Giant spiders lived in the era of dinosaurs and then their size was not something incredible. As for our time, even now you can meet such spiders, although for many people acquaintance with them will cause either panic or admiration.

Next, we will talk about one of these spiders - the goliath bird-eater or Blond's teraphos. It is he who is one of the largest spiders in the world, since the length of his body in the span of the legs can reach 28 centimeters!

This formidable predator is quite widespread in tropical forests some South American countries, namely northern Brazil, Guyana and Venezuela. It is found most often in wet swampy areas.

The body of the spider consists of the cephalothorax and abdominal sections. The eyes and eight legs make up the cephalothorax of the spider. The abdominal cavity includes the spinning organ, heart and genital organs. The excretory system runs through the entire body of the spider. At the abdominal part of the females is the egg chamber.

Despite the fact that the spider has poor eyesight, it is able to see in the dark. Like all tarantulas, the goliath is a carnivore. Sitting quietly in ambush, he lies in wait for his prey, then pounces on her using fangs.

Although the spider is called a tarantula, it does not feed on birds. Just the first time a spider was seen when it was eating a bird. Such vertebrates and invertebrates as mice, lizards, small snakes, beetles, butterflies are the main diet of the goliath.

Representatives of the goliath tarantula who are 3 years old are considered adults (mature). Sometimes after mating, the female eats her "beloved". The goliath has sharp spikes on its first pair of limbs, which serve as its defense against the female. The male lives on average for about 6 years. The age of the female can reach 14 years.

The female lays 200 to 400 eggs, which she incubates for two months. After the little spiders are born, the mother spider looks after them for several weeks, after which they lead an independent lifestyle.

The goliath tarantula is characterized by aggressive character traits. Sensing danger, he emits a peculiar hiss due to the friction of the bristles on his legs. Fangs, the length of which is a couple of centimeters, as well as burning villi serve as protection. Fangs are poisonous, but not very toxic compared to others. poisonous representatives insects.

The shelter for these spiders are deep burrows, which previously served as a home for small rodents until they met with its current owner. The entrance to the mink is protected by a web, from the inside all the walls are also shrouded in it. Females spend most of their lives here, coming out only at night to hunt and during mating. Leaving the house for a long time is not in their rules. Often spiders hunt nearby and drag prey to their lair.

In addition to size, there is another difference between male and female. The males have small hooks on their front legs, with which he holds the huge chelicerae of the female during mating, saving his life in this way. The color of these spiders is most often dark brown, and reddish-brown hairs flaunt on the legs. Because of these numerous hairs, which also cover the entire body, these spiders are also jokingly called "fluffy".

But this is not a decoration at all, but one of the means of protection from uninvited guests. The fact is, once on the skin, in the lungs or mucous membranes of the mouth and nose, these hairs cause severe irritation. In order for the “weapon” to reach the target, the spiders, with sharp movements of the hind legs, brush off the hairs from their abdomen in the direction of the enemy. In addition, they serve as an organ of touch for the spider. Hairs catch the slightest vibrations of the earth and air. But they see poorly.

For a long time it was believed that the poison of the goliath tarantula is very dangerous and most often fatal, but it turned out that this is far from the case. A spider bite can be compared to a bee sting in terms of effects. A small swelling appears on the spot, which is accompanied by quite tolerable pain. Although for allergy sufferers, its bite can be dangerous.

Spider venom has a paralyzing effect on nervous system smaller prey such as frogs, small snakes, insects, rodents, lizards and other small animals. The victim is unable to move after being bitten.

To eat, tarantulas inject digestive juice into the body of the “lunch”, which breaks down soft tissues and allows the spider to suck out the liquid and eat the soft meat of its prey.

The most interesting thing is that the tarantula does not eat birds. Well, if only in very rare cases, when a chick that fell out of the nest falls in its way. The spider got its name thanks to the German entomologist and artist Maria Sibylla Merian, who was the first to draw his sketches. On them, the spider eats a small hummingbird. This is where the name "tarantula" was assigned to him. The official description of this tarantula belongs to the entomologist Latreille (1804).

The following information may seem a little wild to you, but among the locals, these spiders are a delicacy and not only adults, but also spider eggs are used. As a result, the population of these animals in their natural habitat is gradually decreasing.

This individual behaves quite aggressively and does not like to be picked up. And although the poison of the goliath is not too toxic, quite a lot of it is released.

If you have goliath tarantula, then the terrarium in which he lives will not look like dishes with earth, but like a place where a very serious beast lives. The terrarium for the spider should be selected quite spacious.

The terrarium can be either plastic or glass, horizontal type. Volumes should be on average 25-35 liters with a closing lid. The cover is needed so that your pet does not suddenly decide to take a walk outside the terrarium. Spiders should be kept separate due to their inherent cannibalism.

For bedding, sphagnum, coniferous sawdust, and vermiculite are used. The best solution would be to choose a coco substrate over 5cm as bedding. in order for the animal to have the opportunity to make a mink for itself, a coconut shell or a medium-sized piece of bark should be placed in the terrarium.

The temperature regime for normal maintenance should be in the range of 22-26C, but they calmly tolerate a drop in temperature to 15C. The main thing is that the temperature is not too low for a full spider. In this case, there is a high probability of the onset of putrefactive food processes in the spider's stomach. Humidity should be high - 75-85%. If the humidity is insufficient, there may be a problem with the normal molting of the animal. To maintain humidity, install a water bottle and mist the terrarium regularly. Provide good ventilation, this will protect the spider from fungal infections.

The feeding process can take more than a day. Goliath spiders feed on small insects. Adult individuals successfully cope with frogs, mice.

The feeding frequency of young spiders is twice a week, adults feed once a week, one and a half. It is not necessary to feed young spiders with insects that are too large, i.e. those that would exceed the size of half the belly of a goliath. This can cause stress and, as a result, refusal of food.

The maximum time that a goliath spider can go without food is about 6 months. But of course you should not experiment with your pet.

The most difficult period in the life of a spider is molting. At these moments, you should not touch them and make them nervous. At the time of molting, the goliath tarantula and other spiders move little, do not eat anything. The regularity of molting depends on the age of the animal. Juveniles molt regularly, but adults at intervals of two months or a year.

An interesting fact is that the web of tarantulas does not serve as a trap for the victim, like other representatives of this species, tarantulas are real hunters, they hunt down and attack prey. Bird-eaters wait for their prey in ambush and attack it with a jump. This feature, as well as their coloration, has led the locals to refer to tarantulas as "earth tigers".

Although the goliath tarantula is considered the largest spider in the world, there is still one species that surpasses it in limb span, but is significantly inferior in body size - Heteropoda maxima, whose leg span reaches 30 centimeters. The largest specimen was discovered in 2001 in Laos, in one of the caves of the Khammouan province.

sources

http://www.8lap.ru

http://exomania.com.ua

http://ianimal.ru

http://quickfly.ru

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Today, about forty-two thousand varieties of spiders live in the world. The length of the smallest of them known to science - Patu marplesi - is less than 0.4 millimeters, that is, it is impossible to see it with the naked eye. On average, the size of these animals usually varies from four to six centimeters. However, in nature there are also giant spiders, each species of which is interesting in its own way.

Theraphosa Blonda - the largest spider on Earth

Most arachnologists involved in the study of spiders and arachnids agree that the largest body size of all now existing species These animals have the Goliath tarantula, also known as Theraphosa Blonda. The color of the body of this spider is usually reddish-brown, there are numerous reddish hairs on the legs.

The most giant spider in the world lives in wet swamps and tropical forests in a number of South American countries: Venezuela, Suriname, Guyana, Brazil. The length of its body is 7-9 centimeters, and the span of the legs of the largest discovered specimen reached 28 centimeters.

This spider is called the tarantula by mistake. The basis of his diet is actually made up of mice, small snakes, lizards, butterflies and beetles. He lies in wait for his prey, then suddenly jumps on it, using his fangs.

The poison of this spider, which paralyzes small animals, is actually of little danger to humans, like the sting of an ordinary bee. As a rule, he does not attack people, except when he himself is forced to defend himself from them.

In its natural environment, the goliath tarantula lives in burrows that previously belonged to small rodents. In captivity, it is rare, since its export from the territory of its habitats is usually prohibited.

Heteropod Maxima - the longest of the spiders

The goliath tarantula can rightfully be called the largest spider in the world, based on the size of its body and weight. However, he will compete with a giant hunter spider, or Heteropod Maxima - the owner of the largest length in the span of the legs. This indicator in an adult male of this species can be 25-30 centimeters!

These spiders live mainly on the territory of Laos, preferring deep and dark caves, from where they rarely get out to the surface of the earth. Their bodies, relatively small in size (up to 3 centimeters in males and 4.5 in females), are colored brown-yellow, the abdomen is somewhat darker than the cephalothorax.

To date, science knows very little about them, but they continue to be studied.

Australian record holder - giant crab spider

The honor to be called the largest arachnid of the Australian continent belongs to the giant crab spider. Its name is associated with a specific bending of the legs, characteristic of crabs (in some specimens, their span sometimes reaches 30 centimeters). In another way, these spiders are called hunters, or huntsmen.

As a rule, the color of these creatures is black, brown or gray. The body is fluffy, spikes are clearly visible on the legs. They live under the roots and on the trunks of trees, as well as in mountain crevices, between stones, on the walls of houses. They feed mainly on insects, small lizards and frogs. These giant spiders are capable of chasing their prey across the ground at great speed before sinking their fangs into it and immobilizing it with venom.

Their toxin is moderately dangerous to humans. As a rule, painful swelling occurs at the site of the bite, sometimes accompanied by nausea and headache, but the poison does not pose a threat to human life.

Nefila - the largest spiders in the world, weaving a web

Translated from Latin, the word Nefila means "one who loves to weave." This is the name given to the most ancient species of spider known today. The size of their body is not amazing - it does not exceed 4 centimeters. But in the span of the legs, the largest individuals reach 15 centimeters, which makes Nefil the largest of the spiders capable of weaving a web.

Distribution area various kinds spider data is huge. They are found in Australia South America, Asia and Africa.

The nets that these skilled craftsmen "weave" have truly incredible properties. Exceptionally strong and sticky lace with a characteristic golden sheen can cover areas up to two meters. Their fortress is so great that they are able to capture and hold even a bat, a small snake or a bird.

The rather strong venom of Nephila spiders is dangerous for people, especially those who are prone to allergies, but to lethal outcome he does not lead. The characteristic symptoms - reddening of the skin, blisters and pain - usually disappear within a day from the moment of the bite.

The Brazilian wanderer is one of the most venomous spiders.

Characteristic features of the Brazilian wandering spider are aggressive behavior and exceptionally toxic venom. Its bite can cause severe poisoning and paralysis, and in the absence of the necessary help, it will lead to the death of a person. That is why Brazilian wanderers have gained notoriety as giant killer spiders. However, with timely assistance serious consequences can still be avoided.

These giant spiders (see photo below) sometimes reach 10 centimeters in length. Their body is elongated, brown, completely covered with small hairs.

Brazilian wanderers do not weave webs and do not have a permanent habitat - they are always in search of their prey. They are found in the tropics and subtropics of South America. They are also called "armed" (because of strong poison and powerful mouth appendages) or "banana spiders" (because it is very common to stumble upon them between the leaves of banana palms). They hunt at night, mainly for insects. However, they can also cope with some reptiles and birds that are larger than them.

Cerbal Arabian - a newly discovered giant spider

These giant spiders have become known to scientists relatively recently. Some sources indicate that they were discovered in 2004, others that this happened in 2010. The countries on whose territory cerbals were found were Jordan and Israel, which determined the peculiarity of the name of this species - "Arabian".

The appearance of spiders of this species is very interesting: their body is painted in a beautiful yellowish or silver color, and their long legs shimmer in the light with silver and black shades. In length, the largest specimens of the Arabian Cerbal sometimes reach 8 inches.

Currently, this species of spiders is poorly studied. It is known that cerbals prefer the edges of salt marshes and sand dunes. They are characterized by a nocturnal lifestyle, and activity is associated mainly with the hot season.

Wall tegenaria - record holder for sprinting

In a different way, wall tegenaria is called a giant house spider. The length of her body is about seven centimeters, and the span of her legs is about three times greater than this value. Not surprisingly, tegenarii among arachnids are considered exceptionally fast short-distance runners.

The distribution area of ​​\u200b\u200bthis species of spiders is Asia, northern Africa. They are also found somewhere in Europe (for example, in England, tegenaria is often called the "cardinal spider", allegedly due to the fact that the once British cardinal Wolsey was horrified by it).

An interesting fact is that these giant spiders, although they produce webs, are completely incapable of deftly swaddling prey into a cocoon. Instead, they just release it in a very thick and even layer. It is curious that in the competition for prey, tegenaria enters into a fight with its fellows, often even killing them. Cannibalism is also common among these spiders.

Tegenaria's favorite habitats are caves and walls of abandoned houses. Today, there are very few of these spiders in nature.

South Russian tarantula - the largest spider in Russia

Mizgir, or South Russian tarantula, is a characteristic representative of the wolf spider family. The body size of the female of this spider reaches three centimeters (the body of the male is slightly shorter). The span of his paws, however, is considerable - 10-11 centimeters. It is distributed not only in Russia, but also in Central Asia.

The mizgir is characterized by shallow burrows in the sand or in the ground, which this spider breaks through itself and lines from the inside with cobwebs. In them, he spends daylight hours, but at night he can get out to hunt on the surface. Excellently sensing vibrations, the mizgir feels when a small insect approaches its shelter. Having allowed prey to a close distance, the spider instantly rushes at it and kills it. IN winter period he deepens the mink, and fills up the entrance to it with earth.

This tarantula practically does not bite people. In the event that a bite occurs, the pain and consequences of it are comparable to a hornet bite.

The Japanese spider crab is the largest arthropod on the planet.

In fact, nothing connects sea spiders with arachnids. This is a special class of arthropods, numbering more than a thousand species. And the largest of them is considered to be a giant sea spider that lives off the coast. Pacific Ocean near Japan, at various depths. The body size of the largest representatives of this species exceeds 30 centimeters, while their claw span is truly huge - it can reach 270 centimeters in length! The body weight of this arthropod can be twenty kilograms.

The spider crab feeds mainly on mollusks, as well as the remains of dead animals. There is an assumption that he is able to live for about a hundred years.

Nature is a real sorceress who managed to create multifaceted and unique forms in her kingdom. Spiders are one of the most common and numerous of its representatives. They have always lived everywhere. You can meet both tiny spiders and real giants. Most of these arthropods do not pose any danger to humans. But many are interested in the name of the largest of them on the planet, where and how it lives.

The biggest spiders in the world

Huge spiders lived on the planet even during the dinosaurs, in those days their size was not perceived as something unusual or unnatural. Acquaintance with such giant spiders living today can cause different feelings: for some, a panic state, for others, admiration. There is a top 10 of these representatives of the animal world according to their parameters.

In the honorable tenth place in the list of the largest spiders in the world is the large Nephila. Translated from Greek as "loving to weave." Most often, nephiles are found in hot climatic conditions America, Australia, Asia, Africa. These representatives of arthropods are characterized by the presence of a body up to 4 centimeters and paws over 12 centimeters long. But more such sizes are typical for females.

The males of these arachnids are much smaller - up to 10 centimeters along with the legs. Green with yellow color with some transition to a reddish tint and a white belly and head - a characteristic color scheme. This arachnid weaves not only the largest, but also a very strong and durable web.

Fishermen in southeast Asian lands, as well as Oceania, use the webs made by these spiders as a fishing net. The web is woven between the branches, flies, butterflies, birds and other living creatures get into it.
The female sits in the center, while during the mating season, males sit on the edges of the web, waiting. Nephil's bite is quite painful, the skin at the site of damage immediately turns red, and in some cases becomes blistered.

Important! The poison of this representative of arachnids is toxic, but it is not fatal to humans.

The name itself indicates that this species of arachnids prefers to stay on the walls of caves, non-residential buildings, therefore it is also considered a giant house spider. The size of his body is up to 8 centimeters, but due to the large span of his legs, sometimes reaching 13 centimeters, and their amazing curvature, this representative of arthropods looks even larger.
Wall tegenaria is characterized by a pale gray color and a brown tint of legs. These spiders are excellent runners over long distances. In the struggle for the chosen prey, they are able to kill their own brethren. Wall tegenaria is quite rare, as it lives in Asian and African territories, in Uruguay, Argentina. This species occupies the ninth place in its dimensions.

The eighth place in the parade of the largest spiders on the planet allows this arthropod to take its rather impressive dimensions: with a relatively not the most voluminous body in the range from 5 to 7 centimeters, it has paws more than 17 centimeters long. Seeing such a spider, with a total size of almost a quarter of a meter, at best, everyone will be wary.

Its body is characterized by a brownish color and the presence of hairs with increased sensitivity. There are 8 subspecies of this arachnid. There are also those who run, which overtake their prey at great speed, and the jumpers, which hit the prey in a jump. This type of arachnid received its full name for the constant craving for movement in search of new prey and food.
These spiders eat a variety of foods:

• Zhukov;
• reptiles;
• feathered;
• other arachnids.

They hunt at night, during the day hiding under stones, in crevices, in houses. But these representatives of arachnids and tropical fruits, especially bananas, love to eat. Therefore, they are often found in boxes with these exotic fruits.

Important! The Brazilian wandering spider will not attack a person first, so when you see it, it is better not to touch it. This feature of this animal helped save more than one human life.

Cerbal Arabian, ranked seventh in the ranking, lives in the Israeli, Arabian and Jordanian deserts. Therefore it appearance helps him feel as comfortable as possible among the sands: an inconspicuous yellow color, black lines on the paws, the body is covered with hairs.
Its relatively small body of 3 centimeters has legs, the length of which is on average 14 centimeters, but can reach all 20. Females, as is often the case with arachnids, are larger than males.

Did you know? Cerbal Arabian conducts its life only at night, hiding from the burning sunlight during the day, so scientists became aware of this species only in 2003.

They called this representative of arachnids, belonging to the family of tarantulas and ranked sixth in the list of the largest, for the similar appearance of its limbs with the fingers of a monkey. The paws of this animal can grow up to 30 centimeters, while the dimensions of the body are not at all impressive - from 5 to 6 centimeters, but can reach 10.5 cm. It has hair, the color of the body varies in brown and gray tones, has slightly noticeable black dots and stripes that can create a specific pattern.
For the places of residence of these representatives of arthropods, they are often called the African tarantula, as well as the Red Cameroon baboon spider.

Like other arachnids, baboon spiders are cannibals by nature.
These arachnids hunt for prey at night and eat:

• Zhukov;
• reptiles;
• amphibians;
• scorpions;
• cockroaches;
• butterflies;
• termites.

For humans, these spiders pose little to no threat if left untouched. If protection is needed, the poison released by the baboon spider when bitten by a person can lead to many hours of paralysis, causes vomiting and shock.

Did you know? Of interest is the method of attack, attack or defense of the Baboon Spider: standing on its hind limbs, it begins to hiss like a snake.

Fifth place in terms of size was occupied by a fairly rare Colombian purple tarantula, based in the humid tropics of South American territories. The originality of the velvety black color of the body, the star-shaped pattern on it and the purple paws with a raspberry tint, as well as the amazing hairiness of these representatives of arachnids, makes it tempting to keep them at home as pets.
When keeping the Colombian purple tarantula as a pet, it is necessary to take into account their ability to aggression, as well as the possibility of allergic manifestations when a person comes into contact with his hairs. But for people, they do not carry a special danger.

In size, the body of this representative of arachnids can reach 10 centimeters, while its limbs can grow up to 25 centimeters. It hunts, as a rule, from shelters, and its diet includes:

• rodents;
• frogs;
• various insects;
• birds.

Thanks to his passion for birds, he got his name. Females live up to 15 years, males only a couple of years. The number of these representatives of arachnids on the globe very low, so meeting them is not so easy.

The Phalanx lives, ranked fourth in the list of the largest known spiders, in a halo from the Pyrenees to the Gobi Desert. Solpuga - one more and more correct name of this species, in translation means "running away from the sun." There are also names of bihorka, phalanx spider, wind scorpion and some others. But this species got its main name due to the presence of some bulges on the head, similar to camel humps.
The size of the body of these spiders is up to 8 centimeters, the span of the limbs is up to 28 cm. The color of the body of these animals ranges from yellow to brown. There are elongated hairs on the legs. Phalanxes can reach speeds of up to 16 km / h. They are active at night, their prey is:

• beetles;
• rodents;
• reptiles;
• feathered.

One thousand - such is the variety of these arachnids.

Important! Phalanxes are capable of attacking a person. They do not have poison, but they can bite through the skin, cause very painful sensations, as well as blood poisoning due to the presence of putrefactive residues on chelicerae. The bite site is treated with an antiseptic as soon as possible, and when an inflammatory process appears, an antibiotic is taken.

An honorable third place was taken by the salmon-pink tarantula, which is found in Brazil. It often serves as an object of breeding in the home. Their furry body up to 10 centimeters with sweeping thirty-centimeter legs, the originality of black in the center with a gradual transition to gray on the limbs of color with pink patches - all this makes the contemplation of this representative of arachnids unforgettable.
The salmon-pink tarantula is able to protect itself with the help of a hairline, which is characterized by burning and can cause allergic manifestations. They shake off poison from it if necessary, while raising their forelimbs.

Did you know? The first pink tarantulain the lands of Brazilseen in 1917.

The females of these representatives of the arthropod family are always larger than the males, and they live much longer, their age can reach 15 years. By their nature, these animals are aggressive. They feed on birds, snakes, lizards. These representatives of arachnids are real killers with a lightning-fast ability to attack and defeat their prey in a matter of seconds.

In second place is a really huge representative of arachnids - the Giant Crab Spider. The span of its limbs significantly exceeds 30 centimeters, while the body is not very different in size from other species. It was the curvature of the paws that allowed him to get his name for his resemblance to a crab. Thanks to this shape of the limbs, this animal easily climbs tall trees and penetrates into crevices inaccessible to others.
The unusual ability of this spider is its ability to move not only forward, but also to the sides with the help of the shape of the limbs. And he does it fairly quickly. Thanks to this ability, it belongs to the sidewalker family.

The color of these giants varies from grayish, light brown to black and white, the body has a sparse hairline. The females of these representatives of arachnids are always ready to defend their brood to the last. These animals live in the lands of Australia. The most favorite places for them to live are bark. big trees and stones where they hide under them. These representatives of the arthropod family move rapidly with the help of jumps and also instantly overtake their prey and kill it by injecting a poisonous substance.
Prefer to eat:

• various insects;
• frogs;
• invertebrates.

For human body the poison does not pose a deadly threat, but it is better to avoid the bites of this predator. After a bite, pain in the head, vomiting, nausea, and edematous reactions may occur.

The most honorable first place in terms of its dimensions is occupied by the goliath tarantula. This is the largest spider in the world. The impressive parameters of this representative of arachnids cause terrible and terrible sensations even among those who consider themselves brave. A shaggy voluminous body, the weight of which is more than 200 grams, limbs, the dimensions of which reach 40 centimeters, the presence of poisonous fangs two and a half centimeters in the mouth, make the presented spectacle impressive. The body of females grows up to 10 cm, males - 8.5 cm. Its color is all shades of brown, there are transverse stripes on the limbs white color and reddish hairs.
This giant lives in the tropics of South America, most often it is Brazil, Venezuela and Suriname. Here, half-meter burrows, covered with cobwebs and located in areas with high humidity and swampiness, become its habitats. The big-eyed goliath tarantula is distinguished by excellent night vision and quick reaction times.

Pursuing his prey, he attacks her from an ambush with great speed, plunging his fangs deep into the body. It is distinguished by aggressiveness, before attacking, it makes frightening sounds and shakes off the allergenic substance from the hairline.
Their victims are:

• insects;
• amphibians;
• snakes;
• rodents;
• lizards;
• butterflies.

This arthropod giant is not very fond of birds. In captivity, these animals show poor breeding ability. The poisonous substance itself in this spider is not characterized by a special strength of action, therefore it is not dangerous for humans, but shaking the poisonous substance from the hairs can cause severe allergies, even asthma.

The largest spiders in Russia

Has its giants and Russia. Such is the South Russian tarantula. The females of this spider reach 5 centimeters, the males - 2.5. These arachnids live in the steppes and deserts. In the daytime, they sit out in their mink shelters, while at night they hunt for insects, paralyzing them with their poison. Although these spiders are considered poisonous, their size does not allow them to pose a particular danger to humans, although some convulsions of a local nature, shortness of breath, and numbness when bitten are possible.

Did you know? For the first time, the goliath tarantula was introduced in 1804, thanks to a French entomologist. Contemporaries brought him into the Guinness Book of Records.

These representatives of arthropods breed at the end of summer. The female lays eggs in a mink, wraps them in a cocoon and wears them on herself until the cubs appear. Gradually, little spiders themselves leave the female and look for their habitats. The strength of the poisonous substance depends on the time of year and gender. The most poisonous are mature females in July during mating. When the tarantulas have just woken up or are preparing for hibernation they are almost non-poisonous.

Also in the category of large spiders of Russia belongs to the Large floating spider, or hunter spider.
He lives in the coastal zone of various reservoirs. In modern conditions, it is on the verge of extinction. In the Russian territories in Karelia and the Samara region, its subspecies is found - the West Palearctic. Plantarius females can measure up to 2.5 centimeters. Spider-hunters skillfully dive and quickly move through the water. They feed on insects, as well as fish fry and tadpoles. In humans, the bite of this spider causes a feeling of pain lasting up to several weeks, but this spider does not pose a danger to life.

The largest house spiders

Almost all domestic spiders are predators. If they live in a house, it means that there is something to profit from in it, and they like to live in dry and warm rooms.

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Mankind has never been indifferent to spiders. In some cultures, these animals are symbols of wisdom, in others they are harbingers of trouble. Giant spiders inspire fear in humanity, acting as heroes of horror films and action novels.

Pictures with arachnids are used as sketches for tattoos. Many people suffer from arachnophobia, the fear of these arthropods. Try not to be scared, because here is the top 10 largest spiders in the world.

10 Nephila edulis (Nephila edulis)

The nephila-goldweaver spider species has gained worldwide fame due to the fact that these spiders are able to weave the largest web. They are sometimes referred to as orb-weavers or tree spiders because of their love of making a home among tree branches.

The body size of this spider, together with the legs, is 12 cm. Females predominate in size over males of this species. This phenomenon is called sexual dimorphism, and it is common to most spider species on the planet.

The poison of the orb weaver cannot lead to the death of a person, but a blister at the site of the bite is provided. Powerful predator chelicerae can leave a bite scar on the skin. You can meet these graceful spiders in the forests of Australia and New Caledonia.

9 Huge wall tegenaria (Tegenaria parietin)

The size of wall tegenaria reaches 13 cm along with the limbs. Spiders of this species often hide in residential buildings, which was the reason for the name of the spider.

You should not be afraid of the formidable appearance of the spider, since this type of danger does not pose a danger to humans. Wall tegenaria feeds on insects.

Arachnids cannot run for long distances, but they perfectly overcome short ones. Previously, these arthropods could be found in the homes of Africa, but in Lately the population of the species has declined significantly.

8 Arabian Cerbal (Cerbalus aravensis)

Arachnids of this species caught the eye of researchers only in the 21st century. The first specimen was discovered in 2003. The size of an individual, together with the legs, can reach up to 14 cm. The color of the Arabian cerbal is predominantly beige with black spots on the legs.

The natural habitat for these predators is the desert area in Israel and Jordan.

7 Brazilian wandering spider (Phoneutria Brazil)

The dimensions of the animal are quite modest compared to the following representatives of the top. The length of its body, together with the legs, reaches 17 cm. Despite its modest size, this species represents deadly threat for humans, the venom of a predator can be fatal.

To be afraid of a wandering spider is the inhabitants of the tropics in South America. Unlike its arthropod brothers, the predator prefers to actively seek prey rather than weave a web. Because of the constant movement around the area, the spider got its name - wandering.

If the spider sees prey, it makes a swift jump to a great height and injects poison into the victim's body.

The hunter's diet is most often insects, but with a strong desire, he is able to kill even a small bird. Cannibalism is also found among spiders of this species, when strong and healthy individuals can eat weaker counterparts.

6 Giant Baboon Spider (Spider Hysterocrates)

The baboon spider is a huge member of the tarantula family. Individuals of the species can have both gray and brown color with white spots on the legs. The legs of the animal are densely covered with stiff hairs.

Like many other spiders, the baboon spider searches for food mainly at night. During the day it burrows into a deep burrow and sleeps. In gastronomic preferences, the predator is not whimsical, he is not averse to eating insects or small rodents. Small birds can also be included in the predator's diet.

The span of the paws of the majestic spider reaches 20 cm. During the defense, the predator stands on its hind legs, furiously drumming on the soil with its front ones, thereby scaring off the attacker.

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5 Purple tarantula (Xenesthis immanis)

The name of this tarantula speaks for itself. Its body is bright purple with occasional yellowish patches on its legs.

This species is often kept at home as pet because a spider cannot harm a person. But he willingly eats smaller spiders, frogs and small rodents. In captivity, spiders of this species can be fed insects.

The span of the limbs of purple beauties reaches up to 20 cm, and you can meet them in wildlife in the tropical forests of South America.

4 Camel spider

Another name for this spider is salpuga. The span of the spider's limbs can reach 30 cm, and the speed of movement reaches 16 km / h. Natural habitat - deserts, excluding Australia.

The hunting time of the camel spider is night. He is not averse to eating rodents, small reptiles and chicks. Distinctive features solpugi is the most unpleasant squeak that an animal makes during defense.

3 Salmon-pink tarantula (Lasiodora parahybana)

This awesome spider has an extremely delicate coloration. Pink and coral hairs on the body of the tarantula make it a desirable prey for collectors.

The homeland of the spider is Brazil, and its size, together with the limbs, can reach 30 cm. Females of individuals are much larger than males, their weight can reach 100 grams.

2 Giant crab spider (Huntsman Spider)

The body length of the crab spider, together with the legs, is 30 cm. The animal got its name due to the fact that its legs vaguely resemble the claws of a crab. Thick and imposing, they evoke fear by their very appearance.

Most often there are individuals with a uniform brown color, but the presence of red and white spots is allowed. The homeland of huge crab spiders is Australia.

Another nickname is the hunter, the arthropod received because of the speed of movement. Lightning attacks at frightening heights leave no chance for the victims of this spider.

True, people have nothing to worry about, since the bite of one of the largest spiders in the world does not lead to death.

1 Theraphosa blondi - the largest spider in the world

Another name for this huge spider is the goliath tarantula.

The food of this animal can be frogs, small snakes and even small rodents. The limb span of the largest spider of this species reached 40 cm. The body of females can reach a size of 100 mm, males have a more modest physique, they grow up to 85 mm in the carcass. The weight of the animal can reach up to 200 grams.

You can admire the grace of this gigantic spider in the video.

For the first time, mankind met the goliath tarantula in 1804. An entomologist from France drew attention to the impressive dimensions of the spider and its color. The body of the tarantula is painted in brown tones, and reddish hairs are visible on the legs. The animal prefers to live in deep holes, the entrance to which is carefully braided with cobwebs.

The photo of the largest spider in the world was awarded a place in the Guinness Book of Records. Many arachnid lovers want to acquire a rare specimen for their home collection, but this is impossible, because tarantulas breed very poorly in captivity.

The export of Terafoz Blond abroad is prohibited by the legislation of those countries in which this species lives. The natural habitat for the record holder in the world of spiders is Brazil, Venezuela and Suriname.

Arthropods are longtime companions of man. They inhabited the Earth long before he appeared on it. This type of animal is well studied, including the largest in it in terms of the number of species, including about 42 thousand units.

Many people are interested in animal record holders. For example, the largest, smallest, longest-lived, etc. What is the largest spider in the world? The answer to this question will be given below.

ancient spiders

Giant spiders lived on our planet in prehistoric times. However, their size then, as scientists suggest, was much more impressive. IN modern world the largest spider is no larger than the average size of a plate. In ancient times, according to researchers, there could be spiders the size of a small child. These assumptions are based on the existence of meganeurs confirmed by archaeological research - giant dragonflies that lived on Earth in the Carboniferous period, whose wingspan was up to 1 meter. By analogy, it is believed that other insects, as well as arthropods that inhabited our planet in ancient times, could have been gigantic. However, this hypothesis has not been confirmed by archaeological finds. The name of the largest fossil spider is Nephila Jurassica. It was found in China, and is quite comparable in size to modern arthropods: the span of its paws is about 15 centimeters. This is a female.

General information

The largest spider in the world belongs to the tarantula family. Its name is Theraphosa blondi. The French scientist Pierre André Latreille described it in 1804, and since then it has been the focus of zoologists' attention. These arthropods, which live in the mountainous rainforests of northern Brazil, Venezuela, Suriname and Guyana, are quite rare in nature.

Tarantulas dig deep burrows and line them with woven cobwebs. They leave their home only for hunting and mating.

Description

The females of these tarantulas, also called goliaths, as is often the case in the animal kingdom, are much larger than males. The description of the largest spider in the world testifies to its unique size. So, the body length of the male goliath tarantula is about 85 mm, and the female is up to 100 mm. If you straighten all its limbs, then the dimensions of the arthropod will be about 28 cm! The average weight of a spider is about 150 grams.

The body of the goliath spider is dark brown in color, the limbs are covered with reddish-brown fine hairs. But this “plumage” is not an ornament, but a means of protection. Getting into the respiratory organs or on the skin of the opponent of the goliath, these hairs cause severe irritation and force him to retreat. Tarantulas comb hairs off themselves with sharp movements of their hind legs towards the enemy. In addition, small hairs serve as an organ of touch. With their help, goliaths are able to capture the smallest vibrations in the air or a solid medium. The hairs partly compensate for the spider's poor eyesight, helping it hunt at night.

On the front paws of males there are special outgrowths-hooks with which they hold the jaws of the female during the mating process in order to save their lives. After this process, the males hastily retreat.

In addition to hairs, these giants also have one more weapon - a strong poison, which for a long time was considered deadly. In fact, in humans, it causes only a strong burning sensation and swelling. The pain is quite tolerable and can be compared with the sensations of a bee sting. But for those who suffer from allergies, the bite of a goliath tarantula can be a serious danger.

reproduction

Goliath tarantulas reach puberty at different times: males at the age of one and a half, and females - two - two and a half years. Until this time, males pass 9, and females - 10 molts. After mating, the females spin a small cocoon, about 3 cm long, in which they lay their eggs. The spider vigilantly guards the masonry throughout the entire breeding time (6-7 weeks), and even going hunting, carries it with her. At this time, she is most aggressive, and meeting her does not bode well. Little spiderlings live in a hole with their mother until the first molt, then leave the shelter.

Nutrition

The diet of this arthropod is quite diverse. It includes insects, as well as small animals - snakes, frogs, lizards, rodents. He, despite his name, does not attack birds, except that he can feast on a chick that has fallen out of the nest.

Attacking the victim, the goliath tarantula first bites it, immobilizing it with its poison, and injects digestive juices into its body that soften the flesh. This allows the spider to suck nutrients leaving the hard shells intact.

Those who are going to keep these giants at home should provide them with the usual conditions. Optimum temperature for the maintenance of these arthropods - 22-24 degrees Celsius, humidity - 70-80%. Since this spider is burrowing and nocturnal, there must be a shelter in the terrarium. Good ventilation must be provided. At the bottom of the terrarium there should be a layer of substrate 6-8 cm thick.

The spider should be fed with small insects and pieces of meat. Lizards, mice and frogs can be used to feed adults.

It should be remembered that this arthropod has a rather nervous and aggressive character, and it must be handled with care. The tarantula is not friendly, and if the owner wants to accustom him to hands, you need to do it gradually, carefully removing the pet from the terrarium to avoid bites.

Here are some interesting facts about Theraphosa blondi:

The largest spider in the world owes its name to the famous illustrator, engraver of the turn of the 17th and 18th centuries, Maria Sibilla Merian, whose drawings enriched botany and zoology. It is difficult to overestimate her contribution to science, because the artist left many images of plants, insects, and animals. Even today her drawings amaze with exceptional accuracy and liveliness of colors. Impressed by the story of researchers who allegedly saw how the world's largest goliath spider devours a bird, she depicted this scene in one of her works, and the legend thus gained further distribution.

An interesting feature goliath tarantulas is the so-called stridulation - the ability to make peculiar hissing sounds by rubbing chelicerae - oral appendages against each other. It is assumed that in nature it is used by these giants to scare off enemies.

The Theraphosa blondi population in nature is quite small and is declining from year to year. One of the reasons for this is that among the locals, not only the spiders themselves, but also their eggs are considered a real delicacy, and they eat them with pleasure.

The biggest and dangerous spiders in the world for a person - not tarantulas at all. They are considered to be arthropods called Brazilian wandering spiders (genus Phoneutria). Their size is much more modest, only about 10 cm, but the poison is much more toxic. The bite of Brazilian wandering spiders is moderately painful, but in the absence of medical attention, it causes paralysis and respiratory arrest. However, there is an effective antidote against this neurotoxin (PhTx3), so the number of deaths is less than it could be.

On a note

In some lists of the largest and most terrible spiders, the first place is mistakenly taken by Heteropoda maxima, a species discovered in 2001 in Laos. Indeed, this arthropod has a larger limb span - up to 30 mm. However, the goliath tarantula significantly exceeds it in body size: 85 and 100 mm in males and females, respectively, against 30 and 46 mm. Thus, of these giant spiders, Theraphosa blondi is still considered the largest spider in the world.

Finally

The article briefly described the largest spider in the world. Although it does not pose a particular danger to humans, its size inspires respect. This unique creation, despite its repulsive appearance, is an integral harmonious part of wildlife and takes its rightful place in it. We hope that the information presented in the material will be interesting and useful for readers.