For residents of Ukraine, Russia and neighboring countries, local spiders do not pose any particular danger, since even poisonous individuals cannot kill a person. However, there are more terrifying species in the world, a representative of which is the Brazilian wandering spider, which will be discussed further.

Appearance, color and size

The Brazilian wandering spider is a relatively large arthropod, whose body length often exceeds 10 cm. The head and chest are small, but the belly is thick, which is explained by the constant consumption of food. The massive legs are covered with hairs, which largely gives the spider its terrifying appearance.

The color of the arthropod varies depending on the specific living conditions. Most often it is dark brown with light patches on the legs and back, but it can have a brown color with reddish hues or even black.

It is also easy to recognize a spider by its behavior: in a moment of danger, the arthropod stands on its hind legs, raising its forelimbs upward. For this feature he was nicknamed "soldier". During such a “ritual,” the spider can sway from side to side, and its jaw becomes crimson-red.

Did you know? The spider's web is so unique that it has not yet been possible to reproduce it in the laboratory. In addition, it is very light, therefore, according to preliminary calculations, for coverage Globe only 340 g of such “yarn” would be needed.

Where does it live?

The main habitats of the “Brazilian wanderer” are the territories of Central and South America, where arthropods settle mainly in tropical forests. Sometimes they can be found in private houses, where they climb in search of food or shelter.
Spiders crawl into shoe boxes, bags of clothes, and even things scattered on the floor, which only increases the danger to humans. During the day, they can hide in cool basements or dark closets, and at night they actively move around the house.

This behavior is also typical in forest conditions: during the day the spider sits out under stones or in cool holes, and at nightfall it quickly moves around the territory, for which it is also called a “runner”.

On the territory of the Russian Federation, Ukraine and Belarus, the “Brazilian wanderer” can only be found in terrariums, but in open nature has not yet been recorded. True, this does not mean that there is nothing to be afraid of: there are many poisonous varieties that are common in our country (for example, the “black widow”).

What does it eat?

The diet of the Brazilian spider is quite wide and includes:

• small insects;
• small lizards;
• other spiders, and even weaker representatives of their own species;
• sick birds, even if they are larger than him.

When attacking its prey, this small predator sinks its teeth into it and injects poison into the body, paralyzing the animal in a few seconds. This allows him to start eating calmly.

In the absence of such food, he does not disdain some fruits, especially bananas. Because of its love for them, the arthropod received the name “Brazilian banana spider.”

Important! In banana boxes they travel very long distances. There are cases when a spider ended up on another continent, endangering the local population.

Reproduction

Brazilian wandering spiders are dioecious creatures. The color of the female is much brighter than the color of the male, but the size of the male individual exceeds the size of the female, and the males also have an additional pair of limbs (used during mating).

To attract the attention of his chosen one, the male performs a kind of dance, while simultaneously offering her the caught food.

After sexual intercourse, the female often eats her partner, and after a few weeks she lays eggs and guards them until the young emerge. After this, the female’s maternal mission is completed: the young individuals crawl along the paths in search of food.

Why is a spider bite dangerous?

The Brazilian wandering spider was included in the Guinness Book of Records as one of the most poisonous creatures of its order. This attitude of people is explained by its aggressive behavior and powerful neurotoxins that are part of the poison.

In a healthy adult, they cause a strong allergic reaction, but with timely consultation with a doctor, death can be avoided. The “wanderer” poses a great danger to children and people with weakened immune systems, among whom the percentage of deaths is much higher.

During a bite, a person feels sharp pain, difficulty breathing and swelling of individual parts of the body. Over time, complete paralysis of the respiratory muscles occurs and the victim suffocates. Depending on the condition of the body, death occurs within 2-6 hours after the bite.

How is poison used in medicine?

The venom of various animals has always been the subject of study by scientists, because this is the only way to develop an antidote and save a large number of of people. However, the poison of the “Brazilian wanderer” is interesting not only for this.

Did you know? The most notable representative of large spiders is the goliath tarantula. With a body size of up to 10 cm, the span of its limbs reaches 30 cm.

It contains the toxin TX2-6, which helps increase erection in males. And although there is no cure for erectile dysfunction using it yet, developments in this direction are still underway. It is likely that the world will soon learn about a new cure for impotence.

As you can see, a wandering spider is an interesting object for detailed study, but if you happen to encounter one in the wild, it is better to avoid the predator without putting yourself in danger.

Runner, banana, wanderer... these are not just a bunch of words. This is the name of one of the most dangerous spiders in the world, which is capable of taking a person’s life in less than an hour. The Brazilian soldier spider is one of the most common names for a deadly poisonous spider that keeps residents of Central and South America at bay. Recognized by the Guinness Book of Records as the most dangerous and poisonous of the spider family.

What death looks like and how it lives

The spider once ranked first in the world in terms of danger, but now the Brazilian soldier spider is on the throne. This is a very active and aggressive animal, which, unlike its relatives, does not weave webs, does not live in the same place for a long time, but loves to travel.

Its color also varies depending on its habitat, but, as a rule, it is the color of sandy soil, which allows for excellent camouflage. The area next to the chelicerae is colored red, this helps to first attract and then intimidate the enemy. The size of the spider can reach 15 centimeters, along with the span of its large legs.

During the daytime, he often sits under stones and logs, waiting for night to come when he feels more comfortable. Wandering all day long, the soldier spider sometimes wanders into people's homes and can hide in their clothes scattered on the floor, in shoes, climb into boxes or something similar. This spider loves to hide in banana boxes, which is why it is often called the “banana” spider; sometimes it can even snack on the bananas themselves.

If the spider encounters an enemy, it raises its front legs and places its body vertically, exposing its red “zone” next to the chelicerae.

What does a predator eat?

Sometimes, but very rarely, with bananas, while living in banana boxes, more often with various insects. But this spider has the reputation of an aggressive predator also because it can easily attack something small or even if they are larger than it.

Spider – soldier and man

Like most animals, even the most dangerous and aggressive ones, the Brazilian soldier spider will not be the first to rush into battle; it attacks and bites only in case of danger to life.

As noted earlier, due to its inconspicuous appearance and great love of “playing hide and seek” in people’s houses and belongings, encounters with this spider are very frequent and sometimes end, alas, very sadly. According to various sources, the bite of a soldier spider leads to fatal outcome in 85% of cases. Its venom is incredibly toxic, causing paralysis of all muscles, resulting in a person dying from suffocation. There is an antidote that is no less toxic than the poison itself.

Despite all the negative aspects, scientists have found that the venom of the Brazilian soldier spider can have a positive effect on sex life men. The toxin contained in the poison can cure impotence, and in this moment Scientists are studying how to combine the toxin with existing drugs in order to effectively and safely treat male ailments.

Let's talk about the Brazilian spider. He is among the top dangerous insects planets. The word wandering is added to its name and for good reason. This spider, unlike the others, does not weave a web, but is on a constant journey, that is, it wanders.

You can only meet him in America, where he lives not only in the tropics, but can often be a resident of houses and outbuildings. Why is it special and what threat does it pose to humans?

The assassin spider (phoneutria) is a very fast and aggressive representative of its genus.

The Brazilian has two types: jumping and running, but they are all equally poisonous. What does he look like?

Spider appearance

An individual of this type of spider is very large, sometimes its dimensions reach 10 cm in length. The size of the head and chest are small, in contrast to its belly, which is very thick, since the spider feeds a lot.

The legs are very massive, covered with hair, which makes it look most menacing. Color changes depending on the habitat. Sometimes it can be dark brown, sometimes with the addition of green specks, or brown with reddish hues.

Another feature by which you can easily determine that this particular spider is in front of you is its method of protection, which also determines its type. When threatened by the environment, he takes a very interesting position, stands on his hind legs and raises his front legs up. During such a ritual, he swings from side to side, his chelicerae (jaw apparatus) become crimson-red.

Reproduction and life cycle

It is often found in nature that female insects are larger than the male, and this is also the case with spiders. After mating, the female can eat the male, but some species live in families, in one nest, and since the Brazilian constantly wanders, it sometimes happens that the male spider ends up being the victim.

In adult representatives, the mating dance looks very interesting. The male offers the caught food to the female, who cannot resist and freezes. At this time, mating occurs.

After a few weeks, the female lays eggs in a cocoon and guards it until young nymphs emerge, who then independently disperse throughout the tropics and wander in search of food in order to grow to large sizes.

Diet

During constant movement, the spider looks for prey, which can be insects, small spiders, and even attacks tropical frogs, birds and lizards.

The arthropod received its name “banana” for its special passion for fruits. Because of this, the spider can often be found in boxes of bananas prepared for export. Thus, it can be imported into another country.

But the basis of the diet is still meat. Once inside, the poison turns the insides into a broth, which is subsequently sucked out by the insect.

Lifestyle

The soldier spider, so called for the way it raises its front legs up, is a nocturnal resident, that is, during the daytime it hides in a cool place. Such a place could be a snag or a stone (on the ground). Having seen its prey, the spider makes itself known with lightning speed. At night the insect wanders.

When attacking small animals, it sinks its jaws and injects poison into the body, which paralyzes the animal in a couple of seconds. If an insect manages to enter the house, it immediately hides.

Its storage can be shoes, clothes, hats. And therefore, people may suffer due to their illiteracy, that is, not checking items of clothing before putting them on.

Habitat

Its habitat is the tropics and subtropics of South America. They prefer a terrestrial location, but often climb tree trunks and hide in thick, damp foliage.

In Russia, such a representative of wildlife has not been recorded, but you still should not be careful. There is a replacement for him, which is not inferior in danger - this is a black widow.

Danger to humans

The poison of the Brazilian representative of arthropods poses a mortal danger to humans.

It contains a neurotoxin that, when released into the human bloodstream, causes the following symptoms:

• dizziness;
• increased blood pressure;
• increased body temperature and fever;
• attacks of suffocation followed by respiratory arrest;
• numbness of the limbs;
• complete atrophy of muscle mass.

The poison is most dangerous for males, the reasons for this are unclear. They experience a painful erection that lasts for a long time.

If you manage to meet a banana spider, then having bitten once, it does not try to escape, but strives to do it again. Once in the child's blood, the neurotoxin causes a severe allergic reaction, in which in some cases the child cannot be saved, even without being taken to the nearest emergency room.

And since South American countries are not very rich in experienced medical workers, and some settlements do not see them at all, then an antidote not administered in time will take a person’s life.

Important! The insect does not attack the victim on its own. This happens in the case of self-defense. For example, if you put on a shoe that has a spider in it and thereby crush it, then it is not surprising that it will bite you. Therefore, caution is needed here.

An interesting fact from a traveling American who describes the symptoms of a spider bite. The incident occurred in 1998. While sorting bananas into boxes, he was accidentally bitten by a soldier spider. It looked like this: as if a long, sharp dagger had been stuck into my hand.

My hand immediately swelled and my head began to spin. His heartbeat increased to such an extent that he felt like it would burst out. My breathing stopped and spasms appeared. The doctors were in the right place and on time, they injected him with an antidote, which caused the American to get back on his feet the very next day.

Time from bite to death

This concept is very vague, since it is impossible to define this period of time with the same name, it all depends on resistance human body and the immune system.

Video: Spider Danger

If you believe the stories of travelers, this time can be 30 minutes if the bite occurs on a small child. And a little longer if an adult was bitten. Not every time there is a doctor nearby with an antidote, so an encounter with a spider can end tragically.

Lethal dose of poison

It is believed that one bite and an injected portion of a toxic substance is enough to cause death. During a bite, a person may not feel the injection of poison, but after a second the skin begins to burn, the poison enters the lymph and blood. In 80% of cases, you are guaranteed to go into cardiac arrest.

If you determine the amount of poison that is needed to kill your victim, then it is as follows: for a small rodent, 6 mcg directly into the blood is enough and a little more, about 130 mcg under the skin. You can calculate the dose for humans, given that the average weight of a rodent is about 50 grams.

Antidote

Today, medical scientists have nevertheless developed an antidote against the venom of the Brazilian wandering insect.

Obtaining it is a very difficult process, but still it helps many. Due to the presence of antivenom, mortality from bites is reduced. According to statistics, it is 3%.

Conclusion

To summarize the whole story, we note that the spider causes danger if it itself senses danger from environment, he himself will not attack first. This must be remembered whenever you encounter an arthropod, be it a Brazilian spider or another poisonous spider.

But there are real extreme sports enthusiasts in exotic breeding. And the Brazilian spider is their favorite pet, which is kept in glass terrariums.

Video: Brazilian Wandering Spider

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Animals of Brazil - Brazilian spiders

Brazilian wandering (banana) spider - aranha armadeira

Brazilian wandering spider (Phoneutria). Brazilian name of the animal: aranha armadeira, aranha de bananeira(aranha armadeira, aranha de bananeira) - armed spider or banana spider. The Brazilian wandering spider has a body size of 3.5-5 cm, and a leg span of 10-15 cm.

The Brazilian wandering spider lives in the foliage, banana trees and inside houses. This spider is very aggressive and poisonous (one bite can kill a rat). The venom of the Brazilian wandering spider is dangerous to humans. Its bite is very painful and causes a lot of anxiety. For treatment, a serum is used - antiaracnidico, previously tested for an antiallergic reaction.

Brazilian tarantula spider - tarantula

Brazilian tarantula (Lycosa). Brazilian name for the animal: tarantula. In Brazil, the tarantula is also known as aranha de jardim (garden spider) and aranha de grama (grain spider). The Brazilian tarantula spider measures between 3 and 5 with its legs folded.

Brazilian tarantulas, like all spiders of this species, are distinguished by cannibalism, that is, they feed on other spiders. Tarantula is one of the most poisonous spiders. A tarantula bite causes great pain and necrosis of the bitten area. There is no specific treatment against bites.

Brazilian brown spider - aranha marrom

Brazilian brown spider (Loxosceles). The Brazilian name for the animal is aranha marrom. The Brazilian brown spider has a body of less than 1 cm and long and thin legs.

The Brazilian brown spider hunts at night and during the day sits under old tree bark, palm leaves or behind furniture in homes, and is also often found in garages. The spider is very dangerous. The bite of a brown spider is almost invisible. 12 hours after the bite, severe pain, fever and loss of consciousness begin. Treatment for a Brazilian brown spider bite is antiloxoscelico serum. The brown spider is especially active in the summer.

Brazilian crab spider - caranguejeira

Brazilian crab spider (Grammostola). The Brazilian name for the animal is caranguejeira. The Brazilian crab spider is a very large, hairy spider. The average size of a spider is 20 cm.

The crab spider leads a nocturnal, solitary lifestyle. Eats insects and small animals. The bite of the Brazilian crab spider does not contain poison, but its powerful fangs bite very painfully. The bite site should be lubricated with antihistamine ointment. The crab spider lives in the Amazon and some other parts of Brazil.

Animals of Brazil - Brazilian scorpions

Brazilian black scorpion - escorpiao preto

Black scorpion (Tityus bahiensis). The Brazilian name for the animal is escorpiao preto. The black scorpion is found in western and central Brazil. This Brazilian scorpion is approximately 6 cm in size, dark in color with brown spots (sometimes called the "brown scorpion"). A black scorpion bite is very painful and can be treated with anti-scorpion or anti-spider serum. Black scorpion stings in rural areas rank first among all scorpion sting cases in Brazil.

Brazilian yellow scorpion - escorpiao amarelo

Yellow scorpion (Tityus serrulatus). The Brazilian name for the animal is escorpiao amarelo. The yellow scorpion is characteristic of southeastern Brazil. This Brazilian scorpion measures approximately 6 cm.

Yellow scorpions are nocturnal. During the day they hide under trees, stones or in dark places at home. The sting of a yellow scorpion is very painful. Anti-bite serums - antiescorpionico or antiaracnidico or other polyvalent serums. Yellow scorpion stings in urban areas rank first among all scorpion sting cases in Brazil. Over the past 25 years, the number of yellow scorpions in Brazilian cities has increased significantly, and more people are being stung.

Other animals of Brazil -

Photographs used in preparing the material: http://www.fiocruz.br, http://www.bbc.co.uk, http://www.escorpiao.vet.br and http://www.ufrrj.br

Brazilian wandering spiders are the most venomous spiders on the planet. They belong to the genus Phoneutria, which consists of several species of spiders. Several of these species, including Phoneutria nigriventer, Phoneutria keyserlingi and Phoneutria fera are called Brazilian wandering spiders.

The term "Brazilian wandering spider" actually refers not only to one spider, but to a number of extremely venomous spider species found primarily in Southern (especially Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Suriname, Peru and Guyana) and Central America. They belong to the genus Phoneutria, which is a member of the venomous spider family Ctenidae.

The Brazilian wandering spider is a very poisonous and aggressive spider. It is also known as the "banana" spider (because these spiders are often found in bunches of bananas). The Brazilian wandering spider "wanders" on the ground in the jungle, rather than living in a burrow or building a web.

Species of Brazilian wandering spiders

According to the integrated taxonomic information system Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS), the venomous spider genus Ctenidae contains the following species of Brazilian wandering spiders: Phoneutria fera, Phoneutria nigriventer, Phoneutria bahiensis, Phoneutria boliviensis, Phoneutria eickstedtae, Phoneutria keyserlingi, Phoneutria pertyi and Phoneutria reidyi.

All types of Brazilian wandering spiders mainly Brown, are hairy and have a black spot on their belly. These spiders reach large sizes, with a leg span of about 15 cm and a body size of up to 5 cm.

These spiders are nocturnal hunters, so they spend most of the day hiding in crevices or under logs and come out at night to hunt. They feed on insects, small reptiles, amphibians, mice and other smaller spiders.

Brazilian wandering spider - bite and its consequences.

A Brazilian wandering spider bite can cause full-blown poisoning or be limited to a few painful punctures in the skin. The two most famous and dangerous species wandering spiders are Phoneutria fera and Phoneutria nigriventer.

Brazilian wandering spiders are known for their aggressiveness, as well as their highly venomous bite. However, it is interesting that this behavior is actually a defense mechanism.

When threatened or attacked, they raise their first two pairs of legs, signaling to their predators that they are ready to attack. Their biting is thus an act of self-defense, and they only do so when provoked, either accidentally or intentionally.

If you find yourself in a situation where you are bitten by one of these spiders, you may experience symptoms such as sweating, goosebumps, and severe burning pain at the site of the bite.

Within 30 minutes or so, an irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia) occurs, blood pressure increases, abdominal cramps occur, body temperature drops below normal, nausea, dizziness, blurred vision and seizures begin.

If you are bitten by a wandering spider, you should immediately seek medical attention from an appropriate facility, regardless of whether there are initial symptoms. This is very important as the poison can threaten your life.

The venom of these spiders is a complex cocktail of toxins, peptides and proteins that affects ion channels and chemical receptors in the neuromuscular system of the victims.

It so happens that the venom that the Brazilian spider Phoneutria nigriventer injects into its prey contains several toxic polypeptide fractions. Some of them have been purified and shown to contain the very potent neurotoxin PhTx-3 and six neurotoxic peptides (Tx3-1-Tx3-6).

The experiment showed that PhTx3 and one of the named peptides, TX3-3, act as calcium channel blockers, reducing its amount. A decrease in the amount of calcium affects the entry of glutamate3 and acetylcholine2 into the rat brain.

Speaking in simple words, the venom of Brazilian wandering spiders affects brain function and disorients the victim.

Phoneutria is very interesting spiders, but to keep them in captivity, you need a lot of experience in keeping very fast and aggressive spiders. If not, then it is better to stay away from this species because of their dangerous poison. They are easy to keep and unpretentious in food, but require reasonable and respectful treatment.