of the species.
Cerbalus aravensis
This species of large spider, identified just over ten years ago, inhabits Israel, in an area of the Arava dunes. The body of the females is almost 3 cm, while that of the males is a little smaller. However, the length of the wingspan with the legs can reach 14 cm Their habits are nocturnal and they are more active in the hottest months. The future of the species is uncertain, since the dunes where they live are suffering a considerable reduction as a result of human activities.
Banana spider (Phoneutria fhera)
Within this genus are several species known also as wandering spiders. They are typical of South America and are characterized by being highly poisonous. Their common name is because they are usually found in banana plantations.
This particular species is distributed in several countries, such as Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Suriname and Uruguay. The body measures about 5 cm, but the distance between the legs reaches 17 cm in the case of females. They are very aggressive and commonly cause accidents due to their fearsome bite.
Brazilian black tarantula (Grammostola pulchra)¿?
It is native to Brazil and shows a characteristic black color as an adult. It inhabits semi-arid places, usually burrows that it digs, but in which it does not stay for long, since it moves regularly. Females are larger than males, having a leg span of up to 16 cm
Now that you know the largest spiders in the world, do you know if they are insects? Find out by reading our article Are spiders insects?
