Blondi - Biggest spider in the world???

[Tony]

Hi,
I will Measurements for the type "P.bara" from the original description.
Female.
Body length: 60mm (this may not sound so large, but consider that half that is the carapace, that is truly massive)

carapace: length: 30mm
width: 24mm

leg I: 78mm
leg II: 76mm
leg III: 66.5mm
leg IV: 79.7mm

With measurements like those I would guess the spider to have a legspan somewhere around 22-23cm...

Cheers,
Steve

Hey Steve
Would those leg measurements be in the relaxed position or stretcehd from the body?
T :}

 

[Steve Nunn]

Hey Steve
Would those leg measurements be in the relaxed position or stretcehd from the body?

Hi Tony,
They were totals of individual measurements of femura, tibia + patella, metatarsus and tarsus.
Steve

N.B. scrap that, I just saw your pokie tongue, forgive us Aussies, very slow you see...

 

[Steve Nunn]

I would think that at the moment the largest known tarantulas are one of the ones already mentioned. But as far as carapace and legspan, I would think the biggest is possibly yet to be described. Further on that the real big ones won't even come from the known group of biggies at the moment (the big African and NW beasts) but in East Asia. I can think of one example in preparation (not an absolute monster, but a truly massive legspan, nothing ever talked about on these boards either and not something hobbyists would ever really get to keep, but from the Theraphosidae nonetheless and therefore quite interesting).

Also, another group of spiders that are really, really huge and as yet, not in this hobby, they are from Asia too. While I know many of the experts know of these and have seen them in the wild, I have no clue if they are being looked into yet or not. I'm a bit surprised nobody has really caught wind of these yet, they have been very briefly discussed in a chat or two and I distinctly remember someone seeing one particular specimen, with legs as thick as fingers and a carapace equal to any T.blondi. Anyone remember this discussion (BTS)??

Steve

 

[GoTerps]

I'd imagine some Phormingochilus get some pretty good legspans.... or no?

Also, back to the NW, some Phormictopus can put on some size too!

 

[Greg Wolfe]

Largest Theraphosid...

Not to pin one species to the charts but over the years (twenty something)
I have raised many "biggies" that can be inducted to the "monster hall of fame". In my experience the following can achieve 11" legspans.
1) Blondi's
2) Lasiodora parahybana
3) Lasiodora difficilus
4) Lasiodora Klugii
and last but not least the T. apophysis can reach 13" (males).
But for bulk and tipping the scales IMHO the blondi is king of the hill.
I have posted pix of my girls mating in the picture thread and you can see the massiveness of them.
I often ponder about a colossal T lurking in the shadows of the rain forest that has yet to be discovered by man... a huge beast that beckons anything moving to get just a little closer... :drool:

 

[Steve Nunn]

I'd imagine some Phormingochilus get some pretty good legspans.... or no?

I would too. The type specimen P.everettii has a carapace measuring 28.5mm, that is large. Phormingochilus tigrinus is a lot smaller (the type specimen anyway, however Pocock believed it to be mature) with a carapace length of 18.5mm. The leg formula for these two is quite different too, I believe P.everettii (I,IV,II,III) would be longer legged then P.tigrinus (IV,I,II,III).

This is a tough one to even guess though because nobody has seen live specimens, let alone a population to get good averages from.

Steve

 

[Sean]

I would think that at the moment the largest known tarantulas are one of the ones already mentioned. But as far as carapace and legspan, I would think the biggest is possibly yet to be described. Further on that the real big ones won't even come from the known group of biggies at the moment (the big African and NW beasts) but in East Asia. I can think of one example in preparation (not an absolute monster, but a truly massive legspan, nothing ever talked about on these boards either and not something hobbyists would ever really get to keep, but from the Theraphosidae nonetheless and therefore quite interesting).

Also, another group of spiders that are really, really huge and as yet, not in this hobby, they are from Asia too. While I know many of the experts know of these and have seen them in the wild, I have no clue if they are being looked into yet or not. I'm a bit surprised nobody has really caught wind of these yet, they have been very briefly discussed in a chat or two and I distinctly remember someone seeing one particular specimen, with legs as thick as fingers and a carapace equal to any T.blondi. Anyone remember this discussion (BTS)??

Steve

Legs as thick as fingers....Thats a BIG spider.

 

[Crotalus]

Or thin fingers

/Lelle

 

[GabooN]

The leg formula for these two is quite different too, I believe P.everettii (I,IV,II,III) would be longer legged then P.tigrinus (IV,I,II,III).

Just curious as to what this means? does it just show which legs are the longest? like i know some t's have really long front legs relative to the 'side' (II,III) legs.

So what is 'leg formula'?

 

[lpw]

I would think that at the moment the largest known tarantulas are one of the ones already mentioned. But as far as carapace and legspan, I would think the biggest is possibly yet to be described. Further on that the real big ones won't even come from the known group of biggies at the moment (the big African and NW beasts) but in East Asia. I can think of one example in preparation (not an absolute monster, but a truly massive legspan, nothing ever talked about on these boards either and not something hobbyists would ever really get to keep, but from the Theraphosidae nonetheless and therefore quite interesting).

Also, another group of spiders that are really, really huge and as yet, not in this hobby, they are from Asia too. While I know many of the experts know of these and have seen them in the wild, I have no clue if they are being looked into yet or not. I'm a bit surprised nobody has really caught wind of these yet, they have been very briefly discussed in a chat or two and I distinctly remember someone seeing one particular specimen, with legs as thick as fingers and a carapace equal to any T.blondi. Anyone remember this discussion (BTS)??

Steve

This is fascinating stuff. Where do we find out more?

Thanks,
Lukasz

 

[Steve Nunn]

Just curious as to what this means? does it just show which legs are the longest? like i know some t's have really long front legs relative to the 'side' (II,III) legs.

So what is 'leg formula'?

Hi,
Well, you answered it, the longest/largest to the shortest/smallest, in order, in roman numerals. In the Selenocosmiinae, it is those spiders with the leg formula I,IV,II,III (first legs longest) that have the big legspans, just seems the way it is with their morphology, I have no explanation for this * shrugs*. Going by it's closest relations, the one with legs I as the largest would most likely have a larger legspan. But, how on Earth would I know?? I don't, it's all lame guesswork at the moment, I probably shouldn't ramble about it until we see one, LOL So please, the leg formula is useful info, the rest is guesswork, forget it

Cheers,
Steve

 

[Steve Nunn]

This is fascinating stuff. Where do we find out more?

Gossip mongers, the rumour mill, spread as much bull as you hear and try to listen to the logic that arises from it, that'll be somewhere close to the truth

 

[xenesthis]

Largest Ts in my collections and others that I've seen...

The Largest tarantulas that I have seen either in my collections or others are (I consider large 7.5"+ and 2.5 ounces+):

My collection:

Xenesthis monstrosa, female: 9 1/4", 3 .5 ounces
Poecilotheria rufilata, female: 9 1/4"
Poecilotheria ornata, female: 8 3/4"
Pamphobeteus antinous, female: 8.5"
Pamphobeteus nigricolor, female: 8 1/4", 3 ounces
Lasiodora parahybana, mature male: 10 1/4"
Lasiodora parahybana, female, 9.5", 4 ounces
Theraphosa blondi, female: 10.5", 5 ounces
Haplopelma schmidti "Chinese Gold Earth Tiger", 1st import into the U.S. in '98: 8 1/4"
Lampropelma nigerrimum "Borneo Giant Orange-fringed", female: 8", 2.5 ounces

Other people's collections that I've seen:

Megaphobema robustum, female, 8.5" (forgot the guy's name, he lived in Pompano Beach, FL in the mid '90s.)
Theraphosa apopyhsis, mature male, 11" (Mark Hart's in '97)
Poecilotheria rufilata, female, 9 3/4" (Jean Michael Verdez at the BTS show in '99)
Poecilotheria regalis, female: 8.5" (Bryant Capiz in the late '90s).

I've seen many P. antinous over 7.5"-8", Acanthoscurria geniculata and A. brocklehurtsi being 7.5"-8", Nhandu chromatus at 7.5", H. schmiditi (gold and black earth tigers) 7.5"-8", Lasidora klugi 7.5"-8", Megaphobema velvetosoma 7.5"-8", Cyriopagopus schioedtei 7.5"-8", Avicularia braunshanseni and A. metallica of 7.5", Citharischius crawshayi 7.5", Grammostola aureostriata 7.5"-8", Hysterocrates hercules 8.5", H. gigas 7.5", Lasiodorides striatus and L. polycuspulatus 7.5"-8.5", Pamphobetus sp. "platyomma" 8"-8.5", P. nigricolor 7.5"-8", P. insignis, P. ornatus, P. vespertinus 7.5", Phormictopus cancerides 7.5"-8", Psalmopoeus cambridgei 7.5" and even a Bracypelma smithi at 7.5".

So, the following genera can achieve 7.5" legspans and 2.5 ou. body weights:

New World:

Xenesthis
Lasiodora
Pamphobeteus
Sericopelma
Megaphobema
Theraphosa
Acanthoscurria - certain species
Grammostola - certain species
Lasiodorites
Phormictopus

Old world:

Cyriopagopus
Lampropelma
Poeciolotheria
Citharischius
Hysterocrates

O.k. I just wanted to share with you what's I've seen with my own eyes that were over 7.5" in legspan and 2.5 ounce body weights.

The most impressive spider I've ever known was the Xenesthis monstrosa female that I had in my person collection. At 9 1/4" and over 3.5 ounces, with her thick legs and velvety legs, bushy orangish-brown abdominal hairs and black overall color - she was a "show stopper".

Todd

 

[Tony]

Todd
What happened to the monstrosa???
T

 

[phormingochilus]

I have collected Phormingochilus everetti in it's type habitat, and I can testify that it becomes as big as Cyriopagopus, in my opinion the true giants of asia.

I have also examined a "Phormingochilus" from Singapore labelled as such by Pocock that was actually a Cyriopagopus. Carapace lenght = 36 mm. I am sure we can agree this is a big boy (girl actually).

When that is said none of these gets near Theraphosa in sheer bulk and weight and massive impression, though the legspan i getting in the range, with 24-25 cm legspan at least for the largest Cyriopagopus compared with the 28 cm for female T. blondi and 32 cm for largest measured male T. apophysis. So close but no cigar ;-)

I have attached pictures of the exuviae of my largest C. schioedtei - which measured 21 cm/9 inches diagonally. She is even larger today ;-) Also attached is a picture of Pococks (badly mangled - and in a very poor condition) Phormingochilus sp. both pictures is with scale.

Actually also managed to find the pictures from our Borneo trip where we relocated what I believe is P. everetti - some years ago by now - but still a good fun memory ;-) - enjoy.

Regards
Søren

This is a tough one to even guess though because nobody has seen live specimens (off Phormingochilus), let alone a population to get good averages from.

Steve

 

[Crotalus]

A dead adult H. minax, not a small madam either. 30mm carapace plus minus a few mm.

/Lelle

 

[xenesthis]

X. monstrosa passed away this past year

Tony and all:

My X. monstrosa female passed away this past year. I got her when she was 5.5" and had in her captivity for 10 years after that. Before she expired, she was 9 1/4" and 3.5 ounces.

A MONSTER!!!

Todd

 

[Rabid Flea]

Wow!!! All of those are impressive spiders! I would love to go out and do field work like that.