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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
Old 4-legger - Heteropoda venatoria - female Heteropoda venatoria - female Florida Spider, possibly a ghost spider? help.. - Heteropoda venatoria large spider - Heteropoda venatoria Spider - Heteropoda venatoria Heteropoda - Heteropoda venatoria Heteropoda venatoria - male Heteropoda venatoria
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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