Goliath birdeater

File:Goliath birdeater.jpg

These spiders can have a leg span of up to {{Convert|30|cm|abbr=on}},{{Cite web|date=2018-12-17|title=Goliath Birdeater|url=https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/invertebrates/g/goliath-birdeater/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200511105403/https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/invertebrates/g/goliath-birdeater/|url-status=dead|archive-date=May 11, 2020|access-date=2020-12-04|website=Animals|language=en}} a body length of up to {{Convert|13|cm|abbr=on}}, and can weigh up to {{Convert|175|g|abbr=on}}.[http://www.arkive.org/goliath-bird-eating-spider/theraphosa-blondi/#text=Facts Goliath Bird-Eating Spider] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160416024224/http://www.arkive.org/goliath-bird-eating-spider/theraphosa-blondi/#text=Facts |date=2016-04-16 }}, Arkive Birdeaters are one of the few tarantula species that lack tibial spurs, located on the first pair of legs of most adult males. They are mostly tan to light brown and golden-hued.{{Citation needed|date=January 2021}}

Unlike other species of spider/tarantula, females rarely eat the males during mating. Females mature in 3–6 years and have an average lifespan of 15 to 25 years. Males die soon after maturity and have a lifespan of three to six years. Colors range from dark to light brown with faint markings on the legs. Bird-eaters have hair on their bodies, abdomens, and legs. The female lays 100 to 200 eggs, which hatch into spiderlings within 6–8 weeks.{{Cite web|url=https://www.spidersworlds.com/goliath-bird-eater-spider/|title=Goliath Bird-Eater Spider|website=Spiders Worlds|date=26 February 2014 |access-date=11 November 2018}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/goliath_bird_eating_spider.htm|title=Goliath Bird Eating Spider|date=2003|website=Blue Planet Biomes|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180719203448/http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/goliath_bird_eating_spider.htm|archive-date=19 July 2018|url-status=dead|access-date=11 November 2018}}

In response to threats, Goliath birdeaters stridulate by rubbing setae on their pedipalps and legs.{{cite journal|last1=Perez-Miles|first1=Fernando|last2=Montes de Oca|first2=Laura|last3=Postiglioni|first3=Rodrigo|last4=Costa|first4=Fernando G.|date=December 2005|title=The stridulatory setae of Acanthoscurria suina (Araneae, Theraphosidae) and their possible role in sexual communication: an experimental approach|url=http://www.scielo.br/pdf/isz/v95n4/29092.pdf|journal=Iheringia, Série Zoologia|volume=95|issue=4|pages=365–371|doi=10.1590/S0073-47212005000400004|doi-access=free}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.livescience.com/56525-goliath-birdeater-spider-photos.html|title=Goliath Birdeater: Images of a Colossal Spider|last=Lewis|first=Tanya|date=18 October 2016|website=Live Science|access-date=20 February 2017}} Also, when threatened they rub their abdomen with their hind legs and release hairs that are a severe irritant to the skin and mucous membranes. These urticating hairs can be harmful to humans.

Like all tarantulas, T. blondi spiders have fangs large enough ({{convert|2|–|4|cm|in|abbr=on|disp=x| or }}) to break the skin of a human. They carry venom in their fangs and have been known to bite when threatened, but the venom is relatively harmless and its effects are comparable to those of a wasp's sting. Tarantulas generally bite humans only in self-defense, and these bites do not always result in envenomation (known as a "dry bite”).{{Cite web |date=2018-12-18 |title=Goliath birdeater facts |url=https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/invertebrates/facts/goliath-birdeater |access-date=2024-08-19 |website=Animals |language=en}}

File:T. Blondi molt - magnified close up.jpg

Despite its name, the Goliath birdeater only rarely actually preys on birds; in the wild, its diet consists primarily of other large arthropods, worms, and amphibians.{{Cite web|url=https://www.livescience.com/48340-goliath-birdeater-surprises-scientist.html|title=Goliath Encounter: Puppy-Sized Spider Surprises Scientist in Rainforest|last=Lewis|first=Tanya|date=17 October 2014|work=Live Science|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171124005835/https://www.livescience.com/48340-goliath-birdeater-surprises-scientist.html|archive-date=24 November 2017|url-status=live}} However, because of its size and opportunistic predatory behavior, this species commonly kills and consumes a variety of insects and small terrestrial vertebrates. They do not consume their prey in the open; rather, they drag it back to their burrow and begin the digesting process. They do this by liquefying the insides of their prey and proceed to suck it dry.National Geographic In the wild, T. blondi has been observed feeding on rodents, frogs, toads, lizards, and even snakes.{{cite journal|last1=Menin|first1=Marcelo|last2=Rodrigues|first2=Domingos De Jesus|last3=de Azevedo|first3=Clarissa Salette|date=October 2005|title=Predation on amphibians by spiders (Arachnida, Araneae) in the Neotropical region|journal=Phyllomedusa|volume=4|issue=1|pages=39–47|doi=10.11606/issn.2316-9079.v4i1p39-47|issn=1519-1397|doi-access=free|s2cid=1825594 }}

The Goliath birdeater is native to the upland rainforest regions of Northern South America: Suriname, Guyana, French Guiana, northern Brazil, eastern Colombia, and southern Venezuela. Most noticeable in the Amazon rainforest, the spider is terrestrial, living in deep burrows, and is found commonly in marshy or swampy areas. It is a nocturnal species.{{cite journal|last=Striffler|first=Boris F.|date=November 2005|title=Life history of Goliath Birdeaters – Theraphosa apophysis and Theraphosa blondi (Araneae, Theraphosidae, Theraphosinae)|url=http://tarantulas.tropica.ru/Striffler%282005%29Theraphosa_spp_BTS_%20J_21_1.pdf|journal=Journal of the British Tarantula Society|volume=21|issue=1|pages=26–33|issn=0962-449X|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131206024951/http://tarantulas.tropica.ru/Striffler(2005)Theraphosa_spp_BTS_%20J_21_1.pdf|archive-date=6 December 2013|access-date=10 September 2013}}

The Goliath birdeater is an edible spider. The spider is part of the local cuisine in northeastern South America, prepared by singeing off the urticating hairs and roasting it in banana leaves. The flavor has been described as "shrimp-like".{{Cite web|url=https://blog.nationalgeographic.org/2014/10/20/puppy-size-tarantula-found-explaining-worlds-biggest-spider/|title=Puppy-Size Tarantula Found: Explaining World's Biggest Spider|last=Dell'Amore|first=Christine|date=20 October 2014|website=National Geographic Blog|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181215014240/https://blog.nationalgeographic.org/2014/10/20/puppy-size-tarantula-found-explaining-worlds-biggest-spider/|archive-date=15 December 2018|url-status=dead}}

• TLTx, a toxin found in Goliath birdeater venom
• Giant huntsman spider, largest known spider in the world by leg span
• Mongolarachne jurassica, the largest known fossilised spider

{{Reflist|30em}}

{{Commons category|Theraphosa blondi}}

{{Wikispecies|Theraphosa blondi}}

• {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131031034832/http://www.care-sheet.com/index/Theraphosa_blondi |date=October 31, 2013 |title=Caring for your Goliath Bird Eating Tarantula }}
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20140307170709/http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/tarantula_goliath Video of the Goliath birdeater at National Geographic]
• [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5oM3NCf05M&t=225s Video of the Goliath birdeater being hunted by children]

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Category:Theraphosidae

Category:Spiders of Brazil

Category:Spiders of French Guiana

Category:Spiders of Suriname

Category:Spiders of Venezuela

Category:Fauna of the Amazon

Category:Edible spiders