For many people, spiders evoke feelings of fear and disgust. In some regions of the planet this is justified, since the number of poisonous insects there exceeds all reasonable limits. But in other places, almost half of all people are afraid of them, and some cannot stand their presence at all. There is already a stereotype that any spider is dangerous, and many people look at people who keep them as pets with misunderstanding. This rating, consisting of the 10 most beautiful spiders in the world , will not make you fall in love with all members of the arthropod family. It will simply show that among them there are truly beautiful specimens.
10.Theridion grallator (Smiling Spider)
It is this spider that many arachnophobes would call the best in the world. It is absolutely safe for humans and has very small dimensions - the leg span is only 5 mm. It took tenth place in this ranking due to its cheerful coloring of bright colors. In addition, during the course of evolution, a real emoticon appeared on his body, similar to a face with a smile. So he can safely be called the most positive spider in the world. This coloring plays a protective function. Predators that eat spiders are confused at the sight of such bright colors, because they believe that it is poisonous. This gives him time to run and hide.
Giant tarantula from Sri Lanka (Poecilotheria rajaei)
Leg span – up to 20 cm.
Giant tarantula from Sri Lanka (Poecilotheria rajaei)
This tarantula was first discovered in 2009, when a villager brought a dead spider to a research organization in Sri Lanka. A team of scientists was assembled to study the new species. During the expedition, they were accompanied by police officer Michael Rajakumar Purajah, after whom the spider was named.
A huge poisonous spider lives in trees. Several individuals were found on the premises of an old hospital in Mankulam.
According to Australian arachnologist Robert Raven, the tarantula discovered in Sri Lanka may be just a local variety of the already known species Poecilotheria regalis, which is found in mainland India.
9.Latrodectus mactans (Black Widow)
The ninth place among the most beautiful spiders on the planet is occupied by Black Widows. They account for many human lives. A Black Widow bite most likely leads to death or serious health consequences if an antidote is not administered in time. This is despite its small size - a maximum of two centimeters in diameter. The spider got its name because the females of this species eat the males after mating. Their appearance is not distinguished by very bright colors; it can even be called modest. The abdomen is painted black with a matte sheen, and has small red spots on it. This simplicity looks quite beautiful.
Wall tegenaria (Tegenaria parietina)
Tegenaria wall lives near people, in dwellings and buildings. Its length is small, up to 15 cm. However, it cannot be called small because its limbs are too long and curved. It is very difficult to meet tegenaria in nature. This can only happen in caves in Africa or Asia. The color is pale brown, with black stripes on the paws. Movements are fast and jerky. Female representatives are anxious mothers. They take care of the future generation and carry a cocoon with eggs on themselves until the spiderlings appear. Tegenaria is not poisonous, but due to its large size it has a terrifying appearance.
8.Sicarius hahni (Six-eyed sand spider)
The power of this handsome man’s poison is in no way inferior to the Black Widow, and an antidote for it has never been invented. Fortunately, he does not seek meetings with humans and at the moment there is only one case of death from his bite. It got its name from its habit of hiding in the sand, from where it monitors the movements of potential victims. Meeting him for most insects means only death. The beautiful body of the sand spider looks like a small pancake with four pairs of legs.
Tarantula lifestyle
Burrows of a large tarantula can be seen everywhere, most often the slopes of mountains are covered with them. The depth of the burrows varies, ranging from 50-60 cm deep. At the entrance to the tarantula's burrow you can see a small roller, which somewhat hides the entrance from prying eyes.
During the daytime, spiders prefer to hide in burrows. And when night falls, they go out hunting. Spiders protect their burrows from the winter cold using cobwebs and dry plants. All the walls in their home are shrouded in cobwebs. With its help, they are able to determine by vibration what is happening on the earth's surface.
As soon as the spring warmth is felt, spiders come to the surface and bask in the sun's rays.
7.Misumena vatia (Mizumena clubfoot)
This small spider stands out from the rest. Like all members of the crab spider family, it does not use a web to catch prey. He, like a real predator, ambushes and attacks his future food, immobilizing it with his paws and trying to inject poison. The main help in hunting is its ability to change color depending on the environment. This allows him to be called one of the most beautiful spiders in the world.
Goliath birdeater
The Goliath tarantula is in honorable first place. This is the largest and most terrifying arachnid on Earth. The weight of the furry monster is about 200 grams, the limb span is more than 30 cm, and in its mouth it has poisonous fangs measuring 2.5 cm in size. The spectacle is not for the impressionable. The color of these arachnids is all shades of brown, the paws are covered with reddish hairs, and there are white transverse stripes. This species of arthropod lives in South America. He hides in damp holes half a meter deep. Goliath quickly attacks its victims, bites them with its fangs and shakes off paralyzing poison from its hairs. The poison is not fatal to humans, but causes a severe allergic reaction. This giant feeds on amphibians, insects, and rodents. Contrary to the name, birds are rarely hunted.
6.Phidippus audax (Jumping spider)
This spider is harmless to humans. The appearance of his body is very beautiful, it combines various colors of blue, orange and light green shades. Among the numerous patterns, there are also those that resemble emoticons. Despite its miniature body size, the Jumping Spider can easily give a person a heart attack, even if he is not an arachnophobe. It's all about his ability to jump almost half a meter. This feature will definitely not leave anyone indifferent, especially if you don’t expect such agility from a spider.
Appearance and features
Photo: Poisonous tarantula spider
The entire body of the spider is covered with small hairs. The structure of the body is divided into two main parts - the abdomen and the cephalothorax. There are 4 pairs of eyes on the head, 2 of which are small and arranged in a straight line, the rest form a trapezoid by their arrangement.
Video: Tarantula spider
This placement allows you to see everything around in a 360-degree view. In addition to a well-developed visual apparatus, tarantulas have a hypersensitive sense of smell. This gives them the opportunity to smell prey at fairly large distances.
The sizes of arthropods are quite large:
- body length - 2-10 cm;
- leg length - 30 cm;
- females weigh up to 90 g.
Like other insects, female spiders are significantly larger than males. Throughout their lives, individuals molt several times. The more often this happens, the faster they age. On four pairs of long, hairy legs, the spider moves comfortably across sand or water surfaces. The forelimbs of males are more developed than those of females.
Interesting fact: The limbs can only bend, so the wounded individual becomes weak and vulnerable. The legs bend thanks to the flexor muscles, and extend under the pressure of the hemolymph. The skeleton of arachnids is also weak, so any fall could be their last.
Chelicerae (mandibles) are equipped with poisonous ducts. Thanks to them, arthropods can defend themselves or attack. The color of spiders is usually gray, brown or black. Sexual dimorphism is well developed. American tarantulas are considered the largest. Their European counterparts are significantly smaller in size.
5.Cyclocosmia truncata (Cyclocosmia spider)
It may not be the most beautiful spider in the world, but there is no doubt that it is one of the most unusual insects on the planet. On its belly there is a large flat growth, more like a real shield. The similarity is only enhanced by the fact that there is a beautiful pattern on it, more like the symbolism of some kind of cult. He is not protected by this growth in battle, as it might seem. In case of danger, the spider simply crawls into its hole, blocking the road with a kind of shield. This tactic allows him to withstand many dangers.
Cerbalus Arabian
This type of spider, which is distinguished by its large size, became known to scientists only in 2003. Although the body of the spider itself is not large in size (only 3 cm), together with its legs its size is no less than 20 centimeters. Moreover, females are slightly larger than males. In their natural environment, these arachnids were found in the deserts of Arabia, Israel and South Jordan. The spider has such a body color that it literally merges with the sandy base, so it is quite difficult to detect it, despite the presence of black stripes on its limbs. It is active only at night, which was the reason for such a late discovery of the species.
4.Gasteracantha cancriformis (Spiky orb-weaving spider)
The spiny orb-weaving spider looks attractive and at the same time its appearance is quite threatening. It earned fourth place in the top ten most beautiful spiders in the world for its abdomen, which is disproportionately large compared to the rest of the body and its coloring. Different individuals of this species can be painted in all the colors of the rainbow, and six spikes, more like horns, complete the picture. Such body dimensions, color and spines scare off many predators who are simply not able to swallow it.
2.Maratus volans (Peacock spider)
But it will be very difficult to see the peacock spider with the naked eye. Still, the size of an adult does not exceed five millimeters. This species got its name about a hundred years ago. On its body there is a special shield with a very bright pattern, different for different individuals. This part of the body is used by males only to attract individuals of the opposite sex during the mating season. With the help of various dance-like movements, the spider attracts attention. This behavior, combined with a pattern similar to a peacock’s tail, determined its name. Many believe that this particular species deserves the title of the most beautiful spider in the world .
Pecilotheria rufilata
This tarantula spider grows up to 8 cm, and taking into account the paw span, up to 23-24 cm. It can be found in the southeast of India. Adults make their nests mainly in hollows or tree branches, while young animals prefer to stay close to the ground.
Rufilata has a very rich greenish color with yellow and dark brown patches on the legs. His entire body is covered with red hair, with the exception of his abdomen.
Like all tarantulas, it eats insects, lizards, birds, and will not neglect small rodents. Although this spider is very aggressive, there are many who want to keep it as a pet.
1.Poecilotheria metallica (Metallica spider)
This subspecies of tarantulas deservedly takes a leading place in the top 10 most beautiful spiders in the world. Their appearance combined with their small distribution makes them desirable specimens for almost every collector. The color is predominantly blue with a metallic sheen. Plus, each spider has an individual white pattern. This subspecies of tarantulas is very active, able to run fast and even jump. Combined with its aggressiveness and strong venom, this makes it dangerous to keep in the home, especially for inexperienced spider lovers.
