Spiders rarely top anyone’s list of favourite animals, but a closer look reveals some of the most striking creatures on Earth. From jumping spiders with brilliant colours to species the size of a dinner plate, these arachnids are far stranger than their reputation. Here are ten of the coolest spiders in the world.
1. Goliath Birdeater (Theraphosa blondi)
A member of the tarantula family, the Goliath birdeater is the second largest spider in the world by leg span and probably the largest by sheer mass. It lives in the rainforests of northern South America. The leg span can reach 28 to 30 cm (about 11 to 12 in) and a large female can weigh over 170 g (6 oz). Despite the name it rarely eats birds, feeding mostly on insects, frogs and small rodents. Its venom is mild, with effects roughly like a wasp sting.
2. Spiny Orb-weaver (Gasteracantha)
Also known as spiny-backed orb-weavers, this is a genus of around 70 species recognised at a glance by the hard spines on their backs. They reach about 30 mm across, are found all over the world, and are completely harmless to humans despite their fierce appearance.
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3. Giant Huntsman Spider (Heteropoda maxima)
The world’s largest spider by leg span, reaching about 30 cm (12 in) from tip to tip, though its body is only around 4.6 cm long. A cave dweller, it was discovered in Laos in 2001.
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4. Black Widow (Latrodectus)
The widow spiders are a genus of about 32 species. The name comes from the female’s habit of sometimes eating the male after mating. The black widow is the most famous member of the genus, and while its bite is genuinely dangerous to humans, deaths are rare when proper medical treatment is given.
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5. Brazilian Wandering Spider (Phoneutria)
Also called banana spiders, this is a genus of aggressive, highly venomous spiders found mainly in tropical South America. The Brazilian wandering spider has been listed by Guinness World Records as the world’s most venomous spider, and it accounts for a large share of serious spider bites in South America.
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6. Wheel Spider (Carparachne aureoflava)
Also known as the cartwheeling or golden wheel spider, this species lives in the Namib Desert of southern Africa. To escape a parasitic wasp it flips onto its side and cartwheels down the dunes, turning up to 44 times a second and reaching about one metre per second. It is harmless to humans.
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7. Camel Spider (Solifugae)
Camel spiders, also called sun spiders, are not true spiders but a related order of arachnids. They are among the fastest, sprinting at around 16 km/h (10 mph), and many a desert legend has grown up around their size and speed.
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8. King Baboon Spider (Pelinobius muticus)
A tarantula native to East Africa that can grow to about 20 cm in leg span. It is popular with collectors but highly defensive and not a beginner’s pet, with a strong venom that can cause sharp pain and lingering discomfort.
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9. Wolf Spider (Lycosidae)
Wolf spiders are robust, agile hunters with excellent eyesight. They live and hunt alone, relying on camouflage rather than webs, and the females famously carry their egg sacs and then their young on their backs. There are more than 2,000 species.
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10. Jumping Spider (Salticidae)
With more than 6,000 species, the jumping spiders make up the largest family of spiders, roughly 13 per cent of all known species. Most can make remarkably agile leaps to hunt or to escape danger. They are easy to recognise by their eyes, four pairs in all, with one strikingly large central pair that gives them superb vision.
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If unusual creatures interest you, meet the coolest lizards in the world, the coolest frogs in the world, and the most dangerous animals in the world.
