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Meet the Goliath Tarantula
Humans are created out of an innate fear of spiders, instilled in us by evolution as a defense against some of our most likely threats in the wild. And there is no better proof why than the aptly named Goliath Tarantula. It is the largest spider in the world, nicknamed the “Tarantula Spider”. The habits of this tarantula may seem foreign at first glance, but you can be sure that even this spider plays a role in the ecosystems in which it lives. Here’s everything you need to know about the terrifying tarantula in the rainforest of South America.
Sizes and physiology of goliath tarantulas
The goliath tarantula is recognized as the largest spider species in the world with a maximum leg span of 11 inches and a body length of nearly five inches. For comparison: the body alone of this spider is twice the length of the bee hummingbird – a Cuban species that is also the smallest bird in the world. They can also grow to six ounces, or about a third of a pound.
Females of this species are larger than males and have a significantly longer life expectancy. While the average male only survives to three to six years of age, the female goliath tarantula can live a quarter of a century in the wild. This increased lifespan partly explains the larger size of the females. These spiders have exoskeletons rather than traditional skeletons, and they molt several times throughout their lives. It is a process that allows them to continue to mature, but also allows them to regenerate lost limbs.
Diet of Goliath Tarantula
Given its title as tarantula, birds make up a surprisingly small part of the goliath tarantula’s diet. There is no conclusive evidence that these spiders even eat birds, although bird eggs make up a relatively constant part of their diet. The species in the Smithsonian Museum feed on cockroaches, although these spiders are known to eat everything from earthworms and insects to small rodents and lizards and rare bats.
This spider is certainly capable of shooting down a bird, but modern documentary evidence of this is not presented. This boils down to the fact that these spiders spend most of their hunt in the forest floor, leaving most of the birds out of reach, but leaving some opportunity to rob nests. If there is a creature within reach even slightly smaller than this tarantula, you can be pretty sure the spider will treat it like food.
How the tarantula got its name
Tarantula-Goliath got its unique nickname not on the basis of documented facts, but thanks to its interpretation in a work of art. Instead, it was given its name after an 18th-century engraving of a tarantula devouring a hummingbird was created by the German naturalist and painter Maria Sibylla Merican. But despite indications that this spider rarely, if ever, feeds on birds, the name is popular enough to catch on and continue to spread the dangerous mystery that lingers around this species.
Hunting and protective habits of Goliath Tarantula
Eight eyes on this species are more intimidating than helpful. Almost blind, this tarantula is also unable to smell or hear its intended prey. Instead, they use that terrifying signature hair that frames their eight long legs. Similar to the way a cat’s whiskers work, these hairs perceive vibrations in the air and transmit them to the spider in the form of surprisingly complex data. It is a remarkably effective sensing technique that allows the spider to understand its surroundings broadly without letting predators or prey know about itself. But this bristly hair also acts as a protective agent.
The tarantula can rub between its thorns and make surprisingly loud hissing sounds that can be heard up to 15 feet away to chase predators. In a pinch, they can even launch this stubble at potential intruders.
Naturally, this spider uses its unique sensory skills to act as an ambush predator – outrunning its prey and allowing it to approach it instead of actively pursuing its prey. Once the prey is within reach, it is difficult to resist. This spider’s fangs are an inch long and hollow, essentially serving as syringes that can inject toxins directly into the victim’s bloodstream. These toxins thin the prey from the inside out. From there, the massive spider can either gobble up its prey on the spot or drag it back into its burrow to feast on.
And while the spider Goliath will carry its fangs as a threat when cornered by humans, it is mostly empty. These spiders attack humans only in self-defense and generally do not inject toxins if they bite. In cases where people were poisoned, the bite resembled a wasp bite in strength – an irritation, but hardly life-threatening.
Social behavior of Goliath Tarantula
Goliath spiders live in solitude, except during mating periods. And although female tarantulas usually eat males after mating, this is not the case for goliaths. Despite this, males usually die shortly after reaching puberty. They usually die a few months after the transfer of reproductive material.
The female lays 50 to 200 eggs, but they are more practical mothers than other spiders. After laying the eggs, she will simply roll them into a ball and carry them with her wherever she goes. A full bag of these eggs can be as large as a tennis ball. When she rears her young, they go through several different molts before they reach full size. It will take them two to three years to reach the nearly-foot reach they will have as fully mature adults.
Goliath Tarantula Habitat
This type of spider can be found exclusively in the swamps and rainforests of South America. Habitats can be found in Guyana, Brazil, Venezuela, French Guiana, and Suriname. The dense vegetation offers countless opportunities for both camouflage and prey. These spiders often take over existing mouse burrows to use as their nests and ambushes. Despite their large size, the mossy and heavy carpet in these regions allows them to blend in with their surroundings without any preparation. If no burrows exist, these spiders will dig their own in the soft mud of their surroundings.
Although these spiders are only found in South America, specialized collectors sometimes choose them as exotic pets. But they have failed to gain much popularity in the community, as these tarantulas tend to be more aggressive than some of their tamer brethren. The tarantula is also considered a delicacy in the local cuisine. It is prepared by carefully removing the coarse hairs from the legs before frying in a banana leaf.
Other breeds of tarantulas
The goliath tarantula may not quite live up to its name of the tarantula spider, but other species are ready to approach it. Documented footage shows the pink-toed tarantula – a species very similar to the goliath tarantula – eating the whole wren. The Australian large hunting spider is known to make small birds a part of its diet. A member of this species has even been seen eating a dwarf possum. The difference between their eating habits and th
os
e of the tarantula goliaths is simply a difference in capability. Pink tarantulas will hide above their prey in trees and rafters, and the great hunter is also known as the tree-climbing species.
Next: 10 birds that chirp the loudest
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