# Giant True Spiders?



## Sarvoth (Nov 25, 2007)

Well.. I've been perusing the forms for quite some time looking for powerful large spiders that take down their prey.

Basically I'm looking for anything that's as large or larger than Hogna carolinensis!

I'm already keeping a Heteropoda boiei sling and plan to get another.

Phoneutria, Ancylometes, and Dolomedes all interest me but it seems that in the US it's nearly impossible to acquire any of the first two! GAH!  

Taking any suggestions for large, exciting (far as spiders go >_<), and powerful spiders!

-Brandon


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## Drachenjager (Nov 25, 2007)

Sarvoth said:


> Well.. I've been perusing the forms for quite some time looking for powerful large spiders that take down their prey.
> 
> Basically I'm looking for anything that's as large or larger than Hogna carolinensis!
> 
> ...


Hogna carolinensis isnt that big of a spider IMO. I dont know what criterion they use to base them as being the largest wolf spider in the usa. I have yet to see one much over a 2.5" LS and have seen R. rabidosa with close to a 4" LS


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## Dr. John (Nov 25, 2007)

Sarvoth said:


> Well.. I've been perusing the forms for quite some time looking for powerful large spiders that take down their prey.
> 
> Basically I'm looking for anything that's as large or larger than Hogna carolinensis!
> 
> ...



Well , if you're in search of a really big one , why don't you try to get your hands on a Heteropoda maxima ( Dr. Peter Jaeger , 2001 ) from Laos . The males are reported to have a legspan of just under a foot . You'll hardly find any bigger true spider . 

Dr. John


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## Sarvoth (Nov 25, 2007)

Drachenjager said:


> Hogna carolinensis isnt that big of a spider IMO. I dont know what criterion they use to base them as being the largest wolf spider in the usa. I have yet to see one much over a 2.5" LS and have seen R. rabidosa with close to a 4" LS


I've kept two H. carolenensis in the past that got massive, roughly 4" LS each and much bulkier than R. rabidosa of similar LS. As far as true spiders go, they're the largest I've ever had.



> Well , if you're in search of a really big one , why don't you try to get your hands on a Heteropoda maxima ( Dr. Peter Jaeger , 2001 ) from Laos . The males are reported to have a legspan of just under a foot . You'll hardly find any bigger true spider .


I will definitely look into that now! Thanks for the suggestion!

Surely there's SOMEONE in the US that keeps Ancylometes?


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## butch4skin (Nov 25, 2007)

maximas aren't readily available, as far as I know.


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## Sarvoth (Nov 26, 2007)

It definitely does seem that being in the US will limit me from some of the most impressive giant true spiders for the moment .

I would LOVE to see photos of peoples large true spiders and will certainly take any suggestions or direction to species available to the US hobby. 

Please post!  

-Brandon


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## Pulk (Nov 26, 2007)

what about Nephila clavata?


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## Stylopidae (Nov 26, 2007)

butch4skin said:


> maximas aren't readily available, as far as I know.


What happens a lot of times in taxonomy is that people go on an expedition, find some stuff, preserve it and then it sits in a museum for a very long time to await further study.

Over time, the original collection data may get lost or misplaced or the data was improperly transcribed in the first place.

Unfortunately, this (from what I read) seems to be what happened with _Heteropoda maxima_.

Nobody knows where they came from...only that they exist.


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## Venom (Nov 26, 2007)

You should also look into Cupiennis. A few species of this genus have become available in the US recently. They are the about same size as Phoneutria, depending on species.


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## Sarvoth (Nov 26, 2007)

Venom said:


> You should also look into Cupiennis. A few species of this genus have become available in the US recently. They are the about same size as Phoneutria, depending on species.


Awesome, thanks . I'll be looking that up.


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## Malhavoc's (Nov 26, 2007)

Cheshire said:


> What happens a lot of times in taxonomy is that people go on an expedition, find some stuff, preserve it and then it sits in a museum for a very long time to await further study.
> 
> Over time, the original collection data may get lost or misplaced or the data was improperly transcribed in the first place.
> 
> ...





			
				Wikipedia said:
			
		

> The Heteropoda maxima hunters, 2001 is probably the largest giant crab spider of the world. Their body length reaches 4 to 4.6 cm and the leg span 20 to 35 cm. It lives in caves of the Lao province Cammon and exhibits a yellowish brown colouring, has however no reduced eyes like other spiders living in caves.
> 
> Peter Jaeger of the Senckenbergmuseum in Frankfurt/Main rediscovered Heteropoda maxima into of Laos the giant crab spider, which already existed before millions of years in tropical forests..


http://ca.babelfish.yahoo.com/translate_url?trurl=http%3A%2F%2Fde.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FHeteropoda_maxima&lp=de_en&.intl=ca&fr=slv8-hptb7

 Must wonder how many spiders are other various creatures are mislabled, missorted and otherwise forgoton about in such a fashion. "Discovering Extinct species, one filing cabinet at a time" *chuckles*


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## Stylopidae (Nov 27, 2007)

Malhavoc's said:


> http://ca.babelfish.yahoo.com/translate_url?trurl=http%3A%2F%2Fde.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FHeteropoda_maxima&lp=de_en&.intl=ca&fr=slv8-hptb7
> 
> Must wonder how many spiders are other various creatures are mislabled, missorted and otherwise forgoton about in such a fashion. "Discovering Extinct species, one filing cabinet at a time" *chuckles*


I knew they thought they came from Laos and thought they were cave dwelling, but I didn't know they had data right down to the province.

I humbly stand corrected


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## Malhavoc's (Nov 27, 2007)

hehe Oh dont worry I'm sure you'll get me back ten fold hehe.
Wasn't out to correct you just get the info up there. When in doubt google it and translate the unreadable pages! I'm still kind of shocked that tehy can just "file" a specimen away before at least doing some basic information about it. Name/Habitat/location/toxicity or some such 0.0 especialy in the day and age of computers 0.0


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## Sarvoth (Nov 28, 2007)

Anyone know of Cupiennius for sell in the US?


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## problemchildx (Nov 28, 2007)

You could easily attain a huntsman, I hear they get up there in size.


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## Ganoderma (Nov 28, 2007)

i second Nephila sp.  very big...but VERY big webs as well!!!  what about funnel webs?  Macrothele are pretty cool if you are able to find them there.  fun to watch "hunt".


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## chaim (Nov 28, 2007)

Sarvoth said:


> Anyone know of Cupiennius for sell in the US?


Well, I think so.
Here in Holland its no problem at all.
Dont know if its legal to send you some... (I would only send them if I know they will surefive the journey).

here some pics of my Cupiennius spp.

C. cocineus female
This spider is dead, its wass dead when I took the pics.












C. getazi male







C. salei femal


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## Sarvoth (Nov 29, 2007)

Thanks for the replies everyone  .

As far as huntsman spiders go, I've got one and will be ordering more soon  .

As far as Nephila sp., web types really don't seem to interest me much.. I'll probably change my mind later  .

In reply to chaim, BEAUTIFUL spiders! I don't mean to get my hopes up, but if you'd sell some of your babies I'd definitely be buying. I am really ignorant as to how expensive, time consuming, and risky legal overseas shipping would be though. From what I've read it seems that unless you import MASS quantities or very valuable animals, it isn't worth it.

-Brandon


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## Stefan2209 (Nov 30, 2007)

Venom said:


> They are the about same size as Phoneutria, depending on species.


Hi there,

you have seen how many Phoneutria specimen in living beings and of which species?

If you take the smallest Phoneutria´s and the bigggest Cupiennius spec.´s you might be able to have a somewhat comparing size...

If you go for species like P. fera, P. nigriventer or P. reidyi (note: i´m just listing the species here i´ve personally seen living specimen of) I, personally, would really like you to show me a specimen of any Cupiennius species that can as much as only nearly keep up with the sizes these species can grow up to.

To science, the biggest known South - American Ctenidae are in genera Ancylometes and Phoneutria, sporting body sizes of more than 5cm (2") and leg spans of up to 18cm (7").

*SHOW ME YOUR BIGGEST CUPIENNIUS*

*PHONEUTRIA REIDYI*, adult female, wc, Peru (dead, of course - pic taken for size reference only)

5,2cm body - 15,4cm leg span







You dare to compare that ridicolous Cupiennius to my babies.... :evil: 

*SHOW ME YOUR BIGGEST CUPIENNIUS*

Greetings,

Stefan


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## Sarvoth (Nov 30, 2007)

That spider scares me . I hope someday soon Phoneutria sp. become available in the US hobby.


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## Stefan2209 (Nov 30, 2007)

Sarvoth said:


> That spider scares me . I hope someday soon Phoneutria sp. become available in the US hobby.


Hi,

scares you? Thought you´d be looking for something "big", these can even grow bigger...

Phoneutria ARE already in the US.

However, to my knowledge limited to P. keyserlingi and extremely rare and even more high - priced if you even manage to find one for sale.

I´m not aware of any breeding projects going on in the US. To my experience, i have to admit too, this species is rather difficult to reproduce....

You might want to check back with user "Reptist" (if i remember this correct), check his avatar picture....

Also with Mike Jacobi who had offered some for sale this year. Be warned though, that Mike will definitely want you to prove that you are knowledgeable about such dangerous species, before considering selling some.

(And to my personal opinion he´s def right to do so, P. keyserlingi is NOT a beginners Phoneutria...)

Take care.

Greetings,

Stefan


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## padkison (Nov 30, 2007)

Dolomedes tenebrosus is very common in the states and gets to about 3.5-4" legspan.  Here's one sitting at the bottom of a delicup and on bark.  Easy to keep.


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## Stefan2209 (Nov 30, 2007)

padkison said:


> Dolomedes tenebrosus gets to about 3.5-4" legspan.


UNBELIEVABLE!

Such big....   

... and i thought this thread ´d be about "giant" spiders....    

Well....   :8o 

Greetings,

Stefan


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## Sarvoth (Nov 30, 2007)

Stefan2209 said:


> Hi,
> 
> scares you? Thought you´d be looking for something "big", these can even grow bigger...
> 
> ...



Thanks for the info, I hoped you'd post. I was a lurker for quite some time before I registered and I've seen some of your pictures and posts in the past.

And I'm not really scared , that spider is MASSSSSIVE. I love it, beautiful.



> Dolomedes tenebrosus is very common in the states and gets to about 3.5-4" legspan. Here's one sitting at the bottom of a delicup and on bark. Easy to keep.


Dolomedes tenebrosus was already on my to-get list, thanks for the pictures and reply! 

-Brandon


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