For many people, spiders evoke feelings of fear and disgust. In some regions of the planet this is justified, since the number of poisonous insects there exceeds all reasonable limits. But in other places, almost half of all people are afraid of them, and some cannot stand their presence at all. There is already a stereotype that any spider is dangerous, and many people look at people who keep them as pets with misunderstanding. This rating, consisting of the 10 most beautiful spiders in the world , will not make you fall in love with all members of the arthropod family. It will simply show that among them there are truly beautiful specimens.
10.Theridion grallator (Smiling Spider)
It is this spider that many arachnophobes would call the best in the world. It is absolutely safe for humans and has very small dimensions - the leg span is only 5 mm. It took tenth place in this ranking due to its cheerful coloring of bright colors. In addition, during the course of evolution, a real emoticon appeared on his body, similar to a face with a smile. So he can safely be called the most positive spider in the world. This coloring plays a protective function. Predators that eat spiders are confused at the sight of such bright colors, because they believe that it is poisonous. This gives him time to run and hide.
Theraphose Blond
The largest spider, a member of the Theraphosa blondi species, was found in early 1965 in the forests of Venezuela. The span of its front legs is 28 centimeters. Listed in the Guinness Book of Records. In 2001, a representative of the spider family Sparassidae was discovered in the vicinity of the capital of Laos. According to notes and pictures in the scientist’s personal diary, the span of its paws was 30 centimeters, but this could not be confirmed, because no one had seen the spider itself.
It is worth noting that Theraphosa Blondie, found in Venezuela, is not such a revolution in the field of arachnology. All individuals of this species are large in themselves. The body of females on average reaches 90 mm in diameter, while in males it is 4-5 mm smaller. The span of the front legs of spiders ranges from 25-27 cm. They are covered with thick hairs of a red-brown hue.
You can meet Theraphosa blondi in the forests of Suriname, in the bushes of northern Brazil, in the vicinity of Paramaribo (Guyana) and in Venezuela. Spiders are not poisonous, but have large jaws that easily bite through human skin and inject a weak poison that causes temporary numbness of a limb or area of soft tissue.
9.Latrodectus mactans (Black Widow)
The ninth place among the most beautiful spiders on the planet is occupied by Black Widows. They account for many human lives. A Black Widow bite most likely leads to death or serious health consequences if an antidote is not administered in time. This is despite its small size - a maximum of two centimeters in diameter. The spider got its name because the females of this species eat the males after mating. Their appearance is not distinguished by very bright colors; it can even be called modest. The abdomen is painted black with a matte sheen, and has small red spots on it. This simplicity looks quite beautiful.
Hercules baboon
The body length of the Hercules baboon reaches 9 cm, and the span of the legs is 20 cm. This is the closest relative of the largest spider - the Goliath tarantula.
The Hercules baboon has the scientific name Pelinobius muticus, or King baboon spider, or royal baboon spider
The spider was first spotted in Africa. Hercules baboons are extremely rare and were last seen around 1900. Perhaps this species is already extinct.
8.Sicarius hahni (Six-eyed sand spider)
The power of this handsome man’s poison is in no way inferior to the Black Widow, and an antidote for it has never been invented. Fortunately, he does not seek meetings with humans and at the moment there is only one case of death from his bite. It got its name from its habit of hiding in the sand, from where it monitors the movements of potential victims. Meeting him for most insects means only death. The beautiful body of the sand spider looks like a small pancake with four pairs of legs.
Tegenaria wall
This rare spider has a relatively small body - only 3-4 cm in length, but the leg span can exceed 14 cm. Its place of residence is abandoned buildings and caves. It is light brown in color with brown paws. Tegenaria is an excellent night hunter, briskly covering short distances. It feeds exclusively on small insects and can kill its relatives in the fight for prey. But for people it is completely harmless, although you can’t tell by its appearance.
7.Misumena vatia (Mizumena clubfoot)
This small spider stands out from the rest. Like all members of the crab spider family, it does not use a web to catch prey. He, like a real predator, ambushes and attacks his future food, immobilizing it with his paws and trying to inject poison. The main help in hunting is its ability to change color depending on the environment. This allows him to be called one of the most beautiful spiders in the world.
Colombian purple tarantula
Purple tarantulas live up to their name. They have a bright appearance - long legs and a bright purple color.
They feed on insects, birds, rodents, the size including paws is about 15-16 cm. This species is not dangerous for humans. Purple tarantulas are quite rare, but they cannot be confused with another spider, since their color immediately gives them away.
6.Phidippus audax (Jumping spider)
This spider is harmless to humans. The appearance of his body is very beautiful, it combines various colors of blue, orange and light green shades. Among the numerous patterns, there are also those that resemble emoticons. Despite its miniature body size, the Jumping Spider can easily give a person a heart attack, even if he is not an arachnophobe. It's all about his ability to jump almost half a meter. This feature will definitely not leave anyone indifferent, especially if you don’t expect such agility from a spider.
Nephila the goldweaver
The top 10 largest arachnids on earth are revealed by the nephila goldworm. This is a spider weaving a web - it also turns out to be large, like its creator.
The body of females grows up to 4 cm. Together with the length of the legs, the spider reaches 13 cm. Males are smaller - 10 cm.
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In the photo, the nephila golden spider
Creature is often colored yellow-green, the abdomen and head are white. The spider is found in Australia, Asia, and America. The nephila goldworm is poisonous; however, for humans, the bite, although unpleasant, is not fatal.
5.Cyclocosmia truncata (Cyclocosmia spider)
It may not be the most beautiful spider in the world, but there is no doubt that it is one of the most unusual insects on the planet. On its belly there is a large flat growth, more like a real shield. The similarity is only enhanced by the fact that there is a beautiful pattern on it, more like the symbolism of some kind of cult. He is not protected by this growth in battle, as it might seem. In case of danger, the spider simply crawls into its hole, blocking the road with a kind of shield. This tactic allows him to withstand many dangers.
Cerbalus Arabian
This type of spider, which is distinguished by its large size, became known to scientists only in 2003. Although the body of the spider itself is not large in size (only 3 cm), together with its legs its size is no less than 20 centimeters. Moreover, females are slightly larger than males. In their natural environment, these arachnids were found in the deserts of Arabia, Israel and South Jordan. The spider has such a body color that it literally merges with the sandy base, so it is quite difficult to detect it, despite the presence of black stripes on its limbs. It is active only at night, which was the reason for such a late discovery of the species.
4.Gasteracantha cancriformis (Spiky orb-weaving spider)
The spiny orb-weaving spider looks attractive and at the same time its appearance is quite threatening. It earned fourth place in the top ten most beautiful spiders in the world for its abdomen, which is disproportionately large compared to the rest of the body and its coloring. Different individuals of this species can be painted in all the colors of the rainbow, and six spikes, more like horns, complete the picture. Such body dimensions, color and spines scare off many predators who are simply not able to swallow it.
Habitat
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This species prefers montane tropical forests in the northern regions of South America. They are especially common in Suriname, Guyana, French Guiana, northern Brazil and southern Venezuela.
Favorite habitat is the deep burrows of the Amazon rainforest. Goliath loves swampy areas. He is afraid of the bright rays of the sun. The optimal temperature is from 25 to 30 degrees Celsius, and the humidity level is from 80 to 95%.
2.Maratus volans (Peacock spider)
But it will be very difficult to see the peacock spider with the naked eye. Still, the size of an adult does not exceed five millimeters. This species got its name about a hundred years ago. On its body there is a special shield with a very bright pattern, different for different individuals. This part of the body is used by males only to attract individuals of the opposite sex during the mating season. With the help of various dance-like movements, the spider attracts attention. This behavior, combined with a pattern similar to a peacock’s tail, determined its name. Many believe that this particular species deserves the title of the most beautiful spider in the world .
Life cycle of a goliath
Males live shorter lives than females. However, males are able to become sexually mature earlier. Before mating, males weave a web onto which they release seminal fluid.
Marriage ritual
Next, a special ritual takes place. Thanks to it, arthropods determine the genus of their pair. Rituals consist of swaying the body or tapping the paws. With the help of special tibal hooks, males hold aggressive females.
Pairing
Sometimes mating occurs instantly. But the process can take up to several hours. Males transfer seminal fluid using pedipalps into the female's body.
Masonry
Next, the female lays eggs. The number of eggs is from 100 to 200 pieces. The female is engaged in the construction of a kind of cocoon for the eggs. After 1.5 - 2 months, small spiders appear. At this time, females are aggressive and unpredictable. They protect their young. But being hungry, they simply eat them.
1.Poecilotheria metallica (Metallica spider)
This subspecies of tarantulas deservedly takes a leading place in the top 10 most beautiful spiders in the world. Their appearance combined with their small distribution makes them desirable specimens for almost every collector. The color is predominantly blue with a metallic sheen. Plus, each spider has an individual white pattern. This subspecies of tarantulas is very active, able to run fast and even jump. Combined with its aggressiveness and strong venom, this makes it dangerous to keep in the home, especially for inexperienced spider lovers.
Population and species status
The greatest distribution of these arthropods is associated with forest-steppe, steppe and desert zones. Their total numbers have been steadily decreasing until the last ten years, when the process of population decline has slowed down significantly. Experts believe that this was facilitated by the general warming of the climate on our planet.
Commercial activities cause significant harm to tarantula populations. These arachnids are caught in third world countries and sold for little money in order to somehow survive in difficult conditions. Therefore, in countries where the economy is very weak, the number of tarantulas is constantly decreasing.
Human activity is causing serious damage to spider populations in countries such as Bolivia and Brazil. Due to population growth, tropical forests are being cut down at a tremendous rate. In addition, artisanal methods of extracting gold and diamonds are used, which leads to the destruction of the surface layer of the soil. Large volumes of water are pumped underground, which disrupts the integrity of the landscape. As a rule, such territories become unsuitable for life for many living beings.
What's special about it
The Huntsman spider family is very numerous: it includes 1090 species. They can most often be found in the tropics; there are isolated species in the Palearctic.
Giant crab spider - Olios giganteus
The giant crab spider is the largest member of the family. He is an inhabitant of Australia, which has many unique species of insects, animals and reptiles. There are 155 species of huntsman spiders recorded on the continent, but this one is the largest of them all.
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Appearance
This arthropod cannot be confused with anyone else: the length of the limbs reaches 30 cm. True, only females can boast of such a size.
Giant crab spider
Males are 2 times smaller, but 15 cm is also a lot for a spider. In size and weight it is second only to the goliath tarantula, ranking 2nd in the world according to these indicators.
Goliath tarantulaSome researchers believe that the giant crab spider is the largest.
It also has other features that allow you to accurately identify the insect:
- unusually curved long hairy limbs, for which it received the name crab, allow it to move not only forward, but also sideways;
- the pubescent body up to 4.6 cm long may have a grayish, light brown or black color;
- 8 eyes located on the sides of the cephalothorax in 2 rows provide excellent all-round visibility;
- The giant crab spider is no different in visual acuity - it sees only moving silhouettes and shadows;
- powerful jaws allow you to cope with even small rodents.
In order to turn its legs 180 degrees and plunge its jaws into its prey, the spider only needs 1/8 of a second - amazing speed! A photo of a crab spider will allow you to estimate the size of the insect and examine it in all details.
How does a giant spider live and hunt?
The crab spider prefers to live in trees, crevices in stones, and sometimes hides under fallen leaves or behind loose tree bark.
In rainy weather, this giant can “visit” a person’s home - the special structure of its legs allows it to crawl through even a narrow crack.
Giant crab spider on the wall of a house
He feels at ease there. The owner is not particularly shy, hides behind the curtains or crawls along the walls, happily destroying domestic pests: there is a tangible benefit from the uninvited guest.
Unlike many other arachnids, the hunter does not catch his victims using a web, so he does not weave one.
However, the arthropod has a gland for spinning thread: with its help, the spider holds on to plant stems or tree branches while searching for food.
He prefers to hunt from ambush, patiently waiting for his prey:
- insects, including smaller relatives;
- lizards;
- frogs;
- rodents, however, he rarely catches them.
The prey is instantly paralyzed by the injected poison, and then fermented by the injected saliva, which makes it easier to digest.
Crab spider mouthparts
The Australian hunting spider moves very quickly, covering a whole meter in 1 second. He can not only run, but also jump high, overtaking the victim.
This representative of arachnids prefers a nocturnal lifestyle. Most often it lives alone, but sometimes you can observe a whole colony of insects gathered together and occupying a fallen tree or stump.
Reproduction
Mating is preceded by a period of courtship. After fertilization, the female is rarely aggressive, so most males are not in danger, unlike many other spider species. In order for the laid eggs to successfully turn into small spiderlings, they need a cocoon of cobwebs, which the female weaves.
Spider guarding its cocoon
She can lay up to 200 eggs in it. The female Huntsman spider is a caring mother: during the three weeks while the eggs are developing, she does not leave the cocoon and bravely protects it from enemies.
The spiderlings that have just emerged from the eggs are not yet fully developed and are absolutely helpless. At the nymph stage, they molt several times until a hard chitinous exoskeleton is formed, which spiders will shed repeatedly throughout their lives, acquiring a new one. After a few weeks, the young individuals become independent.
