The Goliath birdeater (Theraphosa blondi) is the largest spider in the world by mass and size. It is a tarantula found in northern South America in the rainforests of Suriname, Guyana, French Guiana, northern Brazil and eastern Venezuela. Despite its name and large size, the Goliath birdeater poses little threat to humans.
Quick Facts on the Goliath Birdeater Spider
| Scientific Name | Theraphosa blondi |
|---|---|
| Other Common Names | Goliath bird eating spider, goliath bird-eating tarantula |
| Geographic Range | Northern South America – Suriname, Guyana, French Guiana, northern Brazil, eastern Venezuela |
| Size | Legspan up to 12 inches, body up to 4 inches |
| Lifespan | 15-25 years in captivity |
| Diet | Insects, small mammals, reptiles, amphibians |
| IUCN Conservation Status | Least Concern |
The Goliath birdeater is the largest spider in the world by mass, weighing over 6 oz. It has a legspan up to 12 inches, making it larger than a dinner plate. The body alone can reach up to 4 inches in length. Despite the spider’s massive size, it is not particularly dangerous or aggressive towards humans.
Goliath Birdeater Bite Facts
– The Goliath birdeater has large fangs capable of piercing human skin. However, its venom is relatively mild compared to other tarantulas.
– Its bites can be painful but are unlikely to cause lasting harm or death in healthy adults. Minor symptoms may include pain, redness, sweating and heart palpitations.
– Medical intervention is usually not required for bites, but severe reactions are possible in rare cases. Children, the elderly and those with allergies may be most at risk.
– The Goliath birdeater tends to avoid biting humans unless severely threatened or provoked. Most bites occur when handling the spider.
– Despite their intimidating size, Goliath birdeaters are not aggressive spiders. Their size and speed may startle humans but they rarely attack.
So in summary, the Goliath birdeater does have the physical capacity to bite humans with its large fangs. However, its venom is mild, it tends to avoid biting, and bites very rarely cause serious effects. Healthy adult humans are not considered to be in much danger from this spider’s bite.
Appearance and Physical Traits
The Goliath birdeater is an enormous tarantula characterized by several distinctive physical features:
Size
As mentioned earlier, the Goliath birdeater has a legspan up to 12 inches (30 cm) and a body length up to 4 inches (10 cm). The legspan is about the size of a dinner plate and the body is as big as a human fist.
When including legspan, the Goliath birdeater is the largest spider in the world. It weighs over 6 oz (170 g), more than 100 times heavier than other spiders. This makes it the heaviest spider species.
Legs and Fangs
The spider has 8 thick, hairy legs with small hooked claws at the tips. The legs are banded with fuzz and bristles in black, brown and reddish hues.
The two front legs are thicker than the other 6. These pedipalps are used to grasp prey and also house the sexual organs.
Its fangs are up to 1 inch long – large enough to easily pierce human skin. The fangs are dark brown or black and have a glossy appearance.
Eyes
Most tarantulas have 8 eyes but the Goliath birdeater has only 6. The eyes are arranged in three pairs – one pair is located on top of the carapace (shell) and two pairs are on the front of the face area.
The eyes range in color from dark brown to blackish-red. They use their eyes primarily for sensing light and movement.
Body Color
The body coloration of Goliath birdeaters ranges from dark to light brown. The bristly hairs on the legs and body may also be reddish or pinkish.
Some individuals have faint banding on the legs. The underside of the body and legs is often black or brownish-black. Young spiderlings start off more grayish in color.
Distinguishing Features
– Enormous size – legspan up to 12 inches, body length up to 4 inches
– Six eyes instead of the typical eight for tarantulas
– Very large fangs, up to 1 inch in length
– Thick, hairy legs with small claw tips
– Dark brown to black coloration on body and legs
So in summary, the massive yet hairy body, thick legs, and large fangs are the main physical traits that distinguish the Goliath birdeater from other tarantula species. Its huge size makes it virtually unmistakable.
Habitat and Range
The Goliath birdeater spider inhabits tropical rainforests and swamps in northern South America. Its range extends across:
Northern Brazil
In Brazil, the spider is found in the Amazon rainforest region in the northern part of the country. This includes areas of the Amazonas and Roraima states where humid, marshy rainforests provide an ideal habitat.
Suriname
The rainforests, marshlands and savannas of Suriname in the northeastern part of South America host Goliath birdeater populations.
Guyana
Guyana’s dense rainforests in the northeastern part of the country along the border with Brazil offer prime real estate for the Goliath birdeater.
French Guiana
French Guiana, located on the northeast coast of South America, is also within the native range of the Goliath birdeater. Humid rainforest environments provide its preferred habitat.
Venezuela
In the southeast part of Venezuela near the border with Guyana, the spider can be found occupying the tropical rainforests.
Across its range, these giant spiders inhabit burrows in marshy forest areas, swamps and wetlands. They prefer warm, humid environments. Their burrows provide shelter and protection.
Habits and Behavior
The Goliath birdeater exhibits some interesting behaviors and habits:
Nocturnal
The spider is primarily nocturnal and does most of its hunting at night. During the day, it stays sheltered inside its burrow.
Burrowing
Goliath birdeaters construct deep burrows using their fangs and legs. These burrows provide protection, shelter and humid conditions. They may be up to 3 feet deep.
Poor Eyesight
Despite having multiple eyes, the Goliath birdeater has poor eyesight. It relies more on vibrations and movement sensing to find prey.
Swift Movement
Though large, the spider can move quickly to capture prey. Its top speed is estimated at 1.1 feet per second. When threatened, it is capable of short speedy bursts.
Preening
Like cats, Goliath birdeaters use their legs to clean themselves. They draw each leg across their fangs to brush off debris and keep themselves tidy.
Adaptable Diet
Goliath birdeaters will eat a wide variety of prey thanks to their varied habitats. They do not strictly target birds as the name implies.
Low Aggression
Despite being lightning fast predators, Goliath birdeaters are not very aggressive toward humans. They tend to avoid contact unless distressed or threatened. Even their venom is mild.
So in summary, the Goliath birdeater has an array of intriguing habits from nocturnal hunting to burrowing to preening displays. But overall they are quite docile for spiders of their size.
Diet and Hunting
The Goliath birdeater is an opportunistic hunter and will eat a diverse range of prey:
Insects
A large portion of the spider’s diet consists of insects like grasshoppers, crickets, beetles and cockroaches. It needs to capture and eat several insects each week.
Small Mammals
The Goliath birdeater will prey on small mammals that live in its habitat, such as mice, rats and opossums. It needs animal protein.
Reptiles and Amphibians
Small snakes, lizards, frogs and toads also end up as prey for these enormous spiders. Their size allows them to take down small vertebrates.
Birds
Birds are not a frequent prey item since they can more readily escape the spider. But isolated cases of bird predation have lent to the “birdeater” name.
Hunting Strategy
The Goliath birdeater hunts by waiting patiently outside its burrow entrance for passing prey. It relies on sensing vibrations and uses its poor eyesight to detect movement. When prey gets close enough, the spider quickly pounces with its front legs to capture it. Its enormous fangs easily kill and grip prey.
Toxic Venom
Though not very potent against humans, the spider’s venom can paralyze and kill small prey. The venom breaks down tissues and causes pain.
Feeding Habits
A Goliath birdeater may eat only once or twice a week due to the large size of its prey. It has a slow metabolism. The spider will store live prey in its burrow to save for later feedings.
So while not a big threat to birds, the Goliath birdeater is certainly capable of catching and eating impressive prey thanks to its speed, size and venom. From insects to mice to lizards, many rainforest creatures end up as dinner for this spider.
Life Cycle and Reproduction
The Goliath birdeater goes through several stages in its life cycle and reproduction:
Sexual Maturity
Male Goliath birdeaters may reach sexual maturity from 1.5-3 years. Females mature slightly later at 3-4 years old.
Mating Ritual
To mate, the male vibrates the female’s web and engages in a courtship dance. If receptive, the female allows the male to insert his sperm using his pedipalps. No actual coupling occurs.
Gestation Period
After mating, the female produces an egg sac holding 100-200 eggs a few weeks later. The eggs incubate for 5-6 weeks.
Spiderlings
The tiny spiderlings that emerge are about 1 inch in size. They cling to the female’s back until after their first molt. The young stay with the female for 6-8 weeks.
Growth Rate
Spiderlings molt frequently as they grow, shedding their exoskeleton. It takes 3-4 years for them to reach full adult size. Their lifespan ranges from 15-25 years.
Molting
Adults molt once yearly. Prior to molting they stop eating and remain inactive for weeks to shed their old exoskeleton before emerging with a larger new one.
So while slow growing, the Goliath birdeater has a lengthy lifespan. Females produce large batches of spiderlings that go through several growing stages before reaching intimidating adult proportions.
Defense Mechanisms
The Goliath birdeater has several defensive adaptations:
Warning Hissing
The spider makes a loud hissing sound by rubbing setae on its legs and abdomen. This functions as an auditory warning to scare off predators.
Urticating Hairs
Its abdomen has specialized urticating hairs that it can flick off. These fine barbed hairs cause itching and irritation if they contact skin and can deter predators.
Fangs
The enormous fangs can deliver a painful bite infused with venom. While not very potent against humans, it can paralyze smaller natural enemies.
Speed
The Goliath birdeater can sprint short distances rapidly to escape threats. Its top speed is estimated at over 1 foot per second.
Bite as a Last Resort
The spider does not aggressively bite without provocation. Biting is used as a last line of defense against severe threats that get too close.
So this spider relies first on auditory and irritant defenses to scare away enemies. Its large fangs and speed help it escape rather than fight unless it has no other options left. The bite is truly an emergency response.
Interaction with Humans
There are a few key things to highlight regarding Goliath birdeaters and humans:
Wild Encounters are Rare
Since these spiders inhabit dense, marshy rainforest areas, most people will never encounter one in the wild. Only researchers and locals may happen upon them.
Venom Has Mild Effects on Humans
As covered earlier, the venom does not seriously harm or endanger healthy human adults, even though the fangs can pierce skin. Some localized pain, sweating and heart palpitations may result. Not medically significant.
Bites are Uncommon and Defensive
Due to their docile nature, bites almost always occur when a human has knowingly provoked or handled the spider. The spider only bites when highly threatened.
Captive Care Requires Caution
Goliath birdeaters are sometimes kept as exotic pets. Handling them is not recommended due to the potential, albeit unlikely, danger from a defensive bite. Proper cages and gloves should be used.
Conservation Status is Currently Stable
They face no major threats currently and their rainforest habitat remains relatively intact across their range. Their conservation status is classified as Least Concern.
Overall, the chances of a dangerous encounter with a Goliath birdeater in the wild are extremely low. With proper handling precautions, captive spiders pose little threat to owners. This is due to both their mild venom and docile behavior.
Conclusion
In summary, the Goliath birdeater is visually impressive as the world’s largest spider but it does not live up to its fearsome reputation. Key points:
– It has fangs large enough to bite humans but venom with mild effects
– Bites are rare and used only as a last defense, not for hunting prey
– The spider’s habitat deep in South American rainforests means very few encounters with people
– While the spider looks intimidating, it has a non-aggressive temperament
– Caution is still needed when handling captive specimens
So while an extraordinary spider that captures the public imagination, the Goliath birdeater does not pose a serious threat to human health and safety. Its size generates fear disproportionate to its actual dangerousness. With care and common sense, neither wild nor captive specimens present much risk to people. They can be admired for their phenomenal size and respected for their crucial role as rainforest predators.
