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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Chelicerates (Chelicerata) » Arachnids (Arachnida) » Spiders (Araneae) » True Spiders (Araneomorphae) » Entelegynae » Huntsmen Spiders (Sparassidae) » Heteropoda » Huntsman Spider (Heteropoda venatoria)

Species Heteropoda venatoria - Huntsman Spider

Classification · Synonyms and other taxonomic changes · Explanation of Names · Size · Identification · Range · Season · Food · Life Cycle · Remarks · Internet References

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Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Subphylum Chelicerata (Chelicerates)

Class Arachnida (Arachnids)

Order Araneae (Spiders)

Infraorder Araneomorphae (True Spiders)

No Taxon (Entelegynae)

Family Sparassidae (Huntsmen Spiders)

Genus Heteropoda

Species venatoria (Huntsman Spider)

Synonyms and other taxonomic changes

See the World Spider Catalog.

Explanation of Names

Heteropoda (Greek) venatoria (Latin) translates to 'hunter with unequal legs.'

Size

Body length of adults ranges from 22-28 millimeters. The long legs add considerable size; leg spans can reach 3-5 inches.

Identification

Adult male (black on carapace and longer legs):

Adult female (no black on carapace):

Juvenile specimens may have a mottled pattern:

Range

Pantropical: Gulf states (AL, FL, GA, LA, MS, TX) as well as California.

Season

Year-round in warm temperatures.

Food

Insects, including cockroaches.

Life Cycle

Females carry their egg sac beneath their body.

Remarks

Non-native, introduced from Central America, possibly on banana shipments. Apparently spreading into the USA from warmest areas.

Not considered dangerously venomous to humans. May bite in self-defense if roughly handled; mildly painful bite (can be likened to a bee sting if spider injects venom).

Internet References

~ entomology.ifas.ufl.edu - Images and information.

~ nathistoc.bio.uci.edu - Images and information.

Contributed by john and jane balaban on 10 September, 2004 - 4:30pm
Additional contributions by Hannah Nendick-Mason, Lynette Elliott, Natter13, Mandy Howe
Last updated 1 May, 2022 - 11:06pm

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