Giant True Spiders?

[Sarvoth]

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

 

[Drachenjager]

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

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

 

[Dr. John]

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

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

 

[Sarvoth]

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?

 

[butch4skin]

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

 

[Sarvoth]

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

 

[Pulk]

what about Nephila clavata?

 

[Stylopidae]

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.

 

[Venom]

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.

 

[Sarvoth]

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.

 

[Malhavoc's]

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.

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*

 

[Stylopidae]

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

 

[Malhavoc's]

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

 

[Sarvoth]

Anyone know of Cupiennius for sell in the US?

 

[problemchildx]

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

 

[Ganoderma]

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".

 

[chaim]

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

 

[Sarvoth]

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

 

[Stefan2209]

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

 

[Sarvoth]

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