Largest spider species

The largest species of spider by body length and mass is the goliath bird-eating spider Theraphosa blondi, native to coastal rainforests in northern South America, including Surinam, Guyana, French Guyana, southern Venezuela and northern Brazil. The largest specimen on record is an adult male that was collected by members of the Pablo San Martin Expedition at Rio Cavro, Venezuela, in April 1965. It had a record leg-span of 28 cm (11 in) – sufficient to cover a dinner plate. A two-year-old spider of the same species, bred by Robert Bustard and reared by Brian Burnett of Alyth, Perthshire, UK, also had a leg-span of 28 cm (11 in) and weighed 170 g (6 oz) in February 1998.

Despite its name, the goliath bird-eating spider rarely preys upon birds, preferring earthworms and toads. However, it has been observed in the wild opportunistically devouring a range of other creatures too, including mice, lizards, frogs and small snakes, plus the occasional small bird.