Goliath birdeater

Theraphosa blondi · The Goliath birdeater is a huge tarantula that lives in northern South America and is the largest spider in the world by mass and body length.

Also called Goliath bird-eating spider, Goliath birdeater tarantula.

Goliath birdeater
Photo: Bernard DUPONT from FRANCE, CC BY-SA 2.0
Goliath birdeater
Photo: Syrio, CC BY-SA 4.0
Goliath birdeater
Photo: Bernard DUPONT from FRANCE, CC BY-SA 2.0

Taxonomy

KingdomAnimalia
PhylumArthropoda
ClassArachnida
OrderAraneae
FamilyTheraphosidae
GenusTheraphosa
SpeciesTheraphosa blondi

Where it lives

Swampy rainforests of northern Brazil, Venezuela and the Guianas.

Fun facts

  • Despite its name, this spider rarely eats birds; the name comes from an old engraving showing one eating a hummingbird.
  • When threatened, it rubs its abdomen with its hind legs and flicks off hairs that badly irritate skin and mucous membranes.
  • Its fangs are 2–4 cm long, big enough to break human skin, but its venom is about as harmless as a wasp sting.
  • It drags its prey back to its burrow, liquefies the insides, and sucks it dry.

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Facts and taxonomy adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).