The Goliath Birdeater is the world's largest spider and is as big as a puppy
- 9 years ago
GUYANA — The Theraphosa blondi, also known as the South American Goliath birdeater, is the largest spider in the world.
When Harvard entomologist Dr. Peter Naskrecki encountered this kind of giant spider last year and gained headlines the world over, he wrote he could actually hear it walking.
He wrote on his blog, "Every time I got too close to the birdeater … it would start rubbing its hind legs against the hairy abdomen…. A cloud of urticating hair hit my eyeballs, and made me itch and cry for several days."
Similar to nettles, its hairs have little spikes that cause irritation when potential predators come into contact with them. He also said, "The arachnid would rear its front legs and open its enormous fangs, capable of puncturing a mouse's skull."
The third line of defense for the Goliath birdeater is a loud hissing sound made by rubbing together hairs on its legs.
These adorable creatures can tip the scale at 170 grams — that's as much as a small puppy. And they're just as cute, don't you think?
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When Harvard entomologist Dr. Peter Naskrecki encountered this kind of giant spider last year and gained headlines the world over, he wrote he could actually hear it walking.
He wrote on his blog, "Every time I got too close to the birdeater … it would start rubbing its hind legs against the hairy abdomen…. A cloud of urticating hair hit my eyeballs, and made me itch and cry for several days."
Similar to nettles, its hairs have little spikes that cause irritation when potential predators come into contact with them. He also said, "The arachnid would rear its front legs and open its enormous fangs, capable of puncturing a mouse's skull."
The third line of defense for the Goliath birdeater is a loud hissing sound made by rubbing together hairs on its legs.
These adorable creatures can tip the scale at 170 grams — that's as much as a small puppy. And they're just as cute, don't you think?
-------------------------------------------------------------
Welcome to TomoNews, where we animate the most entertaining news on the internets. Come here for an animated look at viral headlines, US news, celebrity gossip, salacious scandals, dumb criminals and much more! Subscribe now for daily news animations that will knock your socks off.
Visit our official website for all the latest, uncensored videos: http://us.tomonews.net
Check out our Android app: http://bit.ly/1rddhCj
Check out our iOS app: http://bit.ly/1gO3z1f
Get top stories delivered to your inbox everyday: http://bit.ly/tomo-newsletter
Stay connected with us here:
Facebook http://www.facebook.com/TomoNewsUS
Twitter @tomonewsus http://www.twitter.com/TomoNewsUS
Google+ http://plus.google.com/+TomoNewsUS/
Instagram @tomonewsus http://instagram.com/tomonewsus