The variety of spiders on the planet is simply amazing. There are large, furry, rainbow-colored and completely transparent arachnids, jumping spiders, and spiders running on the water. Among the species diversity there are also very small spiders. We present the Top 10 tiny spiders, and find out who he is, the smallest spider in the world. And you can also see the most dangerous spiders in the article on our website TopCafe.su.
TOP 10 smallest spiders in the world:
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Muscular racer / Hyllus diardi - up to 13 mm
The habitat of this species of horse, named after the mythological hero Hercules, is Southeast Asia. Despite the name Hercules, they grow no more than 1.3 cm.
It differs from other representatives of the genus in that it does not weave webs. The muscular jumper hunts insects, hiding in the foliage, and when it sees the prey, it jumps and hits it.
He has excellent vision and an eye, accurately calculating the distance to jump. Males are saved from cannibalism by the fact that they are slightly larger than females.
Brown recluse spider
The recluse spider is very tiny, with its legs measuring no more than 20 mm, but this does not prevent it from being a serious danger to humans. Its poison is so strong that without timely medical intervention a person can simply die. In this case, pain is not felt immediately, and a person can become a victim during sleep.
The brown spider likes to live in abandoned buildings, but can also get into a residential building. What distinguishes it from others is the number of eyes - usually the spider has 8, but this species has 6. Despite the fact that the spider is called brown, in reality they are also gray or dark yellow.
Karakurt / Latrodectus tredecimguttatus - up to 20 mm
A small inhabitant of the steppe, arid regions of the planet, it bites only in cases where it is disturbed and it senses danger.
A small spider with a characteristic color of dark dots grows no more than 10–20 mm, and males are even smaller, within 6–8 mm. Black spots may disappear with age, and then it becomes completely black. The species is very prolific, and every 10–12 years there is a significant increase in the karakurt population.
History has recorded bites of people, including on the territory of the Russian Federation. The bite is painful, and if anti-karakurt serum is not administered in time, the consequences can be tragic.
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Cross spider / Araneus diadematus - up to 11 mm
It lives throughout Europe, as well as in several regions of North America. Males do not grow more than 11 mm, and got their name from the characteristic cross on their back.
The color changes depending on the habitat and lighting. They are orb weavers and feed on all insects that become entangled in their webs. It retains moisture in its body with the help of a special wax cover.
Common crosses bite, but the pain of the bite is comparable to that of a mosquito bite. The spider is not poisonous and therefore not dangerous.
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The smallest spiders in the world
The body structure of small spiders is practically no different from the features of larger species. Some of them are also poisonous and almost all of them can weave webs . Most have small body sizes because environmental conditions require it. And sometimes they need their body size for survival - birds and other natural enemies of spiders simply cannot detect them. Some spiders are only visible under a microscope.
Small body size helps spiders remain invisible
Symphytognathous spider
The smallest spiders in the world are considered to be representatives of the symphytognathidae family. This family includes 44 spiders and the tiniest of them are Patu digua. They are found in the rainforests of Colombia, a country located in northwestern South America. Much to our surprise, these spiders are still poorly understood. Which is strange, because they have long been considered the smallest and scientists should pay more attention to their study. But some facts about them are still known.
Patu digua spider under a microscope
You can distinguish a male from a female by their size - females are usually larger. Males measure about 370 micrometers, while females grow to 580 micrometers . To understand how small they are, imagine the head of a pin. Despite their tiny size, Patu digua spiders have a very developed nervous system, which occupies 80% of their body. It goes without saying that these creatures have very large brains relative to their body. Some scientists believe that Patu digua are the most "brainy" of their kind.
As a result, it turns out that Patu digua spiders can only be found in Colombia, and for a detailed examination you will at least need a magnifying glass. Scientists do not know what these creatures eat and whether they are poisonous . At least there have been no reports of death from their bite.
Himalayan racer
And you've probably already heard about these tiny spiders. These jumping spiders are known for living above all other creatures of their kind. Himalayan racers (Euophrys omnisuperstes) were discovered in 1924 on Mount Everest. Since their discovery, they have been found even at an altitude of 6,700 meters, where it is very cold and there is little oxygen. But at the same time, there is nothing in their bodies that would help them live in such extreme conditions. They just live and that’s all, and scientists still can’t solve their mystery.
You've probably already seen photos of Himalayan horses
Jumping spiders are so named because they are able to jump long distances. Himalayan horses are dark brown in color and their body measures about 5 millimeters . They are daytime hunters and feed on small flies. They are not at all dangerous to humans, but perhaps they still have poison in their bodies that helps kill tiny victims.
So, the second smallest spiders can be found in Nepal, on the territory of Mount Everest. They can be seen with the naked eye, but for a detailed examination, again, a magnifying glass is useful. They are not dangerous for people. Well, one more fact that cannot be kept silent about is that they look damn cute.
Marpissa mossy
Another small spider on our planet is the mossy marlissa (Marpissa muscosa), which received its name because of the moss-like surface of its body. This spider also belongs to the family of jumpers. It can be found in Europe, North Africa and even in Russia. Representatives of this species mainly live in the trunks of dead trees. Sometimes on one tree you can find up to 100 nests located close to each other. They attack their victims by jumping on top of them.
Marpissa mossy looks menacing, but is actually harmless to people
Females of mossy marpissa are larger than males. Their body dimensions reach a maximum of 11 millimeters . Like other horses, these creatures are perfectly adapted to jumping over long distances (relative to their body). Another distinctive feature of jumping spiders is that they are excellent at climbing glass. Other spiders cope with this with great difficulty or do not know how to do it at all.
In general, mossy marpissa is found in Europe, North Africa and some regions of Russia. Its body length does not exceed 11 millimeters, so it is very difficult to detect in nature. The spider can only be caught in cases where it lands on light-colored clothing. The spider is not poisonous to people.
Ant spider
Ant spiders (Myrmarachne plataleoides) are not only the smallest, but also the most unusual spiders. They live in India and China, and in appearance they are very similar to weaver ants (Oecophylla), which are very aggressive. It is believed that spiders need such similarity for protection. By themselves, they are not dangerous and are very timid, so in any risky situations they try to quickly hide from sight. Moreover, from the ants they adopted not only their appearance, but also their gait.
The only thing that gives ant spiders away is their long limbs.
Their body length does not exceed 12 millimeters and, like most species, females are usually larger than males. To protect themselves from birds and other natural enemies, they copy more than just the appearance of ants. Sometimes their impudence reaches the point that they settle next to anthills. And the ants, apparently, do not distinguish them from their own or simply ignore them.
So, ant spiders: live in India and China, look like ants and are not dangerous to humans . You can read about the most dangerous ants in this material.
House spider
House spiders (Tegenaria domestica) can be found everywhere, even in Russia. As you can guess from the name, these creatures often settle in people's homes. Spiders weave funnel-shaped nests in them. They choose the dark to hunt and feed on small insects. These creatures are not dangerous for people. If provoked, they may bite. But there is no poison in them, and the bite is not painful, much less fatal.
Perhaps you have ever seen a house spider?
The body size of house spiders again depends on the sex of the individual. Males do not grow larger than 9 millimeters, but females can reach 12 millimeters in length . They can be recognized by their body color. It is yellowish in color and has a brown pattern.
In general, house spiders can be found in Russia, and right in your home. They may bite, but it is not fatal. However, it is better not to provoke them.
Pholcus phalangioides - up to 9 mm
This species is distributed everywhere, but Europe is considered its historical homeland. In Russia it lives from the Far East to the coniferous forests of the Kaliningrad region.
Adults grow from 6 to 9 mm, and as usual, males are slightly smaller than females. It is painted in a light brown, almost cream color, but there is a gray pattern on the back. Like all representatives of harvesters, Volcus phalangoides has long legs.
It loves secluded dark places, so it lives in attics, basements, rock crevices, or abandoned tree hollows.
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Little red spiders
Small red arachnid pests are often seen on indoor flowers, in gardens and greenhouses. These are not spiders, but they are not insects either. These small insects are mites. They suck the sap of plants and tissues and weave a network.
The parasites are very small, up to 1 mm in adult size. They love home flowers, coniferous trees and young shrubs. They can only be noticed during mass infection.
Symptoms, in addition to visual ones, are:
- Thin webs of cobwebs around plants, stems and leaves.
- Yellowing and drying of shoots.
How to kill a tick
Ticks reproduce quickly, especially in favorable conditions. But the first infestations can be easily removed with high humidity. Consistent spraying will help protect plants indoors or outdoors.
Red tick.
There are several ways to destroy a tick:
- biological methods;
- chemicals;
- attracting predators.
House spider /Tegenaria domestica - up to 12 mm
Small representatives of the Voronkov family live on all continents except Antarctica. Zoologists claim that they arrived on the shores of the New World on the ships of British colonists.
Just by the name it becomes clear that they love to get into living spaces. The spider is small in size, females grow no more than 12 mm, but males grow from 7 to 9 mm. It is easy to identify. They have a characteristic yellowish color with a brown pattern.
The house dweller feeds on insects. It is not distinguished by aggressive behavior, but if touched, it can bite. The bite is painful, but not fatal.
Ant jumping spider / Myrmarachne plataleoides - up to 12 mm
Having many natural enemies, these spiders perfectly disguise themselves as weaver ants to survive in the jungle. The fact is that these ants are characterized by an aggressive disposition.
Ant racers grow small, only 12 mm, and males are even smaller - 6–7 mm. Spiders not only copied the appearance of ants, but also adopted their habits and gait. They have the same dark spots on their heads. But the ant racers could not adopt belligerence, and at the first danger, they try to hide.
The homeland of this unusual species of arachnids is the countries of Southeast Asia. They came up with another way to protect themselves by settling near colonies of weaver ants.
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Particularly dangerous species of spiders
Karakurt (Latrodectus tredecimguttatus)
Karakurt spider, known as the European or Mediterranean black widow. This species is commonly found throughout the Mediterranean region, from Spain to Southwest and Central Asia. The name L. lugubris is considered obsolete, although it still appears frequently in the literature. Even in Ancient Greece, the karakurt was well known for its dangerous bite. This species of spider is black in color, similar to most other species in this genus (Latrodectus) and is identified by the thirteen red spots that are found on its dorsal abdomen. The male karakurt has a relatively small size of 4-7 mm, but the female is much larger, her body length is 7-15 mm.
Karakurt primarily lives in steppes and other grasslands and can be a serious problem in areas where grain is harvested by hand. Like all Latrodectus species, the karakurt has a bite that is venomous and can be fatal to humans, causing death within minutes. After a karakurt bite, a person may feel severe pain in the limbs and abdomen. Typical symptoms include excessive sweating, vomiting, fever and hypertension. Pain after a bite usually lasts 1-2 days, and other symptoms last from 1 to 4 days. In Europe, bites have become very rare.
Brown recluse spider (Loxosceles reclusa)
The brown recluse spider is found in eastern Texas and western Georgia. This dangerous spider often nests near human habitation, in the open air under rocks and bark, as well as in houses, schools, sheds and barns. The brown recluse is about 12 mm. It is brown and has a violin-shaped cephalothorax on its head. During the day, the recluse spider remains in some quiet place, such as a closet, under furniture or in an outlet of some kind, emerging at night to search for food.
It feeds primarily on insects and injects its prey with a venom that is hemolytic rather than neurotoxic. Its bite ranges from minor to serious and sometimes fatal. As of 1984, there have been at least 5 reported deaths due to recluse spider bites in the United States. Once stung, the toxins kill the cells surrounding the puncture, creating a black, gangrenous patch. Often the skin will begin to peel away from the area around the wound, exposing the underlying tissue. Because these wounds heal slowly, they leave a very unpleasant scar.
Brazilian wandering spider (genus Phoneutria)
photo by Leonel H. Baldoni
The Brazilian wandering spider also has a reputation as a dangerous spider. Many articles and even some popular science books describe these spiders as "extremely dangerous", "extremely aggressive" and "most toxic", "highly poisonous" or simply "deadly". There are also dozens of "true" field reports giving the impression that these spiders must be pure evil. But in reality this is only half the truth.
Most Phoneutria species are quite large, and in fact the genus includes the largest known spiders in the world. With a total body length of about 5 cm and a leg length of about 18 cm, some species have record sizes. When talking about these spiders, we should know that there are eight (actual) species with different genetics, geographic distribution, habitat preferences, biology, and the generalized information we find about wandering spiders may not be correct for some species in the genus.
There is no doubt that the venom of some species is very effective for mammals, including humans. This species includes the Brazilian wandering spider. It is important to know that this spider, like many others, does not try to bite a person on purpose, but quite the opposite. For example, a spider that, seconds before it was disturbed, was sitting in a banana stem, hiding from daylight, now accidentally ended up in the hands of a person. The spider's natural reaction to such a situation is to bite. The Brazilian wandering spider lives in South and Central America. The bite of this particular wandering spider entails paralysis and suffocation.
Sydney funnel web spider (Atrax robustus)
photo David Nixon
Found exclusively in Australia within a 160-kilometre radius of Sydney, the particularly dangerous Sydney funnel-web spider typically lives in lush gullies under rocks and fallen timber. It also lives in moist soil under houses, crevices in garden rocks and compost bushes. Their white silk web ranges from 20 to 60 cm in length.
Males grow up to 25 mm in length, and females up to 35 mm. The Sydney funnel web spider is a solitary animal, except during mating periods. This venomous spider's diet consists of beetles, cockroaches, insect larvae, native land snails, millipedes and occasionally frogs and other small vertebrates. In many rankings, the Sydney funnel-web spider is considered one of the deadliest in the world. He will attack without the slightest hesitation as soon as he suspects a threat. The spider has fangs that can easily pierce a human fingernail. Since the respiratory system can fail from its poison, you should immediately contact a medical facility.
Six-eyed sand spider (Sicarius hahni)
The six-eyed sand spider is a medium-sized spider found in deserts and other sandy areas in southern Africa. It is believed that there are about 200,000 species of sand spiders. Fortunately, this spider, like the recluse spider, is very shy. However, toxicology studies have shown that its venom is the most poisonous of all spiders. The question arises regarding the danger posed by the six-eyed sand spider. Although it rarely bites people, its bite can cause severe bleeding and destruction of blood vessels and tissue. But the biggest problem is that there is currently no antidote for the six-eyed sand spider's venom and its bite is likely to be fatal. Fortunately, this sand spider rarely comes into contact with humans, and even when it does, it usually does not bite.
Mossy Marpissa / Marpissa muscosa - up to 11 mm
This species lives in Europe, the Asian part of Russia, and North Africa. It prefers to make nests on the trunks and hollows of dead trees.
The body length of females is from 6 to 11 mm, and that of males is from 6 to 8 mm. Depending on the habitat and lighting, the color can vary, from light brown to gray. There are dark spots all over the body and on the paws. It is called Marpissa because of its appearance, because the body is covered with hair that resembles moss.
They feed on insects. Spiders catch them in a unique way, simply jumping onto the victim. Interestingly, this is a social spider, and you can find up to 100 nests located nearby.
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Karakurt
In another way, karakurt is called the “ black widow ”. The reason for this is two facts: coloring (there are red spots on its black abdomen, but adult females do not have them - black spiders resemble a widow) and the female’s treatment of the male - after mating, she eats him.
It is not surprising that one of the most dangerous species of spiders is nicknamed the “black widow”. The spider has an interesting body structure - its abdomen is shaped like a ball. The bite of the karakurt is very dangerous, but residents of Russia should not worry (unless they are residents of Azerbaijan, they can also be found there), because Spiders live in North Africa and Central Asia.
Himalayan racer / Euophrys omnisuperstes - up to 6 mm
This unusual species was discovered on Mount Everest, so among arachnids it is the highest representative of the spider world on Earth. This is what the scientific name of the species tells us, which means “living above all.”
The extreme point where the climbers met the Himalayan horse was at 6,700 m. This is a very tiny spider, the female of which grows up to 6 mm, and the male no more than 4–5 mm. It feeds on small flies, and scientists have not found any changes in the body that have adapted it to altitude. The structure is the same as most jumping spiders.
It was first discovered back in 1922, but only in 1924 the species was described and qualified in the scientific world.
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Some famous and interesting species of spiders
Peacock spider (Maratus volans)
The largest species of peacock spider can reach 76 mm - the size of an eraser on a simple pencil. Like many spiders, this species is poisonous. But this does not mean that the peacock spider is dangerous for people: its small jaws are so small that it is not even capable of piercing our skin. The peacock spider stalks its prey like a lion. It charges and destroys prey three or four times its own size.
Side-walking spiders or crab spiders (Thomisidae)
photo by Allan Lance
The family of these interesting spiders includes 175 genera with 2103 species. Crab spiders got their name from their ability to move sideways, like crabs, and also forward and backward. Species from this family range in size from small to large, ranging from 2 to 23 mm. There is a huge variety of colors and shapes. During the day, crab spiders are active, occupying flowers or other parts of vegetation where they lure prey. Some species of crab spiders are even capable of changing color for several hours or even days to match the color of the petals of the flower in which they live. Other species in the family appear to be covered in mud, making them difficult to spot on the ground.
Huntsman (Dolomedes fimbriatus)
photo John Balcombe
A notable ability of the fringed or dolomedes hunter is its habitat and, accordingly, its diet. This spider lives near a body of water and feeds on small fish, which is why it is often called a fish spider. Dolomedes is a large brown and white spider that has long, strong legs and an oval-shaped abdomen. The hunter is able to crawl down aquatic plants, and if he is in danger, he can remain under water for about an hour.
Whip spider (Argyrodes colubrinus)
The whip spider rather resembles a thin twig and does not at all resemble its relatives. The species was named Colubrinus, which means serpentine. Nature created it this way for camouflage. Such a predator sits in the web, and the prey thinks that the twigs are stuck to the web and is not afraid of it at all.
Patu digua - up to 0.58 mm
Living in the tropical forests of Colombia, a species from the Symphytognathaceae family is the smallest spider in the world, as adult males do not exceed 0.37 mm in length.
Females are slightly larger, but they are also difficult to see with the naked eye. The body length of females of this species is 0.58 mm. But even with such a small size, the spider has a developed nervous system that occupies 80% of its body.
In addition to the nervous system, this species also has a developed brain, so in the world of spiders it is one of the most brainy representatives of the living world. The brain takes up 25% of the body. For comparison, in humans the brain occupies only 3% of body weight.
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Who are spiders?
Spiders are arthropod creatures that live in all corners of our planet. Most spiders are predators that feed on insects or other small organisms. But there are exceptions, like the so-called Kipling's Bagheera (Bagheera kiplingi), which feeds on plants. Most spiders are nocturnal and live in burrows and nests. But some species do not have a permanent habitat.
The body of spiders consists of three parts:
- four pairs of limbs;
- cephalothorax , with limbs for capturing food, as well as a respiratory system;
- opisthosoma , in which the reproductive and digestive systems, arachnoid glands and other important organs are hidden.
Spiders, like most living creatures, have a well-developed nervous system. The brain occupies about 30% of the volume of the cephalothorax. Everyone’s body size is different and ranges from a few millimeters to tens of centimeters. Below we will talk about the smallest spiders.
The fear of spiders is called arachnophobia
Summarize
So we found out what the smallest spider in wildlife is, which simply cannot be seen without special means. Compared to it, the tarantula spider, growing up to 27 cm, is simply a giant.
Many people on the planet suffer from arachnophobia. It is difficult for such people to visit forests where the abundance of spiders per square meter is very high. But in nature, most of them are completely harmless spiders, growing no more than one centimeter in length. This concludes our article. The Topcafe editors are waiting for your comments about the smallest spiders in the world. Perhaps you have met some from our list. Tell us about this meeting.
Editor's note: This article has been updated since its original publication on December 13, 2022.
Signs for a spider
Fortune tellers and soothsayers, and old people are sure that the web cleanses the home of negativity, absorbing negative energy, and does not allow illness into the house. Therefore, you cannot kill spiders on purpose; it is better to catch them and take them outside.
Signs:
If house spiders appear in the apartment, you should expect improvement, quick success and the appearance of money. The same applies if the spider is on your head or arm.
Descending spider - guests will arrive soon or a message will arrive, but there will be an unfavorable time in financial matters. And a spider rising upward promises improvement and stability. If you see a spider hurrying upstairs in the evening, you should wait for your wish to come true.
Seeing it at night means unpleasant events or additional income.
The appearance of a cobweb or spider over the bed is a quarrel, betrayal or illness.
Seeing it in the kitchen in the morning means sad news, but if it happens in the daytime, you should expect joy. Meeting a spider in the kitchen in the evening is a sign of career growth, the fulfillment of a plan, or a promising meeting.
The spider wove a web and hid - towards the rain.
Seeing a spider sitting on you means a quick expensive new thing, a spider crawling means financial well-being, and a spider running away means loss.
