Huntsman Spider
Sparassidae (formerly Heteropodidae) are a family of spiders known as huntsman spiders because of their speed and mode of hunting. They also are called giant crab spiders because of their size and appearance. Larger species sometimes are referred to as wood spiders, because of their preference for woody places (forest, mine shafts, woodpiles, wooden shacks). In southern Africa the genus Palystes are known as rain spiders or lizard-eating spiders. Commonly they are confused with baboon spiders from the Mygalomorphae infraorder, which are not closely related.
More than a thousand Sparassidae species occur in most warm temperate to tropical regions of the world, including much of Australasia, Africa, Asia, the Mediterranean Basin, and the Americas.
Read more about Huntsman Spider: Appearance, Habitat and Distribution, Venom and Aggression, Sound Production in Mating Rituals, List of Genera
Famous quotes containing the words huntsman and/or spider:
“He cast off his friends as a huntsman his pack,
For he knew when he pleas’d he could whistle them back.”
—Oliver Goldsmith (1728–1774)
““Will you walk into my parlor?” said the spider to the fly;
“‘Tis the prettiest little parlor that ever you did spy.
The way into my parlor is up a winding stair,
And I have many pretty things to show when you are there.””
—Mary Howitt (1799–1888)