Giant Huntsman Spider (Heteropoda maxima) While not technically a tarantula, the Giant huntsman spider is the largest spider in the world. They mostly come at night. Now we all know that size doesn’t matter, but when it comes to spiders, the bigger they are, the scarier they become. 10 of the World's Scariest-Looking Animals, Tarantulas Rarely Bite (And Other Facts About the Friendly Spiders), Choose the Pet Tarantula Species That's Right For You, Black Widow Spider Facts (Latrodectus mactans), 5 Questions to Ask Before Getting a Pet Tarantula, 10 Fascinating Facts About Black Widow Spiders, only known specimen of the Hercules baboon spider, Ph.D., Biomedical Sciences, University of Tennessee at Knoxville, B.A., Physics and Mathematics, Hastings College, Most of the world's biggest spiders belong to the. Comprising of different climates and landscapes, just like Australia (except 3x larger), Africa sees some of the world’s most venomous spiders. Where It Lives: Find this beauty in any warm desert or scrubland. 5. The Goliath birdeater (Theraphosa blondi) belongs to the tarantula family Theraphosidae.Found in northern South America, it is the largest spider in the world by mass – 175 g (6.2 oz) – and body length – up to 13 cm (5.1 in) – but it is second to the giant huntsman spider by leg span. So, when it comes to body weight, the Goliath birdeater is the largest spider. Mostly. Another large member of this family which was discovered in the Middle East is the Cerbalus aravaensis. She has taught science courses at the high school, college, and graduate levels. At night and in hotter summers it is a more active spider. Because of their long legs, pale colors, and no reduction in the eyes, these spiders are believed to reside near the cave entrances in Laos. Have you ever wondered how big the world’s biggest spiders are? The females have a characteristically shaped epigyneal field which has two anterior directed bands. Tarantulas don't only live in Central and South America. Lots of us get scared even at the sight of a small, harmless spider, but imagine meeting a gigantic spider… Now that will just creep the living daylights out of you. Spider in the hand. This black and white colored Cerbalus Aravensis spider was first seen in Israel in 2009. In this post, we are focusing to discuss 10 largest spider that scientist have ever founded on the planet. These spiders live under rocks, loose tree barks, under foliage, and in crevices. Where It Lives: Old growth trees or old building in Sri Lanka and India. In the United States, they live in the warm states like Texas, California, and Florida. While the Goliath birdeater is definitely the world’s largest spider by weight, it is the Giant Huntsman spider that takes the award for being the largest by diameter. By using ThoughtCo, you accept our. Brazilian Salmon Pink Birdeater: 11 Inches, ©MPirajá Nature Photography / Getty Images. The spider is said to be so venomous, it can kill a person within 2 hours. Where It Lives: While it's from South America, you might encounter it in the produce section of your local grocery store. Where It Lives: The Hercules baboon spider may (or may not) be extinct, but you can get somewhat smaller baboon spiders as pets (often inaccurately identified as the Hercules baboon). We start it with the smallest one. They are also widespread in South America, Australia, and Africa. The Brazilian wandering spider made the 2010 Guinness World Book of Records as the world's most venomous spider. However, Megaphobema is best known for its aggressive temperament. It can have a leg span of up to 30 centimeters. Despite its name, the Goliath birdeater rarely attacks birds; it feeds on amphibians, worms, and arthropods. https://www.thoughtco.com/biggest-spiders-in-the-world-4172117 (accessed March 22, 2021). However, this tarantula seems permanently angry, and is not a good choice for a beginner. One of the largest spiders in the world, Sun spider also famous with names camel spiders, wind scorpions, or solifuges. However, when provoked, the salmon pink birdeater can deliver a bite comparable to that from a cat. The biggest Huntsman spider ever found? The Colombian giant tarantula or Colombian giant redleg (Megaphobema robustum) eats mice, lizards, and large insects, so you could keep one for home pest control. Found in northern South America, it is the largest spider in the world by mass – 175 g (6.2 oz) – and body length – up to 13 cm (5.1 in) – but it is second to the giant huntsman spider by leg span. In 1980 the world was introduced to the largest spider that had ever lived, Megarachne, but a discovery made over two decades later showed it to be a very different creature, indeed. Source: wikimedia.org The Goliath Bird-Eating Spider is the largest spider in the world. https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/what-is-the-largest-spider-in-the-world.html However, it's probably more afraid of you than you are of it, since humans who live in its habitat catch it and cook it (tastes like shrimp). It's also said to cause a 4-hour erection in men. The cymbium of the male giant huntsman is approximately three times longer than its tegulum. Huntsman Spider (Sparassidae) Spiders whose size exceeds 30 cm, received their nickname due to their terrifying appearance and exceptional ability to kill the chosen victim. This spider gets its name because it eats camels for breakfast (not really). Get the facts about these creepy crawly species and find out exactly where they live so that you can plan your vacation accordingly. The spider's common name is self-explanatory. The giant huntsman is quite large and can move very quickly. Being the biggest member of the sparassidae family, this spider has a 12 inche leg-span with a 1.8 inche long body. These People Claimed They Encountered Giant Spiders In The Congo Orange-kneed Tarantula (Megaphobema mesomelas). It has never been seen in Antarctica, if that helps. Where It Lives: Find it in a pet store or near logs in the tropical rainforests of Brazil and Colombia. If you like, you can keep one as a pet. The Goliath Bird-Eater Spider is actually one that belongs to the Tarantula group and it is the world’s biggest tarantula and the heaviest spider weighing around a massive 170-200g! The following are some of the biggest spiders you’ll ever see. The legs of the giant huntsman spider always twist forward in a crab-like manner. It had a record leg-span of 28 cm (11 in) - sufficient to cover a dinner plate. The Giant huntsman is also considered the largest spider in the world by leg-span since its leg can reach up to one foot in length. The world’s largest and heaviest Crab, and; The world’s largest and heaviest Spider Crab; It’s not the heaviest Arthropod, Crustacean or Decapod – that honor goes to the stocky American Lobster, which outweighs the Japanese Spider Crab by 2kg (4.5 lb). Unless you're a sprinter, this spider can chase and catch you, with a top speed around 10 mph (16 km/h). Discovered only recently in Laos, this … ThoughtCo, Feb. 17, 2021, thoughtco.com/biggest-spiders-in-the-world-4172117. The king baboon spider (Pelinobius muticus) lives in East Africa and slowly grows to 7.9 inches (20 cm). That's bad, because tarantulas, as a whole, aren't out to get you and aren't particularly venomous. The spider can bite and sometimes delivers a venom comparable to that of a wasp sting. Harpactirinae is another subfamily of spiders commonly called baboon spiders. Ranil Nanayakkara / British Tarantula Society. Just like most of the huntsman spiders, this species has longer legs in comparison to its body. The largest species grow up to 5-6 inches. It is a type of tarantula. Take comfort in the knowledge it is nonvenomous. The largest species can reach up to 12 to 15 cm in length including legs. Dehydration and sunburn aren't the only threats you'll face if you find yourself in the hot sand dunes of the Arava Valley of Israel and Jordan. The Biggest And Largest Spiders in the World. Just like most huntsman spiders, this spider is native to Asia, in fact, it was found in Laos. This spider constructs its den within the shifting sand, but comes out to party at night. Grammostola species can live up to 20 years. [citation needed] They are also called giant crab spiders because of their size and appearance.Larger species sometimes are referred to as wood spiders, because of their preference for woody places (forests, mine shafts, woodpiles, wooden shacks). The largest spider in world, measured by mass and size, is the Goliath Bird-Eating tarantula, and in comparison, to other species of tarantula, this species is a beast. Spider has a leg span of 14 cm which is the largest member of sparaissade In middle East Asia and hence listed as one of the largest spiders in the world. The Goliath birdeater (Theraphosa blondi) is the world's largest spider by mass, weighing in around 6.2 oz (175 g). One type spider, the smaller one, kill their pray with their venom while the other, the bigger one, kill their pray with their big fang. Grammastola anthracina is another large species. ThoughtCo. Its scientific name, Poecilotheria, translates from Greek to mean "spotted wild beast." It's a popular pet tarantula that's unlikely to bite you unless you forget to feed it mice or crickets. Try these for size: The largest arachnid on Earth (so far discovered).