Spider is one of the most terrible creatures on Earth. Any person suffering from arachnophobia will confirm this to you. Perhaps you will say: what can be scary in such a small creature? And I will answer you with a question to the question: "in what is so small?" Look at the largest spider in the world, and find out where he lives so you can plan your vacation away from this place.
10. Wall tegenaria (Cerbalus Aravaensis) - body 3 cm, leg span 14 cm
Where he lives: in the desert dunes of Wadi al-Arabs in southern Israel and Jordan.
This is the smallest arachnid in our collection, and one of the largest spiders on Earth.
Dehydration and tanning are not the only threats you will encounter if you find yourself in the hot sand dunes of the Wadi al-Arab desert. After all, this is the home of the largest hunter spider in the Middle East. He creates his lair in the sand, and goes "on business" at night. Scientists do not believe that wall tegenaria is highly toxic, but none of them tested this hypothesis.
9. Brazilian wandering spider (Phoneutria fera) - body 10 cm, foot span 7 cm
Where he lives: in South and Central America.
Not the biggest spider on the list, but the most dangerous. This furry banana lover even got into the Guinness Book of Records in 2010 as the most poisonous spider in the world. Guinness does not have a category for the most aggressive spiders, otherwise the Brazilian spider would fall into it. In this regard, he is very close to the most poisonous snake in the world, who is also not famous for her meek character.
When there are no bananas nearby, the eight-legged Brazilian eats mice, lizards and large insects. To kill a 20 gram mouse spider, it is enough to inject it with 6 μg of poison intravenously and 134 μg subcutaneously. For comparison: a black widow for the same purpose would require 110 micrograms and 200 micrograms of poison, respectively.
The poison of a Brazilian wandering spider is very dangerous, and can kill a person in two hours. It can also cause a four-hour, painful erection in men. So in the future, this dangerous arthropod may possibly serve science as a treatment for erectile dysfunction.
8. Camel Spider (Solfigae) - body 5-7 cm, leg span 12-15 cm
Where he lives: in any warm desert area. You are safe (from this spider) in Australia. He was never seen in Antarctica if that helps you.
This spider, also known as the salpuga, got its unofficial name for eating camels for breakfast. Do not believe it? And rightly so. He was nicknamed "camel" for the "humps" on his head. According to other information, a frightened spider jumps high enough and can grab with its powerful chelicera (jaws) into what is above it. In the desert, this often leads to the groin of a camel.
The jaws of the salpugi are so strong that they can even pierce the human nail. In the video with the largest spiders in the world, the salpegs look most menacing, especially when you look at their jaw from the side. The teeth and cutting edge are clearly visible on it.
The good news is this spider is not poisonous. The bad news is that if he bites you, rotting food debris can get into the wound, and this can lead to serious inflammation.
7. Hercules Baboon Spider - body size from 7 to 9 cm, leg span up to 20 cm
Where he lives: in African countries such as Niger, Benin, Ghana, Cameroon and Nigeria.
The only known specimen of a Herculean baboon was caught in Nigeria about a hundred years ago and is housed in the Natural History Museum in London. It got its name from the habit of eating baboons (a joke). In fact, this spider is named after the similarity between its legs and the fingers of the baboon. Since no one has seen this spider for a long time, there is an assumption that it has disappeared from the face of the Earth. In a more optimistic version, he can lead life underground, away from human eyes.
A close relative of the Herculean baboon, the royal spider baboon (Pelinobius muticus) lives in East Africa, and another related subfamily - Harpactirinae - is famous for its aggressive and unpredictable behavior and strong poison.
6. Ornamental tarantula rajai (Poecilotheria rajaei) - body 8 cm, limb span up to 20 cm
Where he lives: on old trees or in old buildings in Sri Lanka and in India.
Tarantulas live not only in Central and South America. A huge tarantula the size of a person’s face adapted to deforestation in Sri Lanka, and moved to abandoned buildings. He likes to eat birds, lizards, rodents and even snakes.
This species was discovered relatively recently, in 2009. And its name Poecilotheria rajaei received in honor of the policeman Michael Rajakumar Purajah, who guarded scientists during their expedition.
5. Colombian giant tarantula (Megaphobema robustum) - body 8 cm, paw span up to 20 cm
Where he lives: in the tropical forests of Brazil and Colombia.
This member of the tarantula family eats mice, lizards and large insects, so you can use it to control domestic pests. It is rarely imported into Russia, and any collector-arachnophile dreams of getting a handsome Colombian to himself.
On the hind legs of this species there are spikes with which the spider attacks and fights off enemies. He is not aggressive towards a person, but can bite on occasion. The venom of a Colombian giant tarantula is not fatal, but there is a risk of an allergic reaction. In a word, this is not the most suitable pet.
4. Brazilian black tarantula (Grammostola anthracina) - body 16-18 cm, paw span 7-10 cm
Where he lives: in Uruguay, Paraguay, Brazil and Argentina.
Be sure to visit South America if you are looking for huge spiders. Gramostol anthracin - one of the types of tarantulas, which is very popular because of its beautiful black "wool" with a metallic sheen. He is unlikely to bite you if you do not forget to feed him cockroaches or crickets. However, the long hairs on the legs and torso of a Brazilian tarantula can cause irritation in contact with human skin.
3. Horse spider (Lasiodora parahybana) - body 8-10 cm, paw span up to 25 cm
Where he lives: in the forests of Brazil. This is a popular pet, so you can see them in pet stores and possibly in a neighbor’s apartment.
The third of the largest spiders in the world easily reproduces in captivity and is considered obedient. However, if provoked, a horse spider can bite, not too dangerous, but rather painful. Also, these animals have a “cute” habit in combing burning hair in danger. Therefore, do not bring the spider close to your eyes.
2. Giant hunter spider (Heteropoda maxima) - body 4.6 cm, paw span from 25 to 30 cm
Where he lives: only in the caves of Laos, but huge hunter spiders similar to him live in all the warm and moderately warm regions of the planet.
While the Goliath tarantula (number one on the list) is considered the most massive spider on Earth, the giant hunter spider has longer legs. Their scope reaches from 25 to 30 centimeters.
These spiders are dangerous not only for their natural enemies, but also for humans. After their bite, hospitalization may be required. If you live in a warm climate and have heard a rhythmic ticking sound similar to the ticking of a quartz watch, know: somewhere nearby is the male Heteropoda maxima. And if you're not a female giant spider, you better run.
1. Goliath tarantula (Theraphosa blondi) - trunk 10.4 cm, paw span up to 28 cm
Where he lives: in burrows in tropical forests and swamps of the northern part of South America.
Here it is, the largest spider in the world. In the photo, he looks intimidating, and not without reason. Goliath tarantula is one of the varieties of the tarantula. Blond teraphosis can bite a person with its huge fangs (1-2 cm), and its poison is comparable in pain and general effect with wasp venom.
The spiky hairs of this gigantic “fluff” pose a great threat, since they can remain on the skin and in the eyes of a person, causing itching and irritation for several days.
One of Theraphosa blondi was even lucky enough to get into the Guinness Book of Records as the largest representative of his species. The paw span of this specimen, caught in Venezuela in 1965, was 28 centimeters.
As its name suggests, this spider sometimes eats small birds such as hummingbirds. But he himself can turn from a hunter into a tasty prey. People who live in the habitat of Goliath tarantulas catch and eat them (they taste like shrimp).
And finally, an interesting fact: Spider males have specialized appendages that are used to create the sounds necessary for protection and sexual communication. The biggest spiders make sounds loud enough for people to hear. So if you hear a strange sound in the night, maybe there is a sexually preoccupied spider somewhere nearby.
