Huntsman spider

Sparassids are eight-eyed spiders. The eyes appear in two largely forward-facing rows of four on the anterior aspect of the prosoma. Many species grow very large – in Laos, male giant huntsman spiders (Heteropoda maxima) attain a legspan of {{convert|25–30|cm}}. People unfamiliar with spider taxonomy commonly confuse large species with tarantulas, but huntsman spiders can generally be identified by their legs, which, rather than being jointed vertically relative to the body, are twisted in such a way that in some attitudes the legs extend forward in a crab-like fashion.{{cite web |title=Huntsman Spiders |url=https://australian.museum/learn/animals/spiders/huntsman-spiders/ |access-date=2023-09-29 |website=The Australian Museum }} It is also commonly confused for a brown recluse spider, due to their shared coloring. However, brown recluse venom is significantly dangerous to humans, while that of the huntsman spider is less so.{{Cite web |title=details |url=http://www.tsusinvasives.org/home/database/heteropoda-venatoria |access-date=2023-09-29 |website=www.tsusinvasives.org}}

On their upper surfaces the main colours of huntsman spiders are inconspicuous shades of brown or grey, but many species have undersides more or less aposematically marked in black-and-white.{{cite web | url=https://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/urban/spiders/giant_crab_spider.htm | title=Huntsman spider - Heteropoda venatoria (Linnaeus) }} Their legs bear fairly prominent spines, but the rest of their bodies are smoothly furry. They tend to live under rocks, bark and similar shelters, but human encounters are common in sheds, garages and other infrequently-disturbed places. The banded huntsman (Holconia) is large, grey to brown with striped bands on its legs. The badge huntsman (Neosparassus) is larger still, brown and hairy. The tropical or brown huntsman (Heteropoda) is also large and hairy, with mottled brown, white and black markings. The eyesight of these spiders is not as good as that of the Salticidae (jumping spiders). Nevertheless, their vision is quite sufficient to detect approaching humans or other large animals from some distance.

File:Sparassidae Palystes superciliosus Male Ventral Aspect 0110s.jpg|Palystes superciliosus, ventral aspect, showing aposematic coloration, plus typically masculine gracile build and clavate pedipalps armed with mating spurs

File:Huntsman spider with meal.jpg|A huntsman spider consuming a small beetle

File:Huntsman Spider feeding Grasshopper.jpg|A female Heteropoda venatoria consuming a katydid

File:Huntsman spider on log.jpg|Adult social huntsman Delena cancerides on the underside of a log in Victoria, Australia

File:Olios argelasius MHNT.jpg|Olios argelasius

File:Huntsman spider (Sparassidae sp.) Ankasa.jpg|Unidentified species in Ghana

They can be distinguished from other spider families by their appearance, as other spiders similar to them are smaller in size. They are often confused for tarantulas due to their hairy nature, but can easily be distinguished by their laterigrade legs, similar to those of crabs. Members of this family are also typically less bulky than tarantulas. They possess two claws, as is the case for most spiders that actively hunt their prey.{{Cite web |title=Family Sparassidae - Giant Crab Spiders |url=https://bugguide.net/node/view/6928 |access-date=2022-08-09 |website=bugguide.net}} If this is not enough to fully identify them, they also possess eight eyes divided into two regular rows.{{Cite book |last=Bradley |first=Richard A. |title=Common Spiders of North America |date=2012-12-18 |chapter=FAMILY SPARASSIDAE • Huntsman Spiders, Giant Crab Spiders |page=212 |chapter-url=https://academic.oup.com/california-scholarship-online/book/28633/chapter/232588327 |language=en |doi=10.1525/california/9780520274884.003.0057|isbn=9780520274884 }}

On average, a huntsman spider's leg-span can reach up to {{convert|15|cm|in|round=|abbr=on}}, while their bodies measure about {{convert|1.8|cm|in|1|abbr=on}} long.{{cite web|url=https://www.livescience.com/65746-possum-eating-spider-australia.html|title=Huntsman Spider Devours Possum in Viral (and Terrifying) Photos|date=19 June 2019|publisher=livescience.com}} Like most spiders,{{cite journal |last1=Foelix |first1=Rainer |last2=Erb |first2=Bruno |title=Mesothelae have venom glands |journal=Journal of Arachnology |volume=38 |issue=3 |year=2010 |pages=596–598 |issn=0161-8202 |doi=10.1636/B10-30.1 |s2cid=85870366 |url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/part/229262 }} Sparassidae use venom to immobilize prey.

There have been reports of members of various genera such as Palystes,{{cite book |last1=D'Ewes |first1=Dudley |title=Wayward naturalist |chapter=Chapter 12 |publisher=Howard Timmins |location=Cape Town |year=1967 |oclc=457367 }}{{page needed|date=October 2016}} Neosparassus, and several others inflicting severe bites on humans. The effects vary, including local swelling and pain, nausea, headache, vomiting, irregular pulse rate, and heart palpitations, indicating some systemic neurotoxin effects, especially when the bites were severe or repeated. However, the formal study of spider bites is fraught with complications, including unpredictable infections, dry bites, shock, nocebo effects, and even bite misdiagnosis by medical professionals and specimen misidentification by the general public.{{Cite web |date=2019-10-16 |title=Spider bites: Identification and treatment |url=https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/311615 |access-date=2024-09-19 |website=www.medicalnewstoday.com |language=en}}

It is not always clear what provokes Sparassidae to attack and bite humans and animals, but it is known that female members of this family will aggressively defend their egg-sacs and young against perceived threats. Bites from sparassids usually do not require hospital treatment.{{cite news |last1=McCulloch |first1=Sharon |title=Huntsman Spider Bite – How dangerous are they? |url=https://www.firstaidpro.com.au/blog/huntsman-spider-bite-how-dangerous |access-date=7 February 2025 |work=First Aid Pro}}

Males of the huntsman spider Heteropoda venatoria have recently been found to deliberately make a substrate-borne sound when they detect a chemical (pheromone) left by a nearby female of their species. The males anchor themselves firmly to the surface onto which they have crawled and then use their legs to transmit vibrations from their bodies to the surface. Most of the sound emitted is produced by strong vibrations of the abdomen. The characteristic frequency of vibration and the pattern of bursts of sound identify them to females of their species, who will approach if they are interested in mating. This sound can often be heard as a rhythmic ticking, somewhat like a quartz clock, which fades in and out and can be heard by human ears in a relatively quiet environment.{{cite journal |last1=Rovner |first1=Jerome S. |year=1980 |title=Vibration in Heteropoda venatoria (Sparassidae): A Third Method of Sound Production in Spiders |journal= The Journal of Arachnology |volume=8 |issue=2 |pages= 193–200 |jstor=3705191 }}

{{main|List of Sparassidae species}}

File:Huntsman spider discarding its old exoskeleton.jpg (lower) extricating itself from its old exoskeleton (upper).]]

{{as of|2022|12}}, the World Spider Catalog accepted the following genera:{{cite web| title=Family: Sparassidae Bertkau, 1872| website=World Spider Catalog| access-date=2021-03-18| publisher=Natural History Museum Bern| url=http://www.wsc.nmbe.ch/family/90}}

{{div col|colwidth=30em}}

• Adcatomus Karsch, 1880 — Venezuela, Peru
• Anaptomecus Simon, 1903 — Central America, South America
• Anchonastus Simon, 1898 — Cameroon, Congo
• Arandisa Lawrence, 1938 — Namibia
• Barylestis Simon, 1910 — Africa, Asia, Europe
• Beregama Hirst, 1990 — Australia, Papua New Guinea
• Berlandia Lessert, 1921 — East Africa
• Bhutaniella Jäger, 2000 — Asia
• Borniella Grall & Jäger, 2022 — Borneo
• Caayguara Rheims, 2010 — Brazil
• Carparachne Lawrence, 1962 — Namibia
• Cebrennus Simon, 1880 — Africa, Asia, Malta
• Cerbalus Simon, 1897 — Israel, Jordan, Egypt
• Chrosioderma Simon, 1897 — Madagascar
• Clastes Walckenaer, 1837 — Indonesia, Papua New Guinea
• Curicaberis Rheims, 2015 — North America, Central America, Brazil
• Damastes Simon, 1880 — Madagascar, Mozambique, Seychelles
• Decaphora Franganillo, 1931 — North America, Caribbean, Central America, Colombia
• Deelemanikara Jäger, 2021 — Madagascar
• Defectrix Petrunkevitch, 1925 — Panama
• Delena Walckenaer, 1837 — Australia, New Zealand
• Dermochrosia Mello-Leitão, 1940 — Brazil
• Diminutella Rheims & Alayón, 2018 — Cuba
• Eusparassus Simon, 1903 — Asia, Africa, Europe, Peru
• Exopalystes Hogg, 1914 — Papua New Guinea
• Extraordinarius Rheims, 2019 — Brazil
• Geminia Thorell, 1897 — Myanmar
• Gnathopalystes Rainbow, 1899 — Asia, Oceania
• Guadana Rheims, 2010 — Brazil, Peru, Ecuador
• Heteropoda Latreille, 1804 — Oceania, Asia, South America, Greece
• Holconia Thorell, 1877 — Australia
• Irileka Hirst, 1998 — Australia
• Isopeda L. Koch, 1875 — Australia, Philippines, Papua New Guinea
• Isopedella Hirst, 1990 — Australia, Papua New Guinea, Indonesia
• Keilira Hirst, 1989 — Australia
• Leucorchestris Lawrence, 1962 — Angola, Namibia
• Macrinus Simon, 1887 — South America, Tobago, United States
• Martensopoda Jäger, 2006 — India
• May Jäger & Krehenwinkel, 2015 — Namibia, South Africa
• Megaloremmius Simon, 1903 — Madagascar
• Menarik Grall & Jäger, 2022 — Borneo
• Meri Rheims & Jäger, 2022 — South America
• Micrommata Latreille, 1804 — Spain, Africa, Asia
• Micropoda Grall & Jäger, 2022 — Papua New Guinea
• Microrchestris Lawrence, 1962 — Namibia
• Neosparassus Hogg, 1903 — Australia
• Neostasina Rheims & Alayón, 2016 — Caribbean
• Nolavia Kammerer, 2006 — Brazil
• Nungara Pinto & Rheims, 2016 — Brazil, Ecuador
• Olios Walckenaer, 1837 — Asia, South America, Oceania, Africa, Central America, North America, Caribbean
• Orchestrella Lawrence, 1965 — Namibia
• Origes Simon, 1897 — Argentina, Peru, Ecuador
• Paenula Simon, 1897 — Ecuador
• Palystella Lawrence, 1928 — Namibia
• Palystes L. Koch, 1875 — Africa, India, Australia
• Panaretella Lawrence, 1937 — South Africa
• Pandercetes L. Koch, 1875 — Asia, Oceania
• Parapalystes Croeser, 1996 — South Africa
• Pediana Simon, 1880 — Indonesia, Australia
• Platnickopoda Jäger, 2020 — East Africa
• Pleorotus Simon, 1898 — Seychelles
• Polybetes Simon, 1897 — South America
• Prusias O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1892 — Brazil, Mexico, Panama
• Prychia L. Koch, 1875 — Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Philippines
• Pseudomicrommata Järvi, 1914 — Africa
• Pseudopoda Jäger, 2000 — Asia
• Quemedice Mello-Leitão, 1942 — Brazil, Argentina
• Remmius Simon, 1897 — Africa
• Rhacocnemis Simon, 1897 — Seychelles
• Rhitymna Simon, 1897 — Asia, Africa
• Sadala Simon, 1880 — South America
• Sagellula Strand, 1942 — Japan, China
• Sarotesius Pocock, 1898 — East Africa
• Sinopoda Jäger, 1999 — Asia
• Sivalicus Dyal, 1957 — India
• Sparianthina Banks, 1929 — South America, Tobago, Central America
• Sparianthis Simon, 1880 — Colombia
• Spariolenus Simon, 1880 — Asia
• Staianus Simon, 1889 — Madagascar
• Stasina Simon, 1877 — South America, Gabon, Asia, Cuba
• Stasinoides Berland, 1922 — Ethiopia
• Stipax Simon, 1898 — Seychelles
• Strandiellum Kolosváry, 1934 — Papua New Guinea
• Thelcticopis Karsch, 1884 — Asia, Oceania, Africa
• Thomasettia Hirst, 1911 — Seychelles
• Thunberga Jäger, 2020 — Madagascar
• Tibellomma Simon, 1903 — Venezuela
• Tiomaniella Grall & Jäger, 2022 — Malaysia
• Tychicus Simon, 1880 — Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Indonesia
• Typostola Simon, 1897 — Australia, Papua New Guinea
• Uaiuara Rheims, 2013 — Panama, South America
• Vindullus Simon, 1880 — South America, Guatemala
• Yiinthi Davies, 1994 — Australia, Papua New Guinea
• Zachria L. Koch, 1875 — Australia

{{div col end}}

Members of the Sparassidae are native to tropical and warm temperate regions worldwide. A few species are native to colder climates, like the green huntsman spider (Micrommata virescens) which is native to Northern and Central Europe.{{cite web|last1=Lissner|first1=Jørgen|title=Family: Sparassidae (Giant Crab Spiders)|url=http://www.jorgenlissner.dk/Sparassidae.aspx|website=The Spiders of Europe and Greenland|access-date=16 January 2018|archive-date=2020-02-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200224053054/http://www.jorgenlissner.dk/Sparassidae.aspx|url-status=dead}}. Some tropical species like Heteropoda venatoria (Cane huntsman) and Delena cancerides (Social huntsman) have been accidentally introduced to many subtropical parts of the world, including New Zealand (which has no native sparassid species).{{cite journal|author=David Hirst, Julianne M. Waldock, Shaun J. Bennett, & Grace Hall|year=2006|title=The Huntsmen Spiders (Sparassidae) of New Zealand|journal=Australasian Arachnology|issue=75|pages=11–12|url=http://www.australasian-arachnology.org/download/newsletter/Australasian_Arachnology_75.pdf

}}

As adults, huntsman spiders do not build webs, but hunt and forage for food: their diet consists primarily of insects and other invertebrates, and occasionally small skinks and geckos. They live in the crevices of tree bark, but will frequently wander into homes and vehicles. They are able to travel extremely quickly, often using a springing jump while running, and walk on walls and even on ceilings. They also tend to exhibit a "cling" reflex if picked up, making them difficult to shake off and much more likely to bite. The females are fierce defenders of their egg sacs and young. They will generally make a threat display if provoked, and if the warning is ignored they may attack and bite. The egg sacs differ fairly widely among the various genera. For example, in Heteropoda spp. egg sacs are carried underneath the female's body, while in other species like Palystes and Pseudomicrommata spp., females generally attach egg sacs to vegetation.{{cite book | last = Filmer | first = Martin | title = Southern African Spiders | publisher = BHB International / Struik | location = City | year = 1997 | isbn = 1-86825-188-8 }}

File:Huntsman Spider egg sac hatching 23 Jan 11.JPG|Australian sparassid egg sac hatching

File:Palystes castaneus (Sparassidae egg purse IMG 2662.jpg|Palystes castaneus egg purse

• Cultural depictions of spiders (section: Modern myths and urban legends)
• List of Sparassidae species
• Spider wasp
• Table of spider families

{{Reflist|refs=

{{cite web |title=Family: Sparassidae Bertkau, 1872 |work=World Spider Catalog |publisher=Natural History Museum Bern |url=http://www.wsc.nmbe.ch/genlist/90 |access-date=2017-04-22 }}

{{cite web |title=Currently valid spider genera and species |work=World Spider Catalog |publisher=Natural History Museum Bern |url=http://www.wsc.nmbe.ch/statistics/ |access-date=2017-04-22 }}

}}

• {{cite journal |author=Abdullah Bayram & Sevda Özdağ |year=2002 |title=Micrommata virescens (Clerck, 1757), a new species for the spider fauna of Turkey (Araneae, Sparassidae) |url=https://journals.tubitak.gov.tr/zoology/issues/zoo-02-26-3/zoo-26-3-10-0101-7.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201005053739/https://journals.tubitak.gov.tr/zoology/issues/zoo-02-26-3/zoo-26-3-10-0101-7.pdf |url-status=live |journal=Turkish Journal of Zoology |issn=1300-0179 |id=(electronic) |volume=26 |issue=3 |pages=305–307 |archive-date=5 October 2020 |access-date=5 October 2020}}

{{Wikispecies|Sparassidae}}

{{Commons category|Sparassidae}}

• [http://www.minibeastwildlife.com.au/resources/huntsman-spiders/ Images and information on Australian Huntsman Spiders] Minibeast Wildlife
• [https://australian.museum/learn/animals/spiders/huntsman-spiders/ Information page on Huntsman Spiders] from the Australian Museum
• [http://www.museum.vic.gov.au/spiders/detail.aspx?id=0 Badge Huntsman Spider] at Victorian Museum
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20050316095109/http://www.usq.edu.au/spider/find/family.htm#Sparassidae Varieties of Sparassidae] University of Southern Queensland – pictures & descriptions
• [http://www.americanarachnology.org/HiResGallery/dionyc_Pandercetes_gracilis.html Remarkable Australian Lichen Huntsman] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170302011908/http://www.americanarachnology.org/HiResGallery/dionyc_Pandercetes_gracilis.html |date=2017-03-02 }} at [http://www.americanarachnology.org/ American Arachnological Society]
• [http://entomology.ifas.ufl.edu/creatures/urban/spiders/giant_crab_spider.htm Heteropoda venatoria] at University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences
• [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mdII6jLRBw Video of Olios sp. from Costa Rica]

{{Araneae}}

{{Taxonbar|from=Q11721}}

*

Category:Taxa named by Philipp Bertkau